Spinal Cord Injury Compensation and Benefits of Working with a Lawyer

A spinal cord injury is one of the worst and devastating injuries anyone can experience as it affects mobility, partial or total. Many cases involve complete paralysis, but not all lead to numbness or loss of muscle movement. The main reason for such an incident is car accidents, gunshot wounds, and slips and falls. Life is never the same again after such an incident and the patient relies on family or friends for support and help to remain steady on the difficult road to recovery and rehabilitation.

Damage to the spinal cord can occur in several ways, but it is usually caused by extreme trauma. So, it is essential to understand how spinal cord injury compensation is determined, and for this working with an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer is what you should do. This is also because skilled lawyers know the area of the law inside out and can help you get fair and full compensation no matter what your injury.

Types of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries are of four types, sacral, lumbar, thoracic, and cervical.

Vertebra bones surround the spinal cord and if an injury occurs higher up on the spinal column, you’ll experience a greater loss of function. The vertebra is named according to their location, with seven vertebrae in the neck known as cervical vertebra. The top vertebra is called C-1, C-2, and continues down in ascending order.

• Injuries to the cervical spinal cord result in loss of function in both arms and legs, resulting in quadriplegia.

• The vertebrae in your chest are known as thoracic vertebra and are twelve in number called T-1 to T-12. Injuries in this region usually affect the legs and chest, resulting in paraplegia.

• The lumbar vertebrae extend from the thoracic vertebra down to the hip bone. The injury in this area results in some loss of function in your legs and hips.

• The sacral vertebrae extend from the pelvis to the end of the spinal column. The injury here usually results in partial loss of function in your legs and hips.

Average Settlement for Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury is often various serious and the amount of compensation involved could be high. However, it depends on individual cases as all are different. So, it is essential to understand the nature and seriousness of spinal injuries as well as the type of damages that can be covered.

Types of Damages Covered

While every individual will receive a different compensation, the financial losses as a result of your injury will be compensated.

Medical expenses and life care costs – This includes specialized professional care and equipment such as mobility devices like motor vehicles, electric wheelchairs, etc. Additionally, it includes expenses for transporting the victim to and from medical treatment, therapy, rehabilitation, and other recurring life care services.

Loss of income – This includes company paid benefits like medical insurance and retirement account contributions.

Pain and suffering – The victim undergoes extreme physical pain, mental and emotional suffering, physical impairment, emotional distress, and most importantly, the victim’s quality of life and the ability to enjoy life is hampered. All this pain and suffering can be compensated.

Additional damages – If the party who caused the accident acted with negligence or willful intent, then additional damages will be compensated.

With that said, you must hire a knowledgeable spinal cord injury lawyer to take a look at your case and help you get the compensation you deserve.

Benefits of Working with Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

A spinal cord injury lawyer brings a high level of expertise and experience to the table that can benefit you hugely in your battle with the insurance companies. The lawyer will aggressively fight for compensation from the responsible party.

Knows the Value of Claim

Most victims do not really know the monetary value they could obtain from a spinal cord injury claim. There are various factors involved in the process that only an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer understands and help you get the right compensation.

Understands the Legal Process

Also, many people are unfamiliar with the legal procedure that come with filing a spinal cord injury claim. Skilled lawyers handle these types of claims regularly so they know exactly which legal documents to file and when, how to properly fill out forms, and what the applicable statutes of limitations are.

Also, going head to head with the insurance company on your own could cause you to miss out on dollars from your settlement. Your lawyer talks to the insurance company on your behalf and ensures you don’t get taken advantage of.

Spinal cord injury lawsuits are complex and if you are wondering how much compensation you will get then speak with an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer at Accident Lawyers Firm. The lawyers are knowledgeable and reliable and help conduct your case thoroughly.