Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers » Back Injury http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog Useful information for Indiana residents who have been injured in accidents Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:45:25 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Rare Diseases and Social Security Benefits from Indiana Social Security Lawyer http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/rare-diseases-and-social-security-benefits-from-indiana-social-security-lawyer/ http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/rare-diseases-and-social-security-benefits-from-indiana-social-security-lawyer/#comments Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:43:44 +0000 John Young http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/?p=1680 I have been representing Hoosiers in their claims for Social Security Disability Benefits for more than 23 years. Over that time I have run into several people who have rare diseases that cause them to be disabled. These diseases are just as problematic as the diseases we all know about such as cancer, so why do they cause issues when you have a claim for disability benefits?  The answer is in the regulations of the Social Security Administration.  The first question asked is the claimant working.  If the answer is no, the next question is does the claimant have a severe medical impairment.  The third step is whether the impairment meets a listing.  The fourth step is if the impairment does not meet a listing the Social Security Administration determines the claimants residual functional capacity ( a fancy way of saying what the body can still do despite its impairments). Finally, the fifth step is to determine whether there are any jobs in the national economy the claimant can still do despite the impairment.  The precise cite to the controlling law is 20 C.F.R. Sec. 404.1520.  (CFR stands for Code of Federal Regulations).

 I want to talk about the second step.  I know you are asking yourself what are these impairments.  Well, the answer is again in the regulations.  The Social Security Administration, with the help of medical experts, has created a list of medical conditions that they call impairments.  We call them the listings, for short.  They are a list of injuries, illnesses and diseases. If the claimant has one of these injuries illnesses or diseases, AND the symptoms are severe enough, the claimant will be found to be disabled.  The exact cite for the Lists is 20 CFR 404, Subpart P. Appendix 1. The general categories for the listings are Musculoskeletal, Special Senses and speech, Cardiovascular, Digestive, Genitourinary, Hematological, Skin, Endocrine, Multiple Body Systems, Neurological, Mental, Cancer, Immune system. As you might guess, the listing include the more common problems.  So what Happens when you have one of the rarer diseases that is not listed in the Listings?

Again we have to look at the rules.  In this case we have to look specifically at 20 CFR Sec. 404.1526, Medical Equivalence.  If your impairment is medically equivalent to a listed disease in severity and duration.  You will be found to be disabled.  The SSA uses 3 ways to determine medical equivalence.  This is a rather complicated process that requires consideration of the rules and your medical records.  If you find that you have a disease, and it is not a common problem, give me a call.  I will sit down with you, look at your records and let you know what I think about whether your impairment is medically equivalent to the listings.

]]> http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/rare-diseases-and-social-security-benefits-from-indiana-social-security-lawyer/feed/ 0 Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys on the New Health Care Law and How it Affects You http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury-attorneys-on-the-new-health-care-law-and-how-it-affects-you/ http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury-attorneys-on-the-new-health-care-law-and-how-it-affects-you/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:23:02 +0000 John Young http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/?p=1493 As your Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys, we want to discuss with you the impact of the new Health Care Law on Hoosiers dealing with paraplegia and quadriplegia.  The fact is that Hoosiers dealing with spinal cord injury have a multitude of medical issues that may not be apparent to the casual observer.  Some examples include pressure sores.  Pressure sores develop because the spinal cord injury prevents the person from sensing pressure on parts of the affected body.  People without spinal cord injury are constantly sensing heat or pressure when sitting or laying down and move to relieve that pressure.  When the pressure is not relieved, the tissue begins to break down and sores develop.  Pressure sores are dangerous because the spinal cord injury affects the Hoosier’s immune system and cause the sore to take a long time to heal.  These sores can be life threatening.  Another example of a danger to a person dealing with paraplegia or quadriplegia is infection.  As we discussed, the immune system of the person is lowered, their ability to cough may be affected so they cannot clear their lungs and trouble starts.  

As there are so many problems for these folks, good health care is essential.  Unfortunately many of these folks have, in the past met their maximum limit of coverage or have been kicked off their plans because the medical care costs cut into the obscene profits of the health insurers.  As health insurance in America is a for profit system, and as the free market system encourages lower costs and higher profits, it is only natural that insurers look with dismay at spinal cord injury victims. 

 The health care law has provisions that will help spinal cord injury victims.  I read in the paper today, that despite all the gloom and doom about the health care law and its effects on profits, most health insurers are doing quite well.  So it is shocking, though not surprising (profits can never be too high) that the vested interests are attacking the law and as a consequence attacking Hoosiers, and all Americans, with Spinal cord injury.  I am placing a paragraph from the National Spinal Cord Association Website (http://www.spinalcord.org/) about this issue here in order to bring attention to the problem:

TELL CONGRESS TO OPPOSE EFFORTS TO REPEAL AND REPLACE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

NSCIA urges all our members and their family members to immediately call your Representatives and Senators to oppose the House Republican efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. A vote is currently expected to be scheduled late in the week of January 17. Thanks to the generosity of Families USA, our coalition partner, you can call 1-888-876-6242 for free connect directly to the Congressional switchboard where you can ask for your Representative’s office. Click to full story for suggested message points.

After identifying yourself, tell your Congressional Representative you oppose the repeal or replacement of the Affordable Care Act because:

The Affordable Care Act has provided you and your family members with the peace of mind of knowing that as a person with a disability, you and others in your family will not be denied health care coverage because of a pre-existing condition.  IF YOU HAVE BEEN DENIED ON THIS BASIS PREVIOUSLY, LET THEM KNOW.

The Affordable Care Act has provided you and your family members with the peace of mind of knowing that you and your family members will no longer be subject to annual or lifetime caps on benefits which has bankrupted many families and caused destitution.  IF YOU HAVE A PERSONAL STORY TO SHARE ON THIS MATTER, LET THEM KNOW.

The Affordable Care Act has provided you and your family members with the peace of mind of knowing all policies must now contain certain essential benefits, including rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices and chronic disease management so needed by those living and working in the face of long-term chronic conditions and disability challenges.  IF YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER HAS BEEN DENIED SUCH SERVICES UNDER YOUR POLICY, LET THEM KNOW.

The Affordable Care Act has provided you and your family members with the peace of mind of knowing expanded home and community based services will be made available for people with disabilities and chronic conditions to live at home and participate in their communities rather than be institutionalized at far greater expense.  IF YOU HAVE BEEN INSTITUTIONALIZED AT A NURSING HOME OR OTHER LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY AND FEEL YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SERVED REMAINING IN THE COMMUNITY, LET THEM KNOW.

It is critical that we make our voices heard as we battle this first major effort to dismantle the health reforms we fought so hard to finally obtain.  Please call your Representative and Senators today.  It will cost you nothing but your time and what is at risk is enormous.  The toll-free number again is: 1-888-876-6242. ACT NOW!

Know that your fellow Hoosiers, and fellow Americans, deserve the dignity of proper health care.  Act now.

]]> http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury-attorneys-on-the-new-health-care-law-and-how-it-affects-you/feed/ 0 Indiana Spinal Injury Attorney http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-injury-attorney/ http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-injury-attorney/#comments Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:57:46 +0000 John Young http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-injury-attorney/ recovery-spinal-injury-200X200 We hope neither you nor family ever have to deal with a spinal cord injury that is visited upon you because of another negligence. Negligence, you will remember, is simply the failure of another person to act like a reasonable person. In an auto accident, a negligent person is the person who fails to follow the rules of the road. In a construction accident, the negligent person (or company) is the person who does not comply with OSHA rules and regulations, in a semi tractor-trailer accident, the negligent truck driver is the driver who does not follow the rules of the road, and does not comply with all safety rules and regulations for maintaining and operating the big rigs. The list goes on and on. After all, the purpose of tort law is accident and injury prevention. It is only when we fail in this first purpose that we turn to the second purpose of tort law, fair compensation to the person who was injured because another did not act reasonably.

If you are dealing with spinal cord injury because of the negligence of another, the lawyers of Young & Young stand ready to assist you in obtaining the fair compensation to which you are entitled. We hear, all the time, “I am not the suing type, I just want what’s fair”. We are glad to hear this. Although there are always exceptions to the rules, almost no Hoosier is the suing type. You’d have to be crazy to want to put yourself through such a trying ordeal. For all your troubles, you get to be cross examined by smart attorneys hired by the insurance company. There are always insurance companies, but in Indiana we have to sue the person who caused the harm, we are not allowed to even mention insurance. I am here to tell you, there is almost always insurance. Think about it, we have mandatory financial responsibility laws that require all drivers have insurance. You get to have your truthfulness questioned, you get to have people be suspicious of you for not being honest, just because you are asking a negligent person to make for the harm they did. Nobody, who has a spinal cord injury, and is paralyzed in any part of their body is the suing type. They are just asking to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect, those things everyone is entitled to.

If you are dealing with the impact of a spinal cord injury, and the resulting paralysis, you either know, or will find out, that your health depends on good medical attention and adaptive equipment. These things are not cheap. When asking another to pay fair compensation for the harm they caused, these things are as important as anything to help you live as you are entitled, happy and as comfortable as you were before their negligence forced this new set of circumstances on you. What your mother taught you is still true: If cause harm, you fix it, you make up for it. You don’t fix it half way, you fix it as best you can. When Young and Young works with Hoosiers dealing with spinal cord injury, we employ the finest minds available to help us calculate the full extent of the costs to help you live your life as you are entitled to. Call us toll free at 1-888-639-5161 or contact us on the web at john@youngandyounin.com.

We can help with any social security issues as well.

]]> http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-injury-attorney/feed/ 0 Indiana Spinal Cord Injury http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury/ http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury/#comments Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:50:23 +0000 John Young http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/?p=899 What is a life care plan and why is it important to one dealing with spinal cord injury?  John P. Young is an Indiana Spinal Cord Injury attorney practicing in Indianapolis, IN since 1988.  Mr. Young is part of Young and Young, spinal cord injury lawyers since 1954.  We have represented many, many Hoosiers injured in car  crashes, construction accidents, semi tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents and drunk driver accidents who have dealt with spinal cord injury.  As you know spinal cord injury can be a catastrophic injury if it leads to paralysis.  We knowwheelchair that depending on where the injury is in the spinal column, the injured person can have varying degrees of paralysis.  The higher the injury, the more of the body is affected.  Of course there are many different possible results when a person is recovering from a spinal cord injury, but the purpose of this discussion necessarily deals with the higher spinal cord injury which results in significant paralysis.  The person dealing with a high spinal cord injury is commonly referred to as a person dealing with quadriplegia or a quadriplegic.   This individual has lost sensation over most of the body but at the very least from about the nipples down.  These people may have partial movement of the arms or sensation in a finger, but there freedom of movement is significantly impaired.  Some effects of this condition are obvious, a person cannot walk, dress themselves, use stairs etc.  Some of these effects are not so obvious.  This person will require a bowel and bladder maintenance program.  Infection is another big danger because of the weaker immune system.

So, what does a life care plan have to do with the welfare of a person with significant spinal cord injury?  It is essential.  If the injury was caused by the negligence of another such as in one of the type of accidents listed above, the person who caused the harm is responsible for making up for that harm. It is not enough that they “kind of” make up for it, they must make up for all the harm.  So, in the situation of the quadriplegic person, how do we know what making up for all the harm means?  Well, in addition to paying the past medical bills, and the past and future lost wages, the person who caused the harm should pay for the future medical bills and for future needs for adaptive devices.  Adaptive devices are those things that give the injured person the most independence available to them.  Examples of adaptive devices include wheelchairs, slide boards, special gloves for allowing manipulation of dinner tools, and many, many more.  A life care planner is a specialist in studying the needs of the person dealing with quadriplegia, talking with the patient’s doctors and formulating a list of items likely to be required to maintain the injured person in the best quality of life possible.  The life care planner prices these items in the local market, establishes the likely number of replacements in the future, the likely type of continuing medical care anticipated and the costs of the medical care, and puts together a plan which will support the highest quality of life for the individual. These plans are adjusted for anticipated inflation.

Knowing the individual needs is the first step to making up for the harm caused.  If you or anyone in your family is dealing with a spinal cord injury caused by another’s negligence, call John P. Young, at Young and young.  Put their experience on your side.  Call, toll free, 1-888-639-5161 or write Mr. Young at john@youngandyoungin.com.  Mr. Young guarantees no fee unless you receive compensation.  Call today.

]]> http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury/feed/ 0 Indiana Injury Attorney http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-injury-attorney-5/ http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-injury-attorney-5/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:13:05 +0000 John Young http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/?p=889 John P. Young, of the Indianapolis Law firm of Young and Young, is your Indiana Injury Attorney.  Young and Young has been protecting the rights of Injured Hoosiers to full and fair compensation since 1954.  Mr. Young learned from experienced trial attorneys and has been helping injured Hoosiers for more than 22 years.  Mr. Young represents Hoosiers injured in car wrecks, highway accidents, construction accidents, semi tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle crashes, and drunk driving accidents.  Mr. Young knows the medicine and has been involved in helping Hoosiers dealing with broken bones, burns, blindness, brain injury, back injuries resulting in spinal cord injuries, paralysis, amputation and wrongful death.  As an Indiana injury attorney practicing in Indianapolis, Mr. Young has the resources to travel all over the State helping Hoosiers.

Recent news reports indicate that a man died from an explosion caused by fumes  from propane tanks and gas tanks personal-injury1exploding.  The lesson to take from this is never bring propane tanks and or gas cans into the house where they are likely to be placed in a confined space.  The fumes from these items are heavier than air and will fill a room without warning to the occupant.  As these fumes are highly flammable, even a static electricity shock can be enough to cause an explosion.  You should never store these items in the basement.  Often times the pilot light from a furnace or a water heater are enough to ignite the fumes and cause an explosion.  Burns are extremely painful and leave lifetime scarring. Please be exceptionally careful when working with and storing flammables.

In another incident a northern Indiana man was killed when a forklift he was repairing fell on him. Mark Cripe was pronounced dead at the scene.  He was working on the machine alone when the accident occurred.  OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is investigating the incident.  We send our condolences to Mr. Cripes family and wish them the best in these trying times.  The family is encouraged to file a Workers Compensation claim.  These funds will help the family weather the storm financially.  In addition, the family should file for social security benefits to help the children pay for expanses Mr. Cripe would have been covered if he were alive and able to work.

If you, a loved one, or a friend have been injured, and that injury was caused by another person, call John P. Young.  The call is toll free, 1-866-639-5161 or on line at john@youngandyoungin.com.  Mr. Young guarantees that he will not charge a fee unless you receive compensation for your injuries.

]]> http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-injury-attorney-5/feed/ 0 The Sam Schmidt Foundation http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/the-sam-schmidt-foundation/ http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/the-sam-schmidt-foundation/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:53:50 +0000 John Young http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/?p=756 SamSchimdt The Sam Schmidt Foundation  is dedicated to curing paralysis.  Sam’s motto is “It’s not if, but when?”  Many of you may remember Sam Schmidt, a successful driver on the Indy Care open wheel circuit.  He injured his spinal cord while driving at the  Indianapolis 500 Mile track in Indianapolis.  Sam’s never say quit outlook has lead him on a journey to find the cure for paralysis and to help those dealing with spinal injury and paralysis to thrive and live full lives.  I first became aware of Sam’s Foundation when a very good friend and client injured his spinal cord and became quadriplegic.  While Bob was in the Rehabilitation Hospital in Indianapolis, trying to make sense of what happened to him and what he was going to do with the rest of his life, he was visited by none other than Sam. I was not present, but when I saw Bob after Sam’s visit, I detected a new sense of purpose for Bob.  He knew that his injuries were not the end of his life.  Bob knew there was much for him to do and achieve and he set out on that journey with a passion.

Sam’s mission statement, taken from his website:

Leading the Charge to Cure Paralysis.
The Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation helps individuals overcome spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders by funding scientific research, medical treatment, rehabilitation and technological advances. This research also benefits stroke victims and people diagnosed with ALS, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Sam was injured in a professional motor sports car crash.  Bob was injured in a fall from a climbing tree stand.  Hoosiers across the state are injured in semi tractor-trailer crashes, or drunk driver accidents, or motorcycle collisions or construction accidents.  It does not matter how the spinal cord injury occurs.  What really matters is that the spinal cord injured Hoosier know that they and their family are not alone.  People like Sam Schmidt, and his foundation, are an inspiration to all.

At Young and Young, we are Indianapolis and Indiana spinal cord injury lawyers.  We have represented hundreds of Hoosiers with spinal cord injuries and have been doing so for more than 56 consecutive years.  If you would like to discuss the legal issues surrounding spinal cord injury, including, workers compensation, social security disability, private disability insurance or the liability of the person whose negligence caused the spinal cord injury, please contact Young and young toll free at 1-888-639-5161, or on the web at john@youngandyoungin.com.  Your call is confidential.  We will meet with you personally wherever is required.  There is no fee for this consultation and we do not charge a fee unless we recover fair compensation for you.  Call today.

]]> http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/the-sam-schmidt-foundation/feed/ 0 Spinal cord injury can occur in the blink of an eye. http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/spinal-cord-injury-can-occur-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/ http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/spinal-cord-injury-can-occur-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:03:00 +0000 Fred Crow http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/spinal-cord-injury-can-occur-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/ John P. Young is an experienced Indiana/Indianapolis spinal cord injury lawyer.  Mr. Young has represented Hoosiers with Spinal Cord injuries for 22 years.  These injuries have occurred in highway accidents, semi tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, drunk driving accidents and construction accidents.  Spinal Cord injury can have devastating effects not only on the injured Hoosier, but on their family and finances.  The light at the end of the tunnel is that we, as a society, have risen to the challenge of providing resources for the spinal cord injury victim.  We recommend that anyone with a relative, or friend who is dealing with spinal cord injury get in touch with the National Spinal Cord Injury Association (www.spinalcord.org).  We also recommend the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation (www.samschmidt.org).   These organizations make the first steps to entering the world with a spinal cord injury more sure.

Spinal cord injury can occur in the blink of an eye. 

For hunters using climbing tree stands, take a hunter safety course and always be connected to the tree with you safety line and harness.  We recommend a body harness with four point contact.  This will keep you from hitting the ground, turning upside down or becoming asphyxiated while waiting for help. 

For those of you with trampolines, never allow your child to jump with others on the trampoline.  The “double bounce” action of the second person can cause the first person to be launched higher, lose control turn upside down and land on their head causing spinal cord injury.  

Never allow anyone to dive head first into any body of water until you are certain of the depths.  Simply because the diver is on a dock extending into the water, or on a boat far from shore does not mean that there are not shoals in the area.

Motorcyclists, always take a rider safety course.  Most motorcycle accidents happen because the auto driver does not see you.  Cars turn in front of motorcycles all the time.  Watch for them and drive at a speed which allows you to stop suddenly and safely.

If you, or a loved one suffers a spinal cord injury due to another person’s negligence, call John P. Young for a personal, confidential and free of charge consultation.  Know your rights.  You can contact Mr. Young at 1-888-639-5161 or on the web at john@youngandyoungin.com.  We charge no fee until we have secured just and fair compensation for you  or your loved one.

]]> http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/spinal-cord-injury-can-occur-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/feed/ 0 Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury-lawyer/ http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury-lawyer/#comments Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:23:12 +0000 John Young http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/?p=593 John P. Young is your Indiana spinal cord injury lawyer.  Mr. Young has and continues to represent Hoosiers coping with spinal cord injuries for more than twenty years.  The common thread in Mr. Young’s cases is that the spinal cord injury was caused by trauma, and the cause of that trauma was another’s negligence. sleep-paralysis-imagery Remember, just because a person did not intend to harm you, cause you to incur medical bills and lose your ability to earn a living to support your family does not mean that they should not be responsible for making up for the harm they did cause.  As your mother taught you, and you teach your children, if you make a mess, or break something, you are responsible for making up for that harm.  You are responsible for making up for all the harm.  Negligence means, in the law, a failure to use reasonable care.  Reasonable care is obeying the rules of the road, or following the safety regulations which cover a construction site.  When a person violates these rules, even if they did not mean to, they are still responsible to make up for the harm they cause, all of the harm they cause.

Statistically speaking close to 11,000 people in the U.S. sustain a traumatic spinal cord injury each year.  These injuries can be permanent or temporary and can affect your ability to feel, to move or both. As we have discussed before, the higher in the spinal cord the injury, the more of the body will be affected. Almost 200,000 people live with paralysis caused by spinal cord injury. For those coping with spinal cord injury, the good news is there are many resources available to help you adapt to your injury and make a life for yourself.  Mr. Young highly recommends you visit the website of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association (www.spinalcord.org). This organization has a wealth of resources and information crucial to a family coping with spinal cord injury and paralysis.  The Association is made up of professionals dedicated to treating spinal cord injury.  It lists support groups and other resources directly from families and individuals who have been on the road you are travelling.  Do not go at this alone, help is near.

If you or a loved one is dealing with a spinal cord injury caused by another’s negligence, call John P. Young for a personal, confidential and free of charge consultation. Mr. Young works exclusively for you and there is no charge unless you receive fair compensation.  You can call 1 888 639-5161, or email Mr. Young at john@youngandyoungin.com.  Let Mr. Young help you and your family, call today.

]]> http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury-lawyer/feed/ 0 Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury-lawyers/ http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury-lawyers/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:20:46 +0000 John Young http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/?p=552 John P. Young, and Young and Young Lawyers are your Indiana spinal cord injury lawyers.  Young and Young has been representing Hoosiers with spinal cord injuries since 1954.  John P. Young has more than 22 years experience investigating, understanding and proving spinal cord injury cases. Spinal cord injuries can happenspine in a variety of ways and from a variety of mechanisms.  A traumatic blow to the spinal column can cause a spinal cord injury.  The blow to the back can fracture the vertebrae (the building block of your back).  These fractures can allow the cord to be injured because the vertebrae are no longer able to protect the spinal cord or the broken pieces of the bone can impact the spinal cord.  Another mechanism of injury is from a blow to top area the head, such as in a fall, or a football injury.  The head flexes forward causing the neck to do the same.  As the neck flexes, the vertebrae separate and allow the cord to squeeze between the vertebrae.  When the tension is taken off the neck and the head reverts back to the upright position, the spinal column can be caught between the vertebrae and either compressed or severed.  As the spinal cord is the communication system between the brain and the muscles of the body, anything that interferes with the function of the cord can lead to paralysis, numbness, tingling and or pain.  The possibility of quadriplegia increases the higher the injury in the spinal cord.

Spinal cord injury can be described as complete, meaning that there is a total loss of feeling and function below the point of injury. It can also be characterized as incomplete, which leaves some degree of feeling and use.

A little anatomy lesson may be helpful.  The spine is divided into three general areas, the cervical region (neck), the thoracic region (mid-back), and the lumbar region (low back).  The spinal cord snakes through holes in each of the vertebrae known as the foreman.  Off the spinal cord shoot nerve roots which travel to all parts of the body for muscle control and the ability to sense (feel) objects. Each vertebrae is separated by discs which act as cushions between the vertebrae.  The nerve roots which exit the spinal column in the cervical area serve the head and neck.  The nerve roots which exit the thoracic area serve the truck of the body.  The nerve roots which exit the spinal column serve the buttock and leg areas.  So you can see, if the injury is higher in the spinal column everything below that injury is going to be affected.  Symptoms of spinal cord injury include complete paralysis, partial paralysis, muscle spasms, tingling, pain, sexual dysfunction, bladder and bowel dysfunction.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, call John P. Young for a free consultation today.  Mr. Young will work with you personally to help you sort through all the issues you now face.

]]> http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/indiana-spinal-cord-injury-lawyers/feed/ 0 Spinal Cord Injuries http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/spinal-cord-injuries/ http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/spinal-cord-injuries/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:03:00 +0000 John Young http://www.youngandyoungin.com/blog/index.php/indiana-personal-injury/spinal-cord-injuries/ Approximately 40,000 Americans suffer spinal cord injuries every year. Although research is improving the quality of care surrounding spinal cord injuries, there is still much to be learned.  Unfortunately, it remains clear that spinal cord injuries are often permanent and almost always devastating.  At Young and Young we are experienced Indiana spinal cord injury attorneys. As accident lawyers and injury attorneys for more than fifty six years we know the impact s spinal cord injury has on a family.  We know that spinal cord injuries arise from construction accidents, traffic accidents, large truck accidents, semi tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents large truck crashes and falls.  Spinal cord injury can be accompanied by other injuries such as broken bones, brain injury and amputations.

The spinal cord injury can be so catastrophic because it can lead to paralysis.    If the injury is high in the spinal cord, the result can be quadriplegia, or the loss of sensation and motor movement from the neck down.  If the spinal cord injury is high enough in the neck (also called the cervical region) the result can be wrongful death.  If the injury occurs lower down in the spinal cord, the injury can be paraplegia, or the loss of sensation and motor movement from the waist down.

At Young and Young, as experienced Indianapolis Injury lawyers, we know that it is essential to work with all your medical professionals to completely understand the full extent of the spinal cord injury.  We know from experience that the injury will require many new and different types of treatments.  Usually the spinal cord injury is watched over by a hospitalist (also known as a physiatrist) who is the Captain of the ship so to speak.  They head up the team of medical specialists and coordinate treatment.  These professionals will include one or more of the following: neurosurgeon, neurologist, orthopedist, pulmonologist, infectious disease specialist, nephrologist, physical therapists, and others.  The injured Hoosier will initially be treated at an acute care hospital.  They will then be sent a rehabilitation hospital.  Therapies will last months, and will focus on adaptation.  Devices adapted to the injury will be introduced to help you re-enter your life and complete the activities of daily living, to get back to being as independent as possible.

Young and Young knows how to document all of the costs you will face, including future medical care, and future lost wages.  We have helped hundreds of spinal cord injured Hoosiers and we can help you and your family.  Call today for a free evaluation either in the hospital or in your home.

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