Spinal cord injuries can be a terrifying experience for victims. In the extreme, victims face the very real possibility of a loss of sensation, control, and mobility to part or all of their body. Following any accident that causes a spinal cord injury, the victims and their families could be left dealing with extensive medical care, lost financial stability, and the trauma that this tragic change to their lives brings.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury in Montgomery, AL, due to the negligence of another, the Law Office of Dwayne L. Brown may be able to help. Our Montgomery catastrophic injury lawyer can examine your case and explain your legal options to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and possibly more. Call our office today for a free case consultation.
The Financial Impact a Spinal Cord Injury Will Have on You and Your Family
The injuries that you suffer in an accident and their financial impact on your life are legally referred to as damages. Additionally, damages are typically categorized as economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are direct financial losses. They are easily quantified with bills, receipts, invoices, and financial records. Non-economic losses are more subjective. They represent a loss in your quality of life. They require alternative methods for converting those losses into a numerical dollar value.
As a spinal cord injury victim, you and your family will be able to pursue damages. These damages are to help you regain financial stability and provide for any future needs you require as a spinal cord injury victim. Spinal cord injury damages often include the following:
- Medical expenses: These damages relate to any healthcare you require immediately after the accident, any follow-up treatment during your recovery, and long-term care for permanent injuries. They can include emergency services, surgeries, doctor’s visits, rehabilitation costs, therapy sessions, and transportation.
- Accommodations and modifications: In addition to medical bills, you may require changes to your home and car to accommodate your injury. This could include ramps, a new vehicle, and in-home nursing.
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity: Depending upon the severity of your injury, you may be out of work temporarily or permanently. If you can work, you may have to change the type of work you perform. These damages recognize these losses and changes to your income potential.
- Damaged or destroyed property: You may claim damages for any personal items that require repairs or replacement following the accident. This includes cars, clothes, and phones.
- Pain and suffering: This non-economic damage represents the impact on your quality of life. It accounts for the physical pain you experienced and endured from the accident, as well as the emotional distress. It represents such issues as anxiety, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Loss of enjoyment of life: If you are unable to do the activities and hobbies you once enjoyed, you can request compensation for this loss in your life.
- Loss of consortium and guidance: The effect that your spinal cord injury has on your relationships with your spouse, parents, and children is also a viable damage for which you may request compensation.
And there may be more damages you could request in an insurance claim. In addition to the many types of damages, your compensation will also be influenced by several factors. Two such factors are the nature and severity of the injury and the time you require to heal or reach your best recovery. Our Montgomery personal injury lawyer can review the injuries and losses you have suffered as a result of the accident and calculate a fair settlement value that will address each damage.
Wrongful Death Damages for Your Family
There is also the possibility that your loved one’s injuries are so severe that they do not survive. First, we are truly sorry for your loss. We understand the heartache you and your family are facing right now. You have a right to file a wrongful death lawsuit, but the lawsuit must be filed by a representative of the estate. Also, the damages you receive are punitive in nature. They are meant to punish the negligent and discourage others from doing the same.
Our wrongful death lawyer serving the Montgomery community can explain who may file and how much time you have to file your lawsuit.
To learn more, call the Law Office of Dwayne L. Brown today. Our staff can provide you with a free case consultation. During your consultation, you can ask questions about your case and express any concerns you may have. Also, our lawyer works on contingency, so there is no financial risk to you.
The Types of Accidents We’ve Managed for Our Clients
Our personal injury lawyer has handled a variety of cases in the past 30 years, each of which could result in a spinal cord injury. We understand personal injury law and the nuances entailed with these types of cases. Our lawyer has managed such cases as:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Construction and workplace accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Slip and falls
Call our office and discuss your case with our staff. Together, we can find out what we can do to help you.
How Our Personal Injury Lawyer Helps Spinal Cord Injury Victims
When we take on your spinal cord injury case, there are several stages to the service we provide to build your claim. The first we’ve already discussed, and it’s really very simple: we listen. We listen to you explain the events in your spinal cord injury accident, and we provide you with some options to move forward. Once you’re a client, we will:
Investigate the Accident
We start by investigating the accident. We will gather, compile, and collect evidence related to the accident, such as:
- Incident or police report that provides relevant information on the parties involved and gives an objective perspective
- Medical records that explain the severity of your injuries and your prognosis
- Photographs of the accident scene, your injuries, and any relevant imagery
- Video footage that depicts events before, during, and after the accident
- Eyewitness statements that can corroborate your account of the events
- Physical evidence when appropriate
We will also consult with medical, financial, and accident reconstruction experts. Expert witness testimony is a powerful source of evidence in personal injury claims. Their testimonies often provide credibility to your requests for compensation and can explain complex issues so others may understand.
Identify Who Is Liable
From the evidence we collect, we will prove who is responsible for your injuries and losses. Typically, proving negligence means establishing a link between you, the at-fault party, the accident, and your injuries. These four elements are often expressed as the following:
- Duty of care: This is the relationship between you and the defendant and their responsibility to do you no harm.
- Breach of care: This is the moment when, through their actions or inactions, they deviated from their duty.
- Causation: When the defendant deviated in their responsibility, it caused an accident, and you were injured.
- Damages: You are now left with financial and non-financial hardships.
During our investigation, we may find that there are multiple parties responsible for your losses. If that is the case, we will pursue compensation from each of them.
Determine Your Fair Settlement Value
Our investigation will also provide us with the means to calculate the full extent of your damages.
Manage Your Spinal Cord Injury Claim
Armed with a solid case file, we will file your insurance claim with each liable party’s insurance company. We will negotiate with them using the facts and evidence we establish to get you a settlement that reflects your losses.
We will handle all communications as well. If they ever reach out to you, direct them to us. We will speak on your behalf to the insurers, their attorneys, and the liable parties.
Represent Your Interests in Court
If we cannot retain a fair settlement, we will be ready to take your case to court. There, we will submit our findings and make our arguments for your request for compensation following the negligent act.
Thankfully, most cases are settled out of court, and if, at any time during the trial, the other party concedes to our demands, we can take their offer.
However, we must start the legal process before the statute of limitations expires. Per AL Code § 6-2-38, you generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. If this deadline expires before you file, you may lose your right to pursue compensation through the court system, which could also result in losing any leverage we have to negotiate fairly with the insurance companies.
Support you Throughout the Process
We believe in a client-first focus. What we do is not about us. It’s about what is best for you. We will always make ourselves available to you and provide constant updates. We’ll make sure the doctors you are seeing are the best for your treatment and care.
You and our lawyer are a team, and as a team, our goal is to take the stress off of you and get you the care you need to recover as best as possible.
Call the Law Office of Dwayne L. Brown for a Free Case Consultation Today
Call us today and receive a free case consultation with our legal representatives. Our spinal cord injury lawyer in Montgomery works on contingency, which means you pay nothing unless we win a settlement or court award.
