Louisiana Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys

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Spine and paralysis accidents in Louisiana have far-reaching effects, and Baton Rouge—where heavy industry, busy highways, and river commerce intersect—is no stranger to these serious incidents. Prompt medical care and legal support are critical to protect victims' physical well-being and legal rights. Our team works with families to navigate medical challenges and address the changes that come with a serious injury, including loss of work or independence.

Key Steps to Take After a Spine or Paralysis Accident

When a spinal cord or paralysis injury is suspected after an accident, every decision matters. Acting quickly can protect both your health and your ability to seek full financial compensation. After an accident:

• Call 911 immediately. In Baton Rouge and across Louisiana, emergency medical crews from local fire and EMS departments can stabilize the scene and the person who has sustained a spinal cord injury, with safe transportation to facilities like Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center or Baton Rouge General. 
• Avoid moving the injured person. Unless there's immediate danger, never move someone who may have a spinal injury. Movement can worsen the damage and increase the risk of permanent paralysis.
• Get a full medical evaluation. Early testing, imaging, and documentation from doctors experienced in trauma care can be critical to your recovery and your claim. Seek medical attention as quickly as possible and keep all records.
• Collect evidence if it's safe. Photos of the scene, witness contact information, and reports from Baton Rouge police or paramedics can become vital evidence later on. If possible, gather as much evidence and information as you can.
• Keep records and preserve communications. Keep medical bills, employer correspondence, and any documentation linked to the accident and resulting treatment. Taking notes and keeping a treatment journal can also prove helpful, as memories fade and important details may be forgotten over time.
• Call an experienced Baton Rouge spinal cord injury attorney. Louisiana has strict deadlines for filing spinal cord injury claims, and waiting too long can put your case at risk. Arnold & Itkin has the resources to investigate your case, identify who's responsible, and fight for the full compensation you deserve. 

Why Spinal Cord Injuries Are Serious

Spinal injuries often occur when trauma compresses the vertebrae in the neck. Once this happens, the damage may be irreversible. Like brain injuries, spinal cord injuries are considered catastrophic because they change every aspect of a person's life. However, a common misconception is that these injuries only result from a severed spine, but they are often the result of compressed vertebrae and damage to axons, the parts of a nerve cell that carry impulses down the spine.

Once an axon is damaged, it can no longer effectively transmit signals for movement.

Depending on the injury’s location in the spinal cord, different parts of the body may be affected. Quadriplegia results in a loss of motor function in all four limbs and the trunk, while paraplegia impacts the lower limbs.

Facts from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC):

• Over 18,000 people experience a traumatic spinal cord injury each year in the United States.
• Approximately 308,000 people with traumatic spinal cord injuries are currently living in the U.S.
• Vehicle collisions are the leading cause of traumatic spinal cord injury.

Spine Injuries & Paralysis Accidents in Louisiana

Paralysis is defined as the loss of muscle function in part or all of the body. Roughly 1 in every 50 Americans lives with paralysis, and 27% of those cases result from spinal cord injuries. Paralysis alters a person’s life and job situation. Workers in physical roles—such as commercial fishing, construction, trucking, or oil and gas—often face the sudden loss of income. Paralysis brings major changes to every daily activity, causing emotional, physical, social, and financial strain.

Types of Paralysis

Paralysis takes many forms—it can be partial or complete, affecting just one limb or larger areas of the body. 

Localized paralysis might target a single hand or the face, while more severe injuries, such as those to the cervical spine, cause wider loss of function in the arms and legs. Thoracic spinal cord injuries are the most common, limiting movement in the legs. Lumbar spinal cord injuries impact the legs but usually do not affect the upper body.

The following is a breakdown of how the location of the injury will impact the body:

• Cervical Section (C1 to C8): Controls the upper body, including the head, neck, and shoulders.
• Thoracic Spinal Nerves (T1 to T12): Controls the chest, portions of the back, and abdomen.
• Lumbar Spinal Nerves (L1 to L5): Supports the lower abdomen, back, legs, and genital organs.
• Sacral Spinal Nerves (S1 to S5): Sends signals to the thighs, feet, and anus.

Baton Rouge offers several rehabilitation centers and adaptive services that help people with paralysis work toward independence. These local resources, combined with family and support networks, give people new avenues to rebuild their lives. Coordination with medical, occupational, and legal professionals can help individuals across Louisiana manage these transitions and make informed decisions.

Spinal Fractures

When trauma is significant enough to actually break vertebrae—as seen in falls from heights, car accidents, assaults, or sports injuries—the results are devastating. These injuries may cause pain, numbness, fever, or even loss of movement. Each type of fracture impacts the spine differently, affecting recovery times and outcomes.

The main types of spinal fractures are:

• Compression Fracture: The front of a vertebra breaks while the back stays intact.
• Axial Burst: The entire vertebra collapses. This can lead to serious complications if untreated.
• Flexion-Distraction: Seen in seatbelt or whiplash injuries. These fractures pull the vertebrae apart.
• Transverse Process: The vertebra rotates, which can destabilize the spinal column if ignored.
• Fracture-Dislocation: A combination of a broken vertebra and torn ligaments, often needing surgery for stabilization.

Louisiana sees spinal fractures due to the volume of motor vehicle and industrial incidents, especially in Baton Rouge. Local emergency teams must act quickly to stabilize the injury and prevent more serious harm. Surgeons and rehab staff at Baton Rouge’s trauma centers work together to help patients start their recovery with the best available care.

Spinal Cord Injury Complications

Spinal cord injuries don’t just impact mobility—they affect basic body functions. These complications include:

• Loss of full respiratory function, requiring a ventilator. Difficulty with basic respiratory functions can severely impact quality of life and require immediate medical intervention.
• Irregular heartbeat, which may also be accompanied by low blood pressure. Such cardiovascular issues can complicate recovery and require ongoing monitoring.
• Muscle spasms, which occur when the brain can no longer send signals to specific destinations. These spasms can be painful and disruptive, requiring specialized treatment.
• Severe and/or chronic pain caused by damaged nerves. Pain management is a critical aspect of ongoing treatment for spinal cord injury victims.
• Risk of blood clots, which often form in limbs that can no longer function. These clots can be life-threatening if not effectively managed with appropriate medical care.
• Loss of bladder and bowel control, as well as loss of sexual function. These complications can profoundly affect personal dignity and quality of life, requiring comprehensive rehabilitation.

Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries

Seek emergency care right away after a spinal cord injury. Only trained emergency responders should move a patient, using a neck collar and backboard for safety. Treatment aims to restore as much function and comfort as possible, with doctors focusing on breathing, stabilizing blood pressure, and avoiding further harm. A doctor might give methylprednisolone within eight hours to reduce swelling around the spinal column and limit nerve damage. 

Surgery may be needed to decompress or stabilize the spinal area. Surgical procedures—like spinal fusion, laminectomy, or minimally invasive techniques—play a key role in many recoveries. Physical therapy after surgery keeps people moving toward better health, focusing on rebuilding mobility and flexibility despite ongoing challenges.

Baton Rouge and other Louisiana cities offer hospital teams that coordinate directly with rehabilitation services, helping patients move from emergency care to long-term therapy without delay. This approach improves outcomes and shortens recovery. Ongoing specialty care and equipment make daily routines easier, planning for increased independence. 

Rehabilitation for People with Paralysis

There is no cure for paralysis, but rehabilitation improves quality of life. The earlier patients start working their muscles, the better their recovery chances become.

Many people need a team for effective rehabilitation, which may include:

• Psychiatrists who help plan how to handle pain and emotional changes.
• Rehab nurses supporting nutrition, care, breathing, and education needs.
• Occupational and physical therapists who guide patients through everyday routines and movement exercises.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is often the most demanding part of recovery after a spinal cord injury. Therapists focus on helping patients regain muscle function and relearn fine motor skills. These sessions also teach practical solutions for new challenges. In Louisiana, local providers know how to connect patients with resources and assistance programs that support daily life and independence. Family support, transportation options, and adaptive technology all affect how people adjust after a major spinal cord injury.

Therapy takes time and can be expensive, especially when custom equipment or multiple specialists are needed. The cost of living with a spinal cord injury, not counting lost income, can reach millions of dollars. As spine injury lawyers in Louisiana, we fight to secure fair compensation for clients who have suffered these catastrophic injuries. We commit every resource to hold major opponents accountable and help the people we represent achieve the best possible results.

Check out the Reeve Foundation's brief look at the lifetime cost of paralysis treatment.

Helping Spinal Injury Victims in Baton Rouge & All of Louisiana

Baton Rouge’s busy highways and industrial areas contribute to higher rates of vehicle crashes and workplace accidents—leading causes of spinal injuries. Hospitals like Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center offer advanced treatment options, but recovery after a serious injury still comes with many challenges and expenses. Part of this is dealing with the local legal system, which in Louisiana combines civil and common law traditions. It is important to work with attorneys who understand the details of personal injury cases here. Our team guides people through each step, whether their injury happened in a vehicle collision, in one of Baton Rouge’s many industrial settings, or in any other scenario.

Spinal injury claims in Baton Rouge sometimes mean dealing with several parties, like employers, insurers, and healthcare organizations. We help our clients navigate these challenges, avoiding common mistakes and delays in order to maximize their results. In Louisiana and nationwide, our trial lawyers have won more than $20 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients, with many of these cases involving back and spinal cord injuries. 

We represented a husband and wife from Ruston, Louisiana, who were severely injured in a commercial vehicle crash. Both suffered serious back injuries, with the husband's severe enough to require surgery. Despite the complexity of the case and limited sources of compensation, our attorneys were able to reach a $3.2 million settlement for our clients. 

Our other Louisiana spine injury case results include:

• $117 million, the largest single-event personal injury verdict in Louisiana history, on behalf of a young pregnant mother who suffered brain and spinal cord injuries in an ambulance accident.
• $8 million for a Louisiana steward who experienced severe back injuries in an offshore accident.
• $6.7 million for a tankerman who suffered neck and back injuries on a dock in Donaldsonville, LA.
• $4.96 million for a Louisiana man who experienced back and neck trauma in a Texas plant explosion.

“When Arnold & Itkin stepped up the way they did, and treated me the way they did, it felt like family.” - Christopher, workplace explosion survivor.

About Baton Rouge, LA

Baton Rouge is Louisiana’s capital and the state’s second-largest city. Located about 79 miles from New Orleans and 56 miles from Lafayette, Baton Rouge acts as a transportation hub between these cities, Houston, and Jackson. The city’s vibrant culture runs through its museums, art galleries, and restaurants. Attractions include city parks, the USS Kidd ship museum, Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, and the Baton Rouge Zoo.

Baton Rouge is home to major universities, large employers, and a busy downtown, making it a hub of activity for Louisiana’s workforce. Its location along the Mississippi River fuels constant industrial and shipping traffic, adding to the heavy presence of construction, transportation, and plant jobs in the area. These industries drive the local economy—but they also bring heightened risks of serious accidents, including the kinds of spinal cord injuries that can alter lives forever.

For those who suffer catastrophic harm, recovery requires far more than an emergency room visit. Victims often face months or years of rehabilitation, specialized therapy, and the challenge of adapting to permanent changes in mobility or independence. Baton Rouge offers programs and community services to support this journey, but the reality is that no amount of care can undo the damage when companies put profits ahead of safety. 

That’s where the fight for accountability becomes just as important as the fight for medical recovery.

Baton Rouge: Helpful Resources

Our Louisiana Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Fight to Make Recovery Possible

People with spinal cord injuries, and families supporting them, must make tough choices at difficult moments. Many must decide quickly about medical care that will impact their future, often while adjusting to life-changing realities. When someone’s injury happens because of another person’s negligence, choose a lawyer with a strong record of fighting these cases. At Arnold & Itkin, our Louisiana injury attorneys have recovered more than $20 billion for clients, helping individuals access care and secure a better quality of life.

Louisiana law gives most spinal injury victims only one year to file a claim. To protect your legal rights and not lose your opportunity for compensation, act promptly. When you choose Arnold & Itkin for your spine or paralysis case, you gain a team fully committed to preparation and individual care. We carry the financial risk of litigation, so you pay only if we recover for you. Our willingness to take every case to trial, not just settle quickly, helps hold large companies to account and ensures our clients’ losses, medical needs, and lost earnings are fully considered.

Louisiana’s mixed legal heritage raises unique legal questions in personal injury cases. We welcome these challenges. Our team reviews evidence carefully, consults medical professionals, and builds legal strategies tailored to Louisiana law and what local families need. By offering open communication and strong advocacy, we help people in Baton Rouge understand their rights and make confident choices at every step.

For a free consultation and to find out how a Baton Rouge spine injury lawyer can help you, call (888) 493-1629or contact us online. If we take your case, you only pay if we win.