Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are among the serious injuries that a worker can suffer on the job. The spinal cord damage can range from a slipped disk to paralysis. The worker may be unable to get back to the job for months. In some cases, the employee may be unable to ever work again.

If you have suffered a work-related spinal cord injury, talk to a workplace injury attorney at Kantrovitz & Associates, P.C. You may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. These funds can cover your lost wages, medical expenses and vocational rehabilitation costs.

For a free case evaluation of your workers’ compensation claim, please contact us online or call us toll free at 800-367-0871. The experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at Kantrovitz & Associates, P.C., have more than 20 years of experience fighting for the rights of those who are injured in the course of their employment, including those with spinal cord injuries.

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the workplace injury lawyers at Kantrovitz & Associates, P.C., help injured workers across Massachusetts. This includes, but is not limited to, Boston, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Plymouth and Merrimack River. We also represent Rhode Island and New Hampshire residents whose spinal cord injuries occurred in Massachusetts or who were hired in Massachusetts but who were injured out of state.

The spine and brain form the central nervous system. The spinal cord runs down the back. It connects the brain to the nerves in the rest of the body. The spinal column is made of vertebrae. It protects the spinal cord. When the vertebrae, disks or ligaments sustain damage, it can harm the nerves. As a result, a person may be unable to perform basic functions.

The most common spinal cord injuries are:

• Spinal cord compression: When the spinal canal narrows. This condition generally arises over time due to repeated activity, such as lifting, pulling or pushing.

• Herniated disk: When a disk between the vertebrae bulges. Like spinal cord compression, this condition tends to be the result of extended pressure on the disk.

• Paralysis: When a traumatic blow causes one to lose sensation and functioning in all or part of the body. The injury may be paraplegic (impacting the trunk, legs and pelvic organs) or quadriplegic (harming the arms, hands, trunk, legs and pelvic organs). If the damage is “complete,” it leaves the victim with no sensation or function below the level of injury. If it’s “incomplete,” the victim may have some feeling and functioning below the injury level.

A spinal cord injury can occur in a number of different jobs. However, statistics show that construction jobs present the highest risk of being in an accident that damages the spinal cord. The injury can occur when a person falls from scaffolding or a ladder or when a person trips and falls on the same floor level. Other construction accidents that can damage the spinal cord include being hit by an object, getting caught in heavy machinery or equipment or being in a motor vehicle accident. Construction transportation can involve a car, truck or fork lift.

Truck drivers, warehouse workers, factory workers, nursing aides and janitors also face a higher risk of work-related spinal cord damage compared to other occupations. However, any job that involves repeated twisting, bending, reaching, lifting of heavy items, walking in crowded or slick areas and exposure to constant vibration can expose one to the risk of spinal cord injuries.

If you or a loved one has suffered a job-related spinal cord injury, you may be entitled to temporary total disability, partial disability, or permanent and total disability worker’s compensation benefits. A knowledgeable workers’ compensation attorney can review your spinal cord injury and advise you about which benefits you may collect. Workers’ compensation benefits are determined by several factors. These factors include your average weekly wage and your degree of incapacity from the workplace injury.

A spinal cord injury can be costly. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) estimates that victims with the most severe spinal cord injuries will spend, on average, 15 days in the hospital. If a paraplegic, a victim may face $428,000 in lifetime costs for treatment and therapy, while a quadriplegic could face $1.35 million, according to the NSCISC. They will likely never work again. Even those with minor spinal cord injuries can expect to face high medical costs. They may never be able to return to work at their former capacity.

However, the Massachusetts workers’ compensation system is designed to ensure that employers have insurance to help employees who are injured or disabled on the job. All employees have legal rights to workers’ compensation for work-related injuries. Unfortunately, it’s often more complicated than it should be for workers to obtain their workers’ compensation benefits after a work-related injury.

The experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at Kantrovitz & Associates, P.C., based in Boston, Massachusetts, are here to help. Our law firm focuses on workers’ compensation cases. We can advise you on the best strategy for obtaining workers’ compensation benefits after a serious workplace injury such as a spinal cord injury.

We believe in a hands-on approach. That means we give individual attention to each and every client. We do not pass off cases to other Massachusetts law firms or to junior associates. A client will have the same attorney handling his or her claim from start to finish.

Also, if you hire a workers’ compensation attorney because you have been denied benefits, then under Massachusetts workers’ compensation law, the workers’ compensation insurer must pay the majority of your attorneys’ fees.

At Kantrovitz & Associates, we are ready to answer workplace injury questions from workers across Massachusetts, including, but not limited to, Boston, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Plymouth and Merrimack River. We also represent Rhode Island and New Hampshire residents whose job-related spinal cord injuries occurred in Massachusetts or who were hired in Massachusetts but who were injured out of state.

For a free, no-obligation evaluation of your workers’ compensation claim, please contact us online. The workers’ compensation lawyers at Kantrovitz & Associates, P.C., are here to help victims of workplace spinal cord injuries. You may also call us toll free at 800-367-0871.