Law Office of Michael D. Waks

Spinal cord damage is a common result of falls, motor vehicle accidents, and other types of accidents. A spinal cord injury may be a complete or incomplete injury. Damage to the spine is often permanent, but in some cases an injury victim suffers only swelling or temporary damage and is able to make a full recovery. Because there are many different levels of severity when it comes to spinal cord injuries, each individual victim of an injury will have different levels of loss. When injury … [Read more...]

According to the National Athletic Trainers Association, there are more than seven million high school athletes in the United States and around 40 million kids between the ages of six and 18 who play organized sports.   Unfortunately, playing sports exposes these young people to the risk of injury, sometimes severe injury. One of the most devastating injuries a child can experience when playing sports is a spinal cord injury.  Spinal injuries from a sports accident can cause paralysis or, in … [Read more...]

What Is A Spinal Cord Injury by Michael Waks The spinal cord is a network of nerves that travels down the back carrying messages from the brain to the rest of the body. A spinal cord injury occurs when there is damage to the cord. Frequently it’s from a blow to the spine that displaces pieces of bone, ligaments and/or disc material that cut or bruise the spinal cord tissue. Learn more about spinal cord injury in this presentation. … [Read more...]

Auto accidents and motorcycle accidents are the leading causes of spinal cord injuries. According to the Mayo Clinic, car and motorcycle accidents account for over 35% of new spinal cord injuries each year. Many personal injury lawyers handle automobile and motorcycle accident cases, but not all personal injury attorneys have experience with spinal cord injuries. When it comes to handling personal injury cases, knowledge and experience count in getting the full compensation … [Read more...]

Spinal cord accident victims often require life-long medical and personal care resulting in astronomically high financial costs. That is why it is essential for car accident victims who suffer a spinal cord injury to receive the maximum compensation for their losses and injuries - in legal terms, their damages. Unfortunately, it is common practice for insurance companies to try to assign at least some some blame for an auto accident to the victim. They do this because under the … [Read more...]

Spinal cord injuries cause permanent, life-altering changes for an accident victim and his or her family. Spinal cord injuries are the result of damage to the spinal cord itself or to the vertebrae, ligaments or disks of the spinal column. Most of the spinal cord injuries I see are the result of a traumatic blow to the spine that crushes, dislocates, compresses or fractures one or more of the vertebrae. It can also result from an object penetrating the spinal column and cutting the … [Read more...]

What Activities Are Available for Someone With a Spinal Cord Injury? by Michael Waks Someone with a spinal cord injury can lead an active and fulfilling life. Finding activities that allow the injured person to use his or her talents and abilities is important for the person’s overall sense of well-being. … [Read more...]

Unlike other parts of the body, the spinal cord does not have the ability to repair itself. This makes a spinal cord injury one of the most devastating injuries that occur in personal injury accidents. A spinal cord injury is often the result of a sharp blow that severs the spinal cord or crushes, dislocates, fractures or compresses the vertebrae that surround the cord. Injury to the spinal cord can cause partial or complete paralysis, and is life-altering.  A Spinal Cord Injury … [Read more...]