Columbia Brain Injury & Spine Injury Lawyer

Helping Catastrophic Injury Victims in Howard County

The brain and spinal cord are the mechanisms that control a person’s body. An injury to either one of these can have life-altering consequences. The cost of medical treatment and future medical care can be exorbitant—but victims who were injured due to someone else’s negligence do not have to face these costs alone. If you or someone you love sustained a spinal cord injury or brain injury in a car accident, after slipping and falling, or in any other way caused by the careless or reckless actions of another person or party, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

It’s important that you work with an experienced attorney who understands the severity of catastrophic injuries, as well as the lasting, far-reaching impact they have on victims’ lives. At Portner & Shure, P.A., our nationally recognized, award-winning Columbia spine and brain injury lawyers have over 30 years of experience and a proven record of success. We proudly represent injured individuals throughout Howard County and are ready to fight tirelessly for the fair recovery you need and deserve.

Get in touch with us today to schedule a completely free, no-pressure consultation. Call or submit an online contact form to get started.

Brain Injuries

Severe head injuries often result in brain injuries. These are some of the most serious injuries a person can sustain, often leading to brain damage and lifelong complications.

Common causes of head and brain injuries include:

• Car collisions
• Medical malpractice
• Suffocation
• Industrial accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Slip and falls
• Truck accidents

There are three types of brain injuries: anoxic brain injuries, hypoxic brain injuries, and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). An anoxic brain injury occurs when oxygen or blood flow to the brain is disrupted. A hypoxic brain injury occurs when there is insufficient blood or oxygen supply to the brain. A traumatic brain injury is a blanket term used to describe other injuries, such as concussions or contusions. TBIs typically occur as a result of an accident or injury-causing event.

Effects of Brain Injuries

The effects of a brain injury depend on the severity of the underlying injury.

A brain injury can cause a range of physical and cognitive symptoms, including:

• Headaches and blurred vision
• Dizziness and difficulties with balance
• Loss of consciousness
• Confusion and disorientation
• Behavioral changes (including depression and anxiety)
• Memory loss
• Ringing in the ears
• Blurred vision
• Impaired decision making

The effects of a brain injury are often permanent, though some brain injury victims will make partial or even full recoveries. While most brain injuries are mild and can be treated with bed rest and over the counter medication, severe injuries necessitate emergency care and, often, surgery. Along with this, victims of severe brain injuries may require ongoing physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and neuropsychology. These are incredibly complex injuries; the prognosis for you or your loved one will depend on many factors.

If you or someone you love sustained a brain injury as a result of another person or entity’s negligence, reach out to our Columbia traumatic brain injury lawyers to learn how we can help you fight for the compensation you need to move forward.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Similar to brain injuries, the severity of a spinal cord injury depends on the severity of the underlying incident.

Spinal cord injuries often result from:

• Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents
• Serious slip, trip, and falls
• Industrial/work-related accidents
• Medical malpractice
• Sports-related accidents
• Violence (assault, etc.)

An injury to any part of the spine can have serious, lasting consequences. Depending on the severity of the injury and the area of the spine that is damaged, a spinal cord injury may result in paralysis, either paraplegia or quadriplegia (also known as tetraplegia). Paraplegia is the paralysis of the lower limbs while quadriplegia is the paralysis of all four limbs.

Other effects of spinal cord injuries may include:

• Immense physical pain
• Loss of sensation
• Reduced or lost function and movement
• Inability to care for oneself
• Chronic back, neck, or shoulder pain
• Sexual dysfunction
• Incontinence

Depending on the severity of the injury, a spinal cord injury victim may be confined to a wheelchair. When there is a compressed vertebra and/or bone damage, the victim may experience severe and permanent pain.

Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are incredibly serious. If you suspect that you or someone else has suffered a spinal cord injury, do not attempt to move/move the victim. Instead, call 9-1-1 and wait for paramedics to arrive. Explain to paramedics that you believe a spinal cord injury has occurred so that they can take the necessary precautions to avoid causing further injury.

Spinal cord injuries often necessitate emergency care and surgery. Surgery is often needed to stabilize or decompress the spine. Additionally, victims will often need follow-up care and rehabilitation, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and orthopedic treatment. Depending on the type of spinal cord injury, therapy may restore or improve function and mobility. The cost of this treatment, combined with lost wages as the victim must take time off work to receive treatment (and may never return to work if his or her injury is disabling), can be exorbitant, easily exceeding hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars over the course of the victim’s life.

If you or your loved one suffered a spinal cord injury in a motor vehicle accident, after slipping and falling, or otherwise due to someone else’s negligence, reach out to our Columbia spinal cord injury lawyers to learn how we can help you fight for fair compensation.

Damages for Brain Injury & Spine Injury Victims

Under Maryland law, catastrophic injury victims can seek compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. This means you can seek compensation for financial losses—such as medical bills, lost wages, future lost wages, and the cost of future medical care—as well as intangible losses, like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life.

The cost of medical treatment and rehabilitation for a brain injury or spine injury is expensive. Additionally, these types of injuries often result in victims being unable to work, meaning they will lose income they would have otherwise earned over the course of their lifetimes. Accordingly, injured victims should retain the services of Columbia brain and spine injury lawyer in order to fight to recover the rightful compensation they are owed.

Choose a Powerful & Respected Legal Team

Many attorneys are unwilling to represent victims who have suffered brain injuries or spinal cord injuries. Why? Because insurance companies know that these are expensive claims and, therefore, they vigorously defend them, doing whatever they can to limit payouts. Sadly, many lawyers are afraid of the complexity of these cases, as well as the amount of work required to properly pursue a brain injury or spinal cord injury case.

However, at Portner & Shure, P.A., we are ready and willing to take on even the toughest, most complex catastrophic injury cases. For over 30 years, our attorneys have been successfully representing brain and spinal cord injury victims in Howard County, Maryland. We believe that our case results speak for themselves, and we are also proud to have earned numerous five-star reviews from our past clients. Our reputation in the legal community is evidenced by the many awards our attorneys have earned over the years. Stated simply, we know how to obtain favorable results for brain injury and spinal cord injury victims throughout the state of Maryland.

We provide all of our personal injury services on a contingency fee basis. This means that Portner & Shure, P.A. receives no fee unless you obtain a settlement or judgement in court.

To schedule a free consultation regarding your brain injury or spinal cord injury case, call us at or contact us online.