One of the most consequential and long-lasting injuries a person can incur is a spinal cord injury, because it typically results in a loss of sensation and function within the body. Spinal cord injuries are expensive to treat and may require lifelong medical attention to address complications.
When you or your loved one sustained this catastrophic injury due to someone else’s carelessness, you have the right to seek compensation with the help of a dedicated personal injury attorney for the financial and psychological consequences of the injury. An experienced Lawrence spinal cord injury lawyer could help you understand your legal rights during this difficult time and explain the services we can provide when handling your claim.
In many activities and professions, people have a legal duty of care where they must take reasonable actions to avoid causing harm to others. Truckers should drive their vehicles safely and legally to avoid accidents. Property owners should inspect their properties and remove hazards that can injure guests. Negligence occurs when a person fails to exercise this duty of care.
There are several ways that a person’s careless actions can cause another person to incur a spinal cord injury. One of the most common causes is a motor vehicle accident. Slip and falls also account for many spinal cord injuries and can occur when a commercial or residential property owner neglects to maintain their premises. When an accident is due to someone else’s negligence, the injured party can seek compensation through a potential lawsuit.
Following a spinal cord injury in Lawrence, a lawyer typically files a claim against the liability coverage of the at-fault party’s insurance policy. This could be an auto insurance policy, a policy covering a business, or property liability. The insurance company will assign a claims adjuster to evaluate the claim and determine how much compensation (if any) it owes the claimant because of the at-fault party’s liability.
Claimants can seek compensation through the personal injury claims process for expenses and quality-of-life impacts, including:
Spinal cord injuries often result in permanent disabilities, requiring high value claims to account for future medical expenses and permanent lost earning capacity.
When seeking compensation for spinal trauma that resulted from another party’s negligence, the statute of limitations specifies the amount of time a claimant has to file their case as a lawsuit. In Indiana, the time limit for most injury lawsuits is two years after the accident date.
A Lawrence attorney’s negotiated settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance provider typically resolves most spinal cord injury claims before a trial begins. Nevertheless, following the statute of limitations is crucial. A court will not hear the claim once the statute of limitations has expired and insurers will no longer be under any obligation to resolve the claim.
Lawyers categorize spinal cord injuries as catastrophic because they often deprive the person of the ability to work or live independently. When you or a family member has suffered this type of injury, it is important to understand the process of seeking compensation so you are not left with a mountain of medical bills. Call an experienced Lawrence spinal cord injury lawyer to learn more about your legal options during a free case evaluation.