A serious accident can have a significant impact on your health and well-being. That’s particularly true if the accident results in a spinal cord injury. These injuries range from temporary conditions like minor sprains and neck pain to catastrophic, life-altering injuries, such as paralysis.
Within that range, there are several types of permanent, but less catastrophic, spinal cord injuries, such as disc injuries, facet joint injuries, and other forms of neck and back trauma.
The severity of your injury and your long-term medical prognosis will often impact your case. A permanent injury, even if minor, can have long-term effects on your health, quality of life, and ability to earn income. Because of this, permanent injuries will justify more compensation — and a more creative and complex legal strategy — than a less serious injury.
If you have recently been injured in an auto collision or other accident in Austin and are concerned you may have sustained a spinal cord injury, here’s what you need to know.
If you are having any symptoms after an accident, it is important to seek medical assistance as soon as possible. This is true even if you do not believe your symptoms are serious. It may take time for some symptoms to fully manifest, and if you do not seek medical care as soon as possible after your accident, it can both impact your health and limit your legal options as you pursue compensation for your injuries.
For instance, if you experience symptoms that indicate a spinal cord injury — such as tingling or pain in your neck, arms or legs — and you have not visited a doctor after your accident, the insurance company liable for compensation may argue that you are not seriously injured.
This may provide grounds for the insurance company to devalue your claim, and will dramatically increase the likelihood that you will need to file a lawsuit in order to get full compensation for your harms and losses.
A medical professional will also perform diagnostics, the results of which may provide critical evidence in your case. Your doctor or specialist can begin documenting your injury and any back or neck trauma on your first visit, which can speed your case along and help you obtain compensation more quickly. Your lawyer can begin building a case right away using these medical records.
You should also avoid relating details about your spinal injury to insurance providers until after you have spoken with a lawyer. In some cases, recorded statements and other information you provide can be used against you in order to deny or devalue your case.
An Austin spinal injury lawyer can both advise you on how to communicate with insurance agents and recommend medical professionals to help you obtain the treatment you need to recover.
The term “spinal cord injury” encompasses a huge range of conditions, from paralysis to minor back trauma and/or neck pain. Because of this, the medical treatment needed — and the impact on your finances and daily life — can vary greatly.
For minor spinal cord injury cases, common damages include:
For moderate to severe injuries, damages may also include:
Less tangible damages and losses, such as loss of quality of life, are more difficult to prove — but no less traumatic. A spinal injury lawyer can help you quantify these losses and estimate the impact of a long-term or permanent injury.
Your attorney can help you understand the factors that contributed to your accident and who or what is responsible. He or she will also build your case in a way that proves non-monetary compensation, if applicable. This requires understanding and proving how your injury has impacted your ability to perform tasks or engage in your hobbies.
A serious spinal cord injury can leave you and your loved ones with many questions. How much time will it take for the injury to heal? Will it heal at all? How will you afford mounting medical bills and other expenses? Will you be able to work again in the future — and if not, how will you handle the loss of income?
Hiring a lawyer is one way to get concrete answers to these questions. The right attorney will be able to make sure you receive care from medical specialists who can help you understand the full impact to your health and your chances for recovery.
Lawyers will also help you collect evidence and prove damages. A good Austin spinal injury lawyer can add tremendous value to your case beyond what an insurance company will offer you — here’s how:
Providing critical support. Serious accidents — and the injuries that can result from them — can be exhausting to manage. Dealing with your health, adjusting to your situation, managing daily tasks after your accident, and handling the financial aftermath is difficult enough as it is. Add to that the task of researching your legal options and pursuing action, and it’s a lot more than most accident victims are able to handle alone. A qualified Texas spinal injury lawyer can ease some of the financial stress by identifying resources that can help as well as communicating with insurers and others on your behalf — and of course, offering their expertise.
Helping you obtain medical treatment. Again, seeing a physician is critical to both your health and your legal case. A lawyer can help by suggesting specialists he or she has worked with before. A lawyer can also assist with the financial aspects of your treatment: for instance, identifying payment alternatives, helping you arrange payment plans, or even lowering or deferring medical bills so you can afford the care you need.
Educating you on your rights and options. Understanding your legal rights and options in any accident case can be difficult because the legal actions available to you will depend on your individual circumstances. A lawyer can help you understand all the possible routes you can take in your case and advise you on how to protect yourself as you pursue legal action.
Standing up to insurance providers. Damages in a serious spinal injury case can be quite high, particularly if you will require ongoing medical care. This can make it more difficult to obtain compensation, especially if there are non-monetary damages in your case. A committed spinal injury attorney will fight for your right to fair compensation against insurance carriers and other liable parties.
The nature of a spinal cord injury means that it comes with a risk of catastrophic and permanent effects on the victim’s body, capabilities, independence and overall well-being. A severe spine injury can completely cut off the messaging system between the brain and the rest of the body. This can result in paralysis, or the loss of the ability to feel sensations and move the affected area.
Paralysis is often irreversible, although victims with incomplete spinal cord injuries may be able to recover some lost feeling and function over time with medical treatments such as physical therapy. Paralysis below the waist is known as paraplegia, while full-body paralysis is called quadriplegia or tetraplegia. Complete spinal cord injuries generally result in permanent paralysis from the point of injury downward.
In addition to paralysis, catastrophic spinal cord injuries can have other health complications and long-term effects. Common examples include respiratory problems, chronic infections or pneumonia, sexual dysfunction, increased risk of cardiovascular problems, chronic pain, and increased mortality rates.
A catastrophic injury in personal injury law describes an injury that has significant effects on the victim’s life. Catastrophic injuries can reduce a victim’s quality or enjoyment of life and affect the ability to earn a living. For these reasons, catastrophic spinal cord injury cases often result in high settlements and judgment awards to make up for substantial losses.
There is no such thing as an average spinal cord injury settlement in Texas. The compensation available is based on each plaintiff’s unique situation, such as the level of injury and how much the injury affects the victim’s life and future. Hiring an attorney from FVF Law Firm can make it easier to achieve the case outcome you need due to our exceptional legal resources and litigation abilities.
While no amount of money can make up for a catastrophic spinal cord injury, a fair settlement or judgment award can make it possible to move forward and plan for your future with more peace of mind. It is critical to account for future care needs and damages when determining the potential value of your claim.
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the lifetime costs in medical care and living expenses alone for an individual with high tetraplegia exceed $6 million if the injury occurs at age 25, and $3.3 million at age 50. This does not include a lifetime of lost wages or pain and suffering.
A serious spinal cord injury typically requires ongoing medical treatments and health care services for the victim, including surgeries, medications, mobility assistive devices, disability accommodations, physical therapy, occupational therapy, rehabilitation and a live-in nursing aid. These medical costs can enter into the millions of dollars for the victim’s family over the years.To truly understand how much a catastrophic spinal cord injury will cost you – and to prove these damages – you may need to hire a Certified Life Care Planner. This is an expert your lawyer can hire to draft a detailed lifetime care plan based on your unique spine injury and prognosis. This document can serve as strong evidence supporting your claim to damages for future foreseeable costs.
Hiring a lawyer is not necessarily the best choice for every spinal injury case, but taking the time to consult with the right spinal injury lawyer is always a great idea to help ensure the best outcome for your case and minimize your frustration.
At FVF Law Firm – Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers, we strive to provide clients with superior counsel, sympathetic advice, and a deep commitment to each individual we work with.
Here are the values we provide to our clients:
If you have suffered a spinal cord injury due to a motor vehicle collision in Austin, truck accident, or any other type of accident, you deserve to know your rights and what you may be entitled to under the law.
Contact us today to learn more about your legal options from an expert Austin spinal cord injury lawyer at FVF Law Firm – Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers, and start recovering the compensation you need.
Compensation for spinal cord injury victims may include medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, rehabilitation costs, and the cost of home modifications or long-term care if needed. A lawyer can help you pursue compensation for both immediate and future needs.
In Texas, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim, including spinal cord injuries, is generally two years from the date of the injury. Filing within this timeframe is essential to preserve your right to seek compensation. It’s best to consult an attorney as soon as possible to avoid missing this deadline.
Yes, if your spinal cord injury occurred at work, you might be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. However, if a third party’s negligence contributed to the accident (such as a contractor or equipment manufacturer), you may also have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit to seek additional compensation.
Liability in a spinal cord injury case depends on proving that someone else’s negligence caused your injury. This may involve showing that the at-fault party owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, and directly caused your injury. A skilled lawyer will investigate the incident, gather evidence, and build a strong case to establish liability.
Spinal cord injuries can have life-changing effects, including partial or complete paralysis, chronic pain, loss of sensation, respiratory issues, and bladder or bowel control problems. Many spinal cord injury victims require long-term medical care, rehabilitation, and lifestyle adjustments to manage their condition.
A lawyer experienced in spinal cord injury cases can help you by gathering evidence, consulting medical experts, calculating the full extent of your damages, negotiating with insurance companies, and representing you in court if necessary. They will advocate for the compensation you need to cover your current and future medical and personal needs.
Most spinal cord injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if they win your case. You do not pay any upfront fees; instead, your attorney will receive a percentage of your settlement or court award. This arrangement allows you to seek legal help without the stress of out-of-pocket expenses.
In Texas, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim, including spinal cord injuries, is generally two years from the date of the injury. Filing within this timeframe is essential to preserve your right to seek compensation. It’s best to consult an attorney as soon as possible to avoid missing this deadline.
