Spinal Cord Injury | Bourne Law Firm

Spinal Cord Injury Essentials

Spinal cord injuries often qualify as catastrophic under Georgia workers’ comp law
You may receive lifetime medical benefits, home modifications, and permanent disability payments
Complete injuries cause total paralysis below the injury site; incomplete injuries allow some function
Common workplace causes include falls from heights, vehicle accidents, and heavy equipment incidents
An experienced attorney helps secure maximum benefits and overcome insurance company disputes

Spinal cord injuries are some of the most serious injuries you can suffer at work. They can change your life forever. At Bourne Law Firm, we help clients with catastrophic work injuries, including spinal cord damage.

We understand the challenges you face. These injuries affect your life, your career, and your finances. Our attorneys fight for your rights. We work to get you the money you deserve.

Benefits You Can Receive After a Spinal Cord Injury

When you suffer a spinal cord injury at work, you have the right to get benefits. These benefits help you pay medical bills and replace lost wages. They help you adapt to your new situation. Here’s what you may get under Georgia workers’ compensation law.

Medical Treatment and Rehabilitation Expenses

You can get full medical treatment for your injury. You must see doctors from the panel of physicians your employer provides. This includes tests like MRIs and visits with specialists.

If your spinal cord injury is severe, it may qualify as a “catastrophic injury” under Georgia law. This label can greatly expand your benefits. Catastrophic injuries may give you lifetime medical benefits and job retraining. You may also get help with home changes or personal care. Your medical treatment may include:

Surgery to stabilize your spine or repair damaged tissue
Physical therapy to improve your mobility and strength
Occupational therapy to help you regain independence in daily tasks
Assistive devices like wheelchairs, braces, or adaptive equipment

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Watch Out for Disputes

Insurance companies often fight spinal cord injury claims. They may say the injury didn’t happen at work. They may deny treatments you need. They may say your injury is not catastrophic. These fights go before an administrative law judge. You need an experienced attorney to win these hearings.

Lost Income Benefits While You Cannot Work

If your injury stops you from working, you may get temporary total disability (TTD) benefits. TTD benefits pay two-thirds of your average weekly wage. Georgia has maximum and minimum payment limits.

If you can return to work but earn less than before, you may get temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits. TPD benefits are based on the wage difference before and after your injury.

Permanent Impairment Benefits

If your doctor gives you an impairment rating, you may get weekly cash payments for your permanent disability. Doctors use special medical guides to rate your impairment. Georgia law requires them to use the American Medical Association’s Fifth Edition guides (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-263(d)).

Permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits pay you for the permanent loss or reduced use of a body part. These benefits do not depend on whether you can work. They do not depend on how much you earn. They are based only on the permanent effects of your injury.

To qualify for PPD benefits, you must no longer be getting TTD or TPD benefits.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are complex. They vary greatly in how severe they are. Knowing what type of injury you have helps determine your treatment. It also helps you know what recovery to expect. There are two main types: complete and incomplete.

In most cases, spinal cord injuries qualify as catastrophic injuries. This is because they have severe and lasting effects on your life.

Complete Spinal Cord Injuries

Complete spinal cord injuries cause a total loss of function below the injury site. This means you will likely have paralysis. You will also lose feeling in the affected areas of your body.

Catastrophic Injury Definition

Under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-200.1(g)), a spinal cord injury with severe paralysis automatically qualifies as catastrophic. This includes paralysis of an arm, a leg, or your trunk. This label gives you enhanced benefits including lifetime medical care.

Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries

Incomplete spinal cord injuries cause a partial loss of function below the injury site. With an incomplete injury, you may keep some feeling or movement in the affected areas. You may keep both.

Every case is unique. Incomplete injuries may also qualify as catastrophic if they cause severe paralysis. They may also qualify if they cause other major functional problems. Whether your injury is catastrophic depends on your specific case.

You must prove that your injury is catastrophic. This may mean showing that your injury stops you from doing your prior work. You may also need to show you cannot do any other work available in large numbers nationwide.

Anatomy of The Spine

Spinal cord injuries are also grouped by where they happen in your spine. The spinal column has four main regions. Injuries to each region cause different effects:

Cervical (neck and upper back): Can result in quadriplegia, affecting both your arms and legs
Thoracic (middle back): Can lead to paraplegia, affecting your legs and potentially your trunk
Lumbar (lower back): Can also cause paraplegia, affecting your hips and legs
Sacral (base of spine): Affects your hips, buttocks, and pelvic region, causing varying degrees of lower body impairment

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Higher Injuries Mean Greater Impact

Generally, the higher up the injury, the more of your body is affected. Cervical injuries are usually the most severe. They can affect all four limbs and your breathing. Lower injuries may let you keep upper body function.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in the Workplace

Spinal cord injuries can happen in many ways at work. Knowing common causes can help prevent these devastating injuries. Here are the most frequent causes:

Falls from Heights or Slippery Surfaces

Workers in construction, warehouses, or jobs at heights face high risk of spinal cord injuries from falls. Slippery floors from spills or poor upkeep can also cause serious falls and injuries.

Vehicle Accidents

Accidents involving forklifts, trucks, and other heavy machinery can result in spinal cord injuries. These accidents happen when vehicles collide or when workers are struck by moving vehicles in the workplace.

Heavy Equipment Accidents

Workers operating or working near heavy machines like cranes, loaders, or conveyors can suffer spinal cord injuries. This happens if they are struck by or caught in the equipment. Proper training and following safety rules help prevent these accidents.

Although less common, workplace violence or assault can lead to spinal cord injuries. Employers must maintain a safe work environment and address any threats to worker safety.

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Report Your Injury Immediately

Georgia law requires you to report workplace injuries within 30 days. If you don’t report your spinal cord injury quickly, you could lose your benefits. Tell your employer in writing as soon as possible, even if you’re in the hospital.

Settlements and Award Calculations

Settlement amounts for spinal cord injuries depend on several factors. These include how severe your injury is, whether you can return to work, and what you earned before. The goal is to pay you for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.

Because spinal cord injuries are often catastrophic, settlements can be large. They must cover lifetime medical care, home changes, assistive devices, and lost earning power.

How Our Law Firm Can Help

At Bourne Law Firm, we focus only on serious and catastrophic work injuries, including spinal cord injuries. We understand how complex workers’ comp claims are. We can guide you through the process. Our experienced attorneys fight for your rights. We work to get you all the benefits you deserve.

We handle fights with insurance companies. We represent you at hearings. We fight for maximum pay. Don’t face the insurance company alone.