INJURY LAWYER NEW YORK CITY

Injury Types

The injury lawyers in New York City at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool And The Law Office Of William A. Gallina, LLP have dedicated our careers to helping individuals who have suffered serious injuries. Whether you or a loved one has been harmed in an accident, at work or by medical malpractice, we can seek compensation for your losses. Our injury lawyers have experience handling cases involving a variety of different injuries. Below are just some of the types of injury claims we handle:

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Amputation Accidents

An amputation will cause significant, long-term consequences for the injury victim and his or her family. Some people will be unable to return to their previous jobs or complete daily tasks, while many will experience considerable physical pain and psychological trauma. Some victims suffer from reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), also known as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), which can create the sensation of pain at the location of the missing limb.

While some amputations are the result of an illness or medical malpractice, many are caused by traumatic accidents such as car accidents, workplace accidents, construction accidents and falls. No matter the cause, you will need an experienced injury lawyer to pursue your claim and collect damages from the negligent party. We represent individuals who have suffered all types of amputations, including:

Amputations Of The Arm Or Hand:

Amputation of the fingers or thumb
Metacarpal amputation and wrist disarticulation (loss of the hand)
Transradial amputation (loss of the forearm)
Elbow disarticulation (loss of the elbow and forearm)
Transhumeral amputation (loss of the arm above the elbow and below the shoulder)
Shoulder disarticulation (loss of the arm and shoulder)
Forequarter amputation (loss of the arm, shoulder blade and collarbone)

Amputations Of The Leg Or Foot:

Foot amputation
Syme amputation and ankle disarticulation (loss of the ankle and foot)
Transtibial amputation (loss of the leg below the knee)
Knee-bearing amputation (loss of the lower leg and knee)
Transfemoral amputation (loss of the leg above the knee)
Hip disarticulation (loss of the entire leg)

What Are The Consequences Of Amputations?

Amputees may face a lifetime of pain and long-term medical treatment. Typical effects of amputations include phantom pain, wound pain, depression, shortening of the muscles, tissue necrosis or skin death, failure to heal and prosthetic complications. In addition, traumatic amputation victims may suffer serious secondary complications such as bleeding, shock, infection or wrongful death.

After amputation surgery, patients require long-term rehabilitation, which may include strengthening the remaining muscles and relearning skills such as grasping objects or walking. Furthermore, the expenses associated with medical care and prostheses after an amputation are considerable. You may also need compensation to cover the cost of modifying your home and vehicles. Our injury lawyers will fight for the maximum damages you are entitled to receive.

Arm Injuries

Arm injuries can be the result of traumatic accidents, such as a car accident or a slip and fall. These types of accidents often cause fractures of the forearm, wrist, elbow, upper arm or shoulder.

Forearm And Wrist Fractures:

Distal radius fracture/Colles’ fracture (a break in the wrist caused by falling on outstretched arms)
Distal ulnar fracture (a break caused by falling on outstretched arms)
Intra-articular fracture (a break that extends into the wrist joint)
Extra-articular fracture (a break that does not extend into the wrist joint)

Elbow Fractures:

Distal humerus fracture (a break of the humerus bone, near the elbow joint)
Radial head fracture (a break of the lower arm bone in the joint)
Olecranon fracture (elbow fracture)

Upper Arm And Shoulder Fractures:

Proximal humerus fracture (a break of the humerus bone, near the shoulder joint)

In the most catastrophic cases, amputation of all or part of the arm may be necessary. If you need surgery for a broken arm, the surgeon may use pins, screws, plates or external fixation to repair the break. In some cases, the patient may not recover full range of motion or full use of the arm after surgery. Depending on your occupation and lifestyle, losing full use of your arm may considerably impact your life. Our New York City injury lawyers can work with medical experts and economists to demonstrate the effect your injury has on your life and your family.

Back Injuries

Back injuries are fairly common among accident victims. These types of injuries typically occur as a result of vehicle accidents, constructions accidents or slip and fall accidents. A back injury can be extremely debilitating and may force victims to miss time at work and undergo expensive treatments. Our injury lawyers can help you recover damages if your back injury was caused by another’s negligence.

What Are Some Common Causes Of Back Injuries?

Some of the most frequent causes of back injuries are:

Slip And Fall Accidents
Car Accidents
Pedestrian Accidents
Bicycle Accidents
Construction Accidents
Bricklaying And Masonry
Failed Back Surgery

What Are Some Common Types Of Back Injuries?

Fractures: Debilitating back pain is often caused by an injury to the spinal discs. Fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine are fractures to the spinal column in the lower (lumbar) and middle (thoracic) back that can cause persistent, disabling pain.
Disc Injuries: Disc injuries may cause chronic pain or, in catastrophic cases, paralysis, paraplegia or quadriplegia. These conditions may cause secondary injuries, including pressure sores, respiratory problems and impaired organ function. Lumbar disc herniation or herniated discs (also called slipped discs or ruptured discs) can also be extremely painful. Cervical disc herniation, which involves discs in the neck, can be just as debilitating. Many serious lumbar and cervical spine injuries require surgical procedures, such as a laminectomy, discectomy, lumbar fusion or cervical fusion.
Secondary Injuries: Back and spinal injuries may also cause secondary injuries to the extremities such as pain, numbness or tingling in the arms and hands. The hips, thighs, legs, knees, ankles and feet may also be affected. Pain and numbness in these parts of the body may cause reduced muscle strength and loss of range of motion.

Brain Injuries

Brain damage can be caused by a traumatic brain injury (TBI), chemical exposure and birth injuries. Regardless of the cause, brain injury victims and their families often find that their lives are irreversibly altered after such an injury. Family life may revolve around medical care or adjusting to living with a person whose personality has changed.

What Is A Traumatic Brain Injury?

Trauma caused by a physical blow to the head or a penetrating head injury may disrupt the brain’s normal function. A blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth can bounce the brain off the skull, resulting in a brain injury. TBI is often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms may not present themselves until weeks or months after the trauma that caused the injury. Diagnostic tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CAT scans and electroencephalograms (EEG) can be helpful in diagnosing brain injuries. However, a person can have normal test results and may still have suffered a significant and permanent TBI.

Do Traumatic Brain Injuries Differ In Severity?

A TBI may be classified as mild, moderate or severe depending on the severity of neurological disruption or damage to the brain.

Mild TBI: A mild brain injury can have a serious impact on a person’s life. Even if the person retains most physical and cognitive abilities, he or she may suffer from mood disorders and personality changes. Additional symptoms may include headaches, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, vision problems, ringing in the ears, abnormal sleeping patterns and fatigue.

Moderate TBI: A moderate brain injury can include nausea, fatigue, memory loss, dizziness, convulsions, seizures, persistent headaches, vision problems and loss of consciousness. A moderate TBI may also result in mood disorders or personality changes.

Severe TBI: A severe brain injury can cause the symptoms of a moderate TBI, as well as impaired motor skill function and speech. In catastrophic cases, a severe TBI may result in trouble breathing, unconsciousness, a vegetative state, coma or wrongful death.

TBI victims often require long-term medical care. Treatment may include rehabilitative therapy and care from speech pathologists, physical and occupational therapists and neurologists.

Burn Injuries

Few injuries are as destructive as burns. A severe burn can cause disfigurement, organ failure and death. Survivors must endure a long recovery period that may involve many surgeries and painful procedures. They may also experience emotional trauma due to the severity of the pain and adjusting to life with scars and other injuries. Unfortunately, medical practitioners may even find it necessary to intentionally induce a coma to relieve a victim from the pain of a serious burn injury.

In many cases, burn injuries could have been prevented had the liable parties exercised greater caution. Burn severity does not determine whether or not you can receive compensation, especially if the burn was caused by someone else's failure to provide a safe environment or product. Our New York City injury lawyers are dedicated to fighting for the rights of burn victims.

What Causes Burn Injuries?

The most common causes of burn injuries are fires, car accidents, electrical shock, explosions, chemical exposure and defective products. Although anyone can suffer a vehicle accident or fire, certain workers are at increased risk for other types of burns. For example, construction and utility workers are at risk for electrical burns caused by contact with power lines, as well as burns from natural gas explosions.

Below are some of the most common causes of burn injuries:

Vehicle Accidents
Faulty Appliances
Defective Products
Structural Fires
Safety Violations Involving Fire Exits
Electrical Accidents
Radiation Leaks
Chemical Exposure
Hazardous Materials
Construction Site Explosions
Scalding From Inappropriately Hot Liquids

What Are The Effects Of Burn Injuries?

Burn injuries don't just affect the skin. Many burn injuries can have profound effects on your overall health and well-being, causing long-term damage to your body. Aside from the physical pain that victims experience, many also suffer from permanent disfigurement and deformities.

A burn can result in multiple injuries, including:

Scarring
Infection
Tissue, Nerve Or Muscle Damage
Respiratory Issues
Cardiac Arrest
Organ Failure
Internal Bleeding
Loss Of Sight, Taste, Hearing Or Smell
Death

Our experienced New York City injury lawyers work with doctors, medical experts and life-care planners to put together a long-term medical care plan which may include physical therapy, skin grafts, cosmetic procedures and psychotherapy. Because this type of treatment requires care from specialists over months or years, the cost is considerable. You may also need to replace lost income and cover other related expenses. During such a difficult time in your life, our injury lawyers can be your dedicated advocates from start to finish.

Cervical Fusion

7 vertebrae in the neck make up the cervical spine. An injury to the cervical region of the spine can affect the victim for a lifetime, requiring extensive treatment from specialists, as well as assistance with day-to-day activities. In some cases, cervical fusion surgery is necessary.

What Causes Disabling Spinal Injuries?

Whiplash and other accidents that cause the head to move rapidly back and forth can cause vertebrae fractures or compression of the spinal discs and nerves. Spinal injuries are often caused by:

Slip And Fall Accidents
Trip And Fall Accidents
Workplace Accidents
Construction Accidents
Car Accidents
Truck Accidents
Bicycle Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Pedestrian Accidents
Hit-And-Run Accidents
Drunk Driving Accidents

What Are The Effects Of A Spinal Injury?

Degenerative disc disease, which can be worsened by an accident, can cause severe pain when vertebrae rub against one another or a spinal nerve is pinched. Doctors often recommend cervical fusion surgery for these types of injuries.

The higher on the spine an injury occurs, the more spinal nerves and body systems may be damaged. An injury to the upper cervical region may cause quadriplegia and complete loss of sensation below the injury location. In addition, quadriplegia may cause serious secondary complications, including pressure sores, respiratory difficulty and organ failure.

If another party was responsible for your spinal injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Our New York City injury lawyers will seek compensation for past and future medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and related expenses.

Concussions

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that does not often receive the medical attention it requires. Many people simply do not consider a concussion a brain injury and do not seek medical care. In addition, doctors may misdiagnose a concussion because the symptoms are not immediately apparent. All types of TBIs are dangerous, including concussions. Our injury lawyers have experience with traumatic brain injury claims and can help you and your family recover compensation.

What Causes A Concussion?

A mild TBI or concussion can be caused by a trauma such as a bump, blow or jolt to the head that disrupts the brain’s normal function. Concussions can also result from a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth.

Below are some of the most common types of accident cases involving concussions:

Falls: Fall down accidents are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries and concussions. They can include slip and fall accidents, trip and falls and falls on snow or ice.

Car Accidents: Auto accidents are the second most common cause of traumatic brain injuries. Minor accidents like fender-benders can cause the brain to hit the sides of the skull, resulting in a mild TBI or concussion.

Workplace Accidents: Work-related accidents can also cause concussions. Construction workers are at increased risk because of their exposure to dangerous surfaces and elevated heights while working on scaffolds and ladders.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Concussion?

Despite being classified as a mild TBI, concussions can have serious consequences. Symptoms may not be apparent right away, which makes concussions difficult to diagnose. Individuals who have suffered a blow to the body or head may experience:

Persistent Headaches
Dizziness
Confusion
Nausea And Vomiting
Drowsiness
Irritability
Loss Of Consciousness

Though rarer, it is possible for concussions to cause a blood clot on the brain. As with all traumatic brain injuries, this must be taken seriously and treated immediately.

Defective Products

Thousands of defective products are reported each year, while thousands more go unreported. Companies sell millions of products to U.S. consumers and collect billions in profits every year. They have a legal responsibility and a moral obligation to make sure their products are safe for use or consumption. When they knowingly or negligently sell products that injure or kill innocent consumers, they can be held liable for damages. Our New York City injury lawyers hold manufacturers accountable for their negligence.

What Are Some Types Of Product Defects?

Each year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission investigates thousands of reports of serious injury or death caused by defective products, including:

Vehicle Defects
Safety Gear Defects
Children’s Toy Defects
Defective Fire Alarms
Defective Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Defective Sports Equipment
Defective Medical Devices
Dangerous Or Defective Drugs
Contaminated Food

What Is An Example Of A Product Liability Case?

As the Georgia Peanut Corp. recall in early 2009 demonstrated, consumers cannot rely on for-profit companies, or even federal oversight agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, to protect them from dangerous or deadly products. In this case, 8 people died and more than 500 were injured in 43 states because of salmonella contamination that was a known problem at the plant. It was a high-profile incident, but the truth is that many seriously defective or dangerous products are investigated or recalled each year and many more go unreported.

Discectomy

A neck or back injury can disrupt your life for weeks, months or the rest of your life. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, you may be unable to return to work, perform daily tasks or care for yourself. You may need discectomy surgery to repair the injury.

What Is Discectomy Surgery?

The higher on the spinal column an injury occurs, the more risk there is for catastrophic complications such as quadriplegia, paraplegia, paralysis, respiratory difficulty and organ failure. When spinal discs or vertebrae are badly damaged, surgery may be required. Discectomy is a surgery to remove a ruptured or herniated disc from the neck or back. A discectomy can be cervical (in the neck region) or lumbar (in the lower back) and may be performed from the anterior or posterior position.

People may need discectomy surgeries because they suffer severe, chronic pain from their injuries. Numbness or tingling in the extremities is another common symptom of back and neck injuries. When the pain and numbness persists, the affected muscles can weaken.

What Necessitates Discectomy Surgery?

Ruptured or herniated discs are often caused by injuries. The below accident types are among the most common causes of discectomies:

Car Accidents
Truck Accidents
Bicycle Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Pedestrian Accidents
Hit-And-Run Accidents
Drunk Driving Accidents
Slip And Fall Accidents
Trip And Fall Accidents

Elbow Injuries

Elbow injuries have the potential to seriously limit your mobility. If you have suffered an elbow injury due to another party’s negligence, you should contact our injury lawyers in New York City today. Our firm can help you recover compensation for your losses.

Anatomy Of Elbow Fractures

The elbow is a joint with 3 bones: the radius, ulna and humerus. The end of the ulna that meets with the humerus is called the olecranon. It forms the point of the elbow.

Below are 3 common elbow fractures:

Anterior and posterior olecranon fractures (broken elbow)
Distal humerus fracture (a break of the upper arm bone in the joint)
Radial head fracture (a break of the lower arm bone in the joint)

Elbow fractures often require surgery with pins, screws, wires, plates or sutures. If a piece of the bone is missing or crushed, the surgeon may also need to use bone filler. Pieces of the elbow may break off if the point of the elbow suffers a direct blow. The patient may not regain full range of motion after an elbow fracture. It is common for the person to be unable to fully straighten the arm, even with rehabilitation and exercises. In addition, an elbow fracture may lead to the development of arthritis in the future.

Catastrophic Elbow Injuries

Catastrophic injuries to the arm may result in amputation of the elbow, including:

Elbow disarticulation (loss of the elbow and forearm)
Transhumeral amputation (loss of the arm above the elbow and below the shoulder)

What Accidents Typically Cause Elbow Fractures?

Many types of accidents can cause an elbow fracture, including:

Car Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Bicycle Accidents
Slip And Fall Accidents
Trip And Fall Accidents
Falls On Snow And Ice
Construction Accidents
Ladder Falls

Eye Injuries And Blindness

No one needs to explain the consequences of a severe eye injury. Losing your vision is one of the most devastating injuries you can suffer. If your eye injury was caused by the negligence of another party, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your losses.

Individuals who lose sight in an eye will need extensive occupational therapy to relearn daily tasks, such as dressing, grooming, cooking, shopping and traveling safely. A person who is completely blind may need the assistance of a service dog. In addition, people who lose their sight often suffer depression, anger and additional mood disorders. Psychotherapy may help them learn to adjust to life with blindness. Whether engaged in the care of the injury victim or working to support the family after a wage earner loses his or her sight, family members’ lives will certainly be impacted. The family may need compensation for medical bills, monthly expenses and lost income. Our injury lawyers can help you recover damages.

What Causes Eye Injuries?

Causes of eye injuries and blindness may include:

Car Accidents
Construction Accidents
Brain Injuries
Burn Injuries
Medical Malpractice
Animal Attacks
Assault
Infection
Exposure To Chemicals
Explosions
Sports Injuries
Fireworks
Inadequate Workplace Safety Measures

Finger Injuries

Injured workers and accident victims may suffer amputation of the fingers or thumbs. Whether it is a complete loss of the metacarpals and phalanges or a partial loss of the distal phalanx (fingertip), an experienced New York City injury lawyer can help you recover the damages you need. Common causes of such injuries involve defective windows or other mechanisms that can cause a guillotine type of injury.

Many amputations are caused by traumatic accidents that sever or crush the digits. Very often, this occurs in the workplace, especially on construction sites. It is also common in factory and warehouse settings, as well as any job that requires proximity to machines with open moving parts.

In addition to accidents, finger amputations may result from:

Infection
Nerve Injuries
Loss Of Blood Supply To The Hand

Individuals who lose a finger or thumb will need rehabilitation and occupational therapy for several months. They must exercise and strengthen the muscles of the remaining fingers. They also need to relearn how to grip objects and perform daily tasks. Amputation patients need medical care long after the surgery. Pain management and long-term medical treatment are necessary for phantom pain, wound pain, tissue necrosis, failure to heal, shortening of the muscles and prosthetic complications. Losing a finger or thumb may make it impossible to return to your previous occupation. Our injury lawyers can seek compensation for lost income in addition to medical costs, emotional trauma and pain and suffering.

Head Injuries

Individuals who have suffered a severe head injury may face a number of hardships. A head injury may have serious physical consequences, such as a concussion, brain hemorrhage, stroke or memory loss. In addition to the physical hardships that victims of a traumatic head injury face, they may also be saddled with significant financial strain. Victims may suffer lost wages due to time missed at work and mounting medical bills that aren't covered by insurance. Individuals who have suffered any of these hardships may be able to receive compensation if the negligence of another caused their injury. As a result, it is important for individuals who have suffered a head injury to seek the counsel of a skilled injury lawyer.

What Compensation Can Traumatic Head Injury Victims Receive?

Individuals who have suffered a traumatic head injury may be eligible to receive compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. Victims may be able to recover damages for the following:

Lost Wages: A severe head injury has the potential to force individuals to miss work for an extended period of time, and in some cases, leave the workforce permanently. While workers' compensation may give victims some relief for the damages they have suffered, it often fails to cover the full amount of the victim's salary. As a result, victims can recoup any wages not covered by workers' compensation in a personal injury lawsuit.

Pain And Suffering: Long-term pain and suffering is often a byproduct of a major cranial injury – especially when individuals suffer memory loss. In a personal injury lawsuit, victims may be able to receive compensation for long-term physical pain, loss of life's enjoyment and other emotional trauma.

Medical Bills: Cranial injuries often require many medical procedures, as well as frequent trips to the doctor. When medical bills exceed a victim's insurance coverage, they may be able to receive compensation in a lawsuit.

Wrongful Death: When a victim of a head injury dies, their family may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the individual or entity responsible for the victim’s death. The compensation available to families in a wrongful death lawsuit includes but is not limited to: lost wages, funeral costs, medical bills, pain and suffering and loss of consortium.

Herniated Discs

A herniated (ruptured or slipped) disc typically occurs in the neck (cervical spine) or lower back (lumbar spine). It happens when the inner jelly-like material in the disc, known as the nucleus, pushes through the tougher outer ring of cartilage and puts pressure on the spinal nerves. It only takes a little pressure to cause severe pain. Laminectomy surgery may be necessary to alleviate symptoms.

Painful Symptoms Can Cause Temporary Disability

The pain caused by herniated discs can be severe and chronic. The injury can also cause muscle weakness, tingling, numbness, burning sensations and, in severe cases, loss of bladder or bowel control. Herniated discs in the lower back may cause pain in the sciatic nerve down the back of the leg. In the neck, pain may extend to the shoulders and cause headaches in the back of the head. These symptoms may prevent you from taking care of yourself and your family and returning to work.

When a spinal disc is herniated, laminectomy surgery may be required. Laminectomy, also called decompression surgery, is a procedure to remove the back part of the vertebra covering the spinal canal to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.

What Causes Herniated Discs?

Vehicle accidents are a leading cause of back and neck injuries. A slip and fall or trip and fall accident can also cause injury to the spinal vertebrae and discs.

Injuries To Children

When it comes to children, nothing is more important than their safety. As a parent, dealing with the sudden serious injury or death of a child is the most devastating thing imaginable. Injuries to children can involve complex medical issues, including psychological challenges and emotional and physical scarring that can be complicated by the growth process. From a legal standpoint, injuries to children can involve multiple areas of law, including vehicle accidents, product liability, premises liability and liability against businesses or municipalities.

In other situations, the serious injury or death of a child can involve a trusted relative, babysitter or friend of the family. Our injury lawyers in New York City are sensitive about such circumstances; we have experience working with families to collect damages from insurance companies in cases where a child has been seriously injured or killed by a relative or friend.

What Are The Most Common Childhood Injuries?

According to the National Institutes of Health, accidents are by far the leading cause of death in children and young adults ages 1 to 24, with car accidents leading the way. Each year, approximately 5,000 teenagers ages 16 to 19 are killed in car accidents and another 400,000 are injured.

Some common injuries that children may experience include:

Vehicle Accidents
Fires
Playground Or Amusement Park Injuries
Burns
Broken Bones
Spinal Cord Injuries
Head Injuries
Birth Injuries
Poisonings
Defective Products
Sports Injuries
Day Care Injuries
Firearm Injuries
Swimming Pool Accidents
Fireworks Injuries
ATV Accidents

Knee Injuries

Injuries to the knee can be extremely painful and impede your movement. In severe cases, your mobility may be limited for months or you may need to undergo knee replacement surgery. Surgical repair of the knee usually means spending a few days in the hospital and may require in-home care or staying in a rehabilitative care facility. If you have suffered a knee injury in an accident, our injury lawyers can help you recoup damages to cover the cost of medical bills and lost wages.

Anatomy Of The Knee

The knee joint is made of the lower end of the femur (thigh bone), the upper end of the tibia (lower leg bone) and the patella (kneecap). Large ligaments and cartilage (the meniscus) function to cushion the knee and absorb shock.

What Causes Traumatic And Cumulative Knee Injuries?

Knee injuries can be caused by slip and falls, blows to the leg or body, car accidents, motorcycle accidents and construction accidents. An accident with enough force can result in fractures, as well as trauma to the muscles, ligaments and tendons, including:

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears
Medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears
Meniscus tears (tear to the knee cartilage)
Quadriceps tendon tears
Proximal tibia fractures (break of the lower leg bone in the knee joint)
Patellar fractures (broken kneecap)

In addition to fractures and tears, cumulative trauma injuries can affect the knees. Overuse and repetitive motions such as lifting or carrying heavy items, operating heavy equipment and walking on uneven surfaces can cause injuries. A cumulative trauma injury can cause pain, burning, discomfort, tingling, numbness or reduced range of motion that may be significant enough to prevent you from working or doing daily tasks.

Leg Injuries

A broken leg can be much more serious than people initially think. Depending on your age and the type of fracture you suffer, a broken bone can cause problems for many months. In some cases, broken leg bones never completely heal, especially with complex fractures that occur near the ankle. Leg fractures occasionally require additional surgeries to correct the break. In the most catastrophic cases, amputation of all or part of the leg may be necessary.

Femur Fractures: A broken femur (thigh bone) may require weeks in traction, a cast covering the leg and part of the pelvis and surgical options such as plates, screws and rods being inserted to aid in healing. Femur fractures usually take at least 3 to 6 months to heal. If the fracture resulted from a traumatic accident such as a car accident, injuries to the surrounding muscles, tissue and nerves may complicate treatment.

Tibia And Fibula Fractures: The tibia and fibula are the bones in the lower leg. They are subject to numerous types of fractures, including stable, displaced, transverse, oblique, spiral, comminuted, open and compound fractures. Fractures of the lower leg may take 4 to 6 months or longer to heal. Depending on the type and severity of the fracture, surgical remedies may be necessary, including the insertion of plates, screws and rods.

Lumbar (Lower) Spine Injuries

Fractures of the lumbar (lower) spine can cause continual pain, numbness and weakness. In addition to fractures of the vertebrae, people can suffer from lumbar disc herniation, also called slipped discs or ruptured discs. Degenerative disc disease, which can be made worse by an injury, can cause pain when vertebrae rub against one another or a spinal nerve is pinched. Doctors may recommend lumbar fusion surgery for such injuries.

When there is an injury to the spinal cord, the location of the injury plays an important role in the severity of the resulting condition. Typically, the higher on the spine the injury occurs, the more debilitating the effects will be. For example, people who are injured in the lumbar region may retain function of the arms, hands and abdominal muscles, but lose function in the legs. Severe lumbar spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis or paraplegia and loss of control of the bowel or bladder.

What Causes Back Injuries?

Back injuries are often caused by:

Slip And Fall Accidents
Trip And Fall Accidents
Workplace Accidents
Construction Accidents
Car Accidents
Truck Accidents
Bicycle Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Pedestrian Accidents
Hit-And-Run Accidents
Drunk Driving Accidents

Collect Damages For Your Spinal Injury

If another party was responsible for your injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Our injury lawyers in New York City will seek compensation for past and future medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and related expenses like medical equipment.

Neck Injuries

Neck and back injuries have numerous similarities. Both usually involve the spinal cord and vertebrae. In addition, they cause severe pain that is often unrelenting. Individuals who suffer neck injuries may be unable to sit, stand or lie down without pain. Even a simple movement of the arms or shoulders can cause intense pain. When neck muscles are torn, sore or tense, the pain and tension travel upward, causing headaches and migraines.

What Are The Dangers Of Neck Injuries?

A neck injury can result from a blow to the body that causes the head to rapidly snap back and forward; a car accident is a good example of this type of trauma. This violent motion of the head puts pressure on the cervical vertebrae and spinal cord, sometimes causing vertebral fractures or compression of the spinal nerves.

Cervical fractures involve the 7 bones in the neck that make up the cervical vertebrae. Injuries to the cervical vertebrae may cause chronic pain or, in catastrophic cases, paralysis, paraplegia or quadriplegia. These conditions may cause secondary injuries, including pressure sores, respiratory problems and impaired organ function.

What Causes Neck Injuries?

Many neck injuries are caused by:

Vehicle Accidents
Slip And Fall Accidents
Snow And Ice Falls
Scaffolding Accidents And Falls
Ladder Falls
Painters Falls

As with back injuries, people with neck injuries often need long-term medical treatment, including pain management and rehabilitation therapy. This type of medical care is expensive. Our injury lawyers will pursue full and fair compensation for medical costs, lost income and other expenses.

Shoulder Injuries

Injuries to the shoulder are serious and require timely treatment. Many times, joint injuries do not fully recover, which can limit a person’s range and duration of motion. Shoulder injuries can also affect the arms and neck, creating pain and stiffness, as well as headaches.

What Are Some Common Types Of Shoulder Injuries?

Injuries to the shoulder can involve the scapula (shoulder blade), clavicle (collarbone) or humerus (upper arm bone), as well as the 3 joints of the shoulder: the glenohumeral, acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular joints. In addition, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves can be affected by an injury to the shoulder.

Common shoulder injuries include:

Scapula fractures (broken shoulder blade)
Clavicle fractures (broken collarbone)
Proximal humerus fracture (break of the upper arm in the shoulder joint)
Rotator cuff injuries
Acromioclavicular joint separation (separated shoulder)
Glenohumeral joint dislocation (dislocated shoulder)
Deltoid muscle injuries and sub-deltoid bursa injuries
Injuries to the glenoid, acromion and coracoid joints

Rotator cuff injuries involve one of the most important, complex areas of the shoulder, as well as the muscles and tendons holding the shoulder joint together. The rotator cuff allows the arm to reach overhead. When the rotator cuff is injured, people may not recover their full range of motion.

Cumulative trauma injuries may also affect the shoulders. Repetitive motions such as lifting or carrying heavy items or operating machinery can cause these injuries. A cumulative trauma injury can cause pain, tingling, burning, discomfort, numbness or reduced range of motion that may be significant enough to prevent you from doing your job or performing day-to-day activities.

Spinal Cord Injuries

When performing back surgery, surgeons and their medical staff must take significant care to avoid causing their patient further injury. When a patient suffers a spinal cord injury during surgery, the results can be disastrous. Surgical procedures that cause further damage to the patient’s back and spinal cord can result in permanent weakness, numbness and paralysis. These injuries can permanently alter a patient's life, both physically and financially. A spinal cord injury can force an individual to face high medical bills, lost wages due to the inability to work and cause considerable pain and suffering.

When a severe back injury is the result of a doctor or medical staff's failure to use the proper degree of care during surgery, the injured patient may be able to receive compensation for any resulting damages. Our injury lawyers in New York City have been defending the rights of surgical malpractice victims for over 60 years. We have seen the immense hardships that patients are forced to endure following a spinal cord injury. As a result, we are committed to doing everything in our power to help ease the financial burden caused by a mishandled surgery.

What Types Of Spinal Cord Injuries Are There?

Partial Spinal Cord Injury: Sometimes referred to as incomplete injury, this type of injury allows the patient to retain some sensation and possibly some function below the site of injury.

Complete Spinal Cord Injury: Total or near-total loss of sensation and function below the injury site. While the spinal cord is rarely completely severed, this diagnosis is used by doctors to describe patients with a lot of damage to the spinal cord, which usually indicates it is unlikely that the patient will experience significant recovery.

Some injuries will allow complete recovery while others will result in paraplegia (paralysis of the lower body, including legs) or quadriplegia (paralysis of all 4 limbs). Serious spinal cord injuries resulting in quadriplegia can also impact a patient’s ability to breathe, cough or clear the chest cavity.

What Are Some Complications Of Spinal Cord Injuries?

Additionally, numerous medical complications can result from spinal cord injuries; if not properly diagnosed and treated by a medical professional, this can complicate a patient’s medical prognosis and even lead to a medical malpractice claim.

Common medical complications resulting from spinal cord injuries include:

Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (blood clots resulting from long periods of sitting or remaining stationary, which can be fatal when they dislodge and travel to the lungs)
Urinary tract problems can lead to incontinence, kidney infections, kidney stones and bladder stones
Pressure sores from lying or sitting in the same position for long periods of time
Autonomic dysreflexia, a condition that can result in a stroke or seizure as a result of high blood pressure and a low heart rate
Lung and breathing problems, including pneumonia
Muscle spasms

How Do I Schedule A Consultation With Your Injury Lawyers In New York City?

If you or someone you love has suffered an injury due to another’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. For a free consultation with our injury lawyers in New York City, call our Manhattan office at 212.406.1700, our Bronx office at 718.892.0400 or contact us online. We will review your case and discuss your legal options with you. The attorneys at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool And The Law Office Of William A. Gallina, LLP take all cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning our services are free of charge unless there is a monetary recovery. Our law firm is proud to serve the New York City area, including the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island, as well as the surrounding counties and New Jersey. We offer legal services in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese.