Baton Rouge Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm

Baton Rouge spinal cord injury (SCI) affects men and women from all walks of life. Over 10,000 individuals are affected across the country each year. Any damage to the spinal cord causing loss of function and/or mobility is defined as SCI. Both trauma and disease can cause SCI. Currently, auto accidents are the leading cause of SCI, though other causes do exist.

SCI may be complete, in which no movement or sensation remains below the level of the injury to the spine, or incomplete, in which some movement r sensation or both remains.

The medical profession defines SCI with reference to the area (vertebrae) of the spine affected. Injury at the fifth cervical (neck) is a C-5 injury; at the first thoracic (upper back) it is a T-1.

Generally, neck injuries will lead to quadriplegia (paralysis of all limbs) and injuries lower than the neck will cause paralysis of the lower limbs only (paraplegia). Regardless of the location, the severity of the injury can cause variations on the degree of dysfunction and loss of sensation.

Another aspect of SCI is swelling of the spinal cord, which usually happens shortly after the injury and may last for weeks or months. This swelling can cause severe, SCI-like symptoms, but these will usually subside with the swelling. The permanent injuries may only be apparent at this point. Currently, there is no way to repair the nerves affected by SCI, and therefore no "cure," but stem cell research is promising.

If you or a loved one is in need of legal assistance, call Gordon R. Crawford at (225)647-2881 or toll free 1-800-889-1313 or submit an online questionnaire. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. In many cases, a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.