Spinal cord injuries are some of the most devastating injuries you can suffer. Damage to the spinal cord can lead to paralysis, chronic pain, and an inability to work or even care for yourself. A spinal cord injury may require extensive surgery, rehabilitation, and in-home care for victims. Too often, the victims never fully recover.
If you have suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident that was due to another person’s negligence or careless behavior, you should contact a spinal cord injury attorney. Not all personal injury attorneys handle these cases, but you should find one that specializes in getting compensation for spinal cord accident victims.
Why Would You Need To Hire a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney?
Many attorneys handle personal injury cases. Spinal cord injury attorneys focus on presenting the medical and long-term physical needs of a spinal cord victim, so that the judge and jury understand this is a life-altering event. Whether the injury was caused by a car accident or something else, it is always a traumatic event.
To ensure that your case is presented effectively, a spinal cord injury attorney understands the mechanism of injury and treatments that can make them worse or better at the time of the accident.
Workplace Accidents or Medical Malpractice
If you work in construction, in the oil industry, or around heavy machinery, you could be at greater risk for spinal cord injuries. The spine is both tough and fragile. It can withstand a great deal of use and abuse, but a hard impact at just the wrong spot can lead to life-long consequences.
We always hope that our doctors are well-trained and paying close attention when they treat us, but accidents happen nevertheless. A routine surgery can lead to damage of the spinal cord. Unsterile equipment can lead to infection, serious enough in any body part, but potentially deadly when the spinal cord and brain are involved.
These types of injuries need more than just a spinal cord injury lawyer. They need an attorney who understands workplace insurance, medical malpractice, and the complexities of spinal cord injury lawsuits.
Motor Vehicle Accidents Causing Spinal Injury
Anyone who has had a fender bender in a parking lot knows about whiplash, the painful condition that occurs when your head and neck are jolted back and forth. A serious enough impact can turn even a minor whiplash injury into a major spinal cord injury.
The more powerful the accident, the worse the potential damage. The twisting forces created when a car is struck from the side, or worse, rolls over during an accident, can lead to spinal cord damage. Even if the victim’s bones are intact, the cord itself can be bruised or stretched.
In this type of accident, the outcome can range from numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, to weakness, and even paralysis. No matter how well cushioned the car itself is, the spinal cord is unforgiving.
Insurance Companies Not Adequately Covering Medical Costs
Insurance companies are not the friends of accident victims. The adjusters and agents are more concerned with protecting their company’s money than they are with making sure your bills are covered after an accident. Your attorney can answer the question "How much is a spinal cord injury lawsuit worth,” even if the insurance company disagrees. It should cover the medical costs of treatment, but also future care.
This can be especially true with a spinal cord injury. The costs of treatment and rehabilitation are high, and if the victim is paralyzed or disabled, compensation could include lost wages and home health care. If insurance companies fail to pay these costs, you need a spinal cord injury attorney who can take the case to court and get the full compensation you will need.
How To Hire the Right Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Not all personal injury attorneys are created equal. Many of them take whatever case presents itself. If you need to file a spinal cord injury lawsuit, you will need someone who understands this area of law. It also means they should know about medical malpractice and insurance companies. How can you be sure you hire the right lawyer?
Research Spinal Cord Injury Litigation
If you’re looking for an attorney to present your case, you could just start calling around. A better way is to look up “spinal cord injury lawsuits” online. The complex nature of these cases means that many attorneys specialize in them. These are the ones you want to handle your case.
A good law firm’s site should explain the mechanism of injury, the potential outcomes, and how your case will be handled to ensure you receive the compensation you need, not only for your immediate bills and recovery, but also lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Verify Extensive Experience With Spinal Cord Injury Cases
During your research, you should check to see how many cases the firm or attorney has handled. You want someone who has taken many of these kinds of cases and been successful with them. A good firm should be able to tell you how many cases they see each year. Most legal sites now proudly display the verdicts they have received for their clients.
Don’t be afraid to ask the attorney personally if they have taken a case to court, and how they intend to present your case. Sometimes a firm will boast of their successes but not the attorney who won them. Make certain that your attorney is skilled at handling complicated medical and legal cases.
Ready To Hire a Qualified Lawyer for Your Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit?
Florida has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases, no matter who caused them. Two years is not a lot of time to assemble a case that will impact your entire life. You should consult an attorney immediately after any accident for a consultation about your case, even if you don’t plan to sue right away.
When you need a spinal cord injury attorney, you should contact Ratzan, Weissman & Boldt. We have more than 50 years of experience in this critical area of law, and our attorneys are knowledgeable trial attorneys who can present your case effectively and get you the compensation you need. Call us today.