TYPES OF INJURIES
At The Mandel Law Firm, we offer support, guidance and aggressive representation to people who have suffered serious personal injury or the wrongful death of a loved one.
New York City Wrongful Death Lawyers
Though accidents sometimes result in fatalities or ultimately-fatal injuries, it sometimes is not clear whether a death was due to, or as a consequence of, a traumatic injury (or medical malpractice) rather than some underlying, latent, medical condition or other unrelated reason. That is why it is essential to have a timely consultation with attorneys familiar with medical issues involved with trauma, physical injuries and fatalities.
New York City Traumatic Brain Injuries Lawyers
A traumatic brain injury [“TBI” for short] is a serious brain trauma almost invariably associated with a single event, such as a serious accident involving a blow to the head. In short, the injury does not occur over time.
Unfortunately, despite arising from a single traumatice event, a TBI sometimes is neither timely noticed nor treated and oftentimes is not even apparent at first, following an accident. A TBI often is not timely recognized by either the patient, medical providers or even family & friends. However, it quickly becomes apparent to others that the patient is not the same person as before.
New York City Head Injuries, Facial Injuries, Scarring, Hearing Loss and Blindness Lawyers
Oftentimes, a concussion or other closed head injury may be minor or otherwise resolve over time with no lasting effects. However, sometimes even minor head injuries cause serious, extensive and permanent problems affecting everyday activities; including issues associated with, concentration, memory, hearing, speech, vision, light sensitivity, balance, vertigo, sleep disorders, anxiety, fear, mental disturbances, emotional distress, post-concussion syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder and other cognitive disabilities, often resulting in an inability to carry on with one’s normal living as well as before an accident.
Facial injuries, including skull, nasal, orbital and other fractures, eye & vision injuries, lacerations, dental & jaw injuries, nasal and ear trauma, neck injuries often are severe and life-threatening. Often, scarring and plastic surgery is required, even with a full functional recovery.
New York City Burns, Scarring and Disfigurement Lawyers
Burns, generally, are types of skin and other tissue damage typically resulting from fire, flames, heat conduction or radiation, steam or scalding water, hot or molten liquids and metal, or contact with chemicals or electrical wiring/equipment. Burn injuries might also be internal and the result of the inhalation of hot, super-heated air, chemicals, gasses and/or smoke.
Depending upon location and severity, burns can be life-threatening emergencies, if not fatal, and often result in permanent physical limitations, nerve damage scarring, contractures and disfigurement. Even minor burns are extremely painful and, though their treatment varies depending on their location and severity, serious infections and nerve damage may result. Most burn patients require lengthy inpatient treatment at specialized burn centers, surgeries and skin grafts, plastic & other reconstructive surgery and months or years of follow-up care.
New York City Spinal Injuries and Paralysis Lawyers
Spinal injuries are injuries involving trauma to the spine and spinal cord, itself, and/or adjacent nerves. Such injuries invariably are severe and also can permanent and life-threatening. Depending upon the severity of trauma to the nervous system, doctors may classify spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis as either “complete” or “incomplete.”
A “complete” injury results in the total loss of all sensory function (feeling) and all motor function (ability to control movement) below the location of injury along the spine. If a patient retains at least some sensory and/or motor function below the location of injury, the paralysis is considered “incomplete.”
New York City Amputations and other Loss of Function Lawyers
In addition to fractures and joint injuries, sometimes an entire limb might be lost in a traumatic accident. An amputation of fingers, a hand, arm, foot or leg may be the result of trauma or due to surgery necessitated by the severity of damage to the affected limb as a result of trauma.
Certainly limbs lost to trauma are painful, life-threatening, permanent and require surgery (or multiple surgeries). Months and/or years of extensive physical and other therapies, counseling and, if possible, the fitting of a prosthetic limb also are required to restore a patient to health and independent living.
New York City Fractures and Joint Injuries Lawyers
A fracture is just the medical term for a broken bone. Though some bone fractures may result from disease or other illnesses, most are caused by traumatic events, such accidents, including falls or motor vehicle accidents, work injuries or sporting/recreational pursuits. There are many types of fractures, from “simple” fractures to complex breaks necessitating one or more surgeries and the implementation of metal screws, plates and other hardware to repair the bone and joint structures. A “compound” fracture is where the fractured bone penetrates the overlying tissues and skin. A fracture can occur anywhere in one’s skeletal system and vary from routine to severe, permanent and even life-threatening.
New York City Nerve Injury Lawyers
In addition, whether due to an amputation, a simple fracture or some other trauma, an injured person may suffer severe, painful and permanent nerve damage; including Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Complex regional pain syndrome [“CRPS”] is a chronic pain condition that most often affects a single limb after an injury. CRPS is believed to be caused by damage to the peripheral and/or central nervous systems. CRPS is characterized by severe and prolonged pain as well as changes in skin color, temperature, and/or swelling in the affected area. These symptoms often lead to a permanent loss of use of the limb. CPRS has two (2) categories, CRPS Type I and CRPS Type II. Patients without a confirmed nerve injury are classified as having CRPS-Type I, which previously was known as “reflex sympathetic dystrophy” or “RSD”. Those with CRPS-Type II (previously known as “causalgia”) have been diagnosed with an associated, confirmed nerve injury.
CRPS symptoms vary in severity and duration, although some cases are mild and eventually go away. In more severe cases, individuals may not recover and may have long-term disability.
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Meet Our Legal Team
New York Personal Injury Firm Fighting For Your Rights.
Steven J. Mandel - Founder
Like many of the best and most talented litigators, Steve Mandel has a colorful, varied and exciting background. Born and raised on the tough, gritty streets of Brooklyn, Steve worked his way through college and law school as a professional musician and comedian. On stage performance was training that would later serve him well in representing clients. “Nothing fazes me in court,” Steve says with a smile. “After doing standup comedy before 3000 people at a hotel, working in front of a judge, or six people in a jury box, is nothing.”
Steve feels it’s vital to bring the “counseling” aspect back to the practice of law. In guiding people through some of the most difficult and emotional times of their lives, Steve sees each one as a unique individual. To him, clients are always people, not cases. It is for this reason Steve proudly refers to himself as a “Counselor at Law.” In fact, the very first two people Steve represented over 26 years ago are still his clients today.