Acute Spinal Cord Injuries

Contact Our Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm in Los Angeles

What Are Acute Spinal Cord Injuries?

A spinal cord injury can be a life-changing event. The spinal cord is one of the most vital parts of your body. It is the central means by which your brain regulates and controls the various functions of your body. Any break in it or damage to it can leave you helpless and debilitated for the rest of your life.

All spinal cord injuries vary, but your response to any spinal cord injury must be decisive. If your spinal cord has been broken or damaged because of an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you have the right to seek damages. Hiring a nervous system related injury lawyer in Los Angeles will help you do so.

If the accident you were involved in was especially severe, it may have left you unconscious. In such instances, you may not find out about your injury until you see a doctor.

A spinal cord injury may cause a shock to your spine. This may lead to a loss or decrease of feeling in your body and the degradation of muscle movement and reflexes. It may also lead to swelling in parts of your body.

The higher up the level of the injury, the more severe the symptoms. An injury to your neck, for example, will affect your ability to breathe. If the injury was lower down your vertebrae, you may lose the ability to control your bladder and bowels; it can also lead to loss of leg mobility and sexual function.

The Law And Spinal Cord Injuries

Given the severity of spinal cord injuries, treating them is expensive. Not only can treatment include surgeries, but also of long-term rehabilitation and recovery. You will eventually need to deal with the expense of your time in the hospital. You will also need to find a way to offset the money you will have lost from being out of work.

When you are ready to speak to a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, you should deal with one who specializes in spinal cord injuries. A lawyer will have deep insight into this area of law. In the initial meeting, they will listen carefully as you recall all that occurred before the accident. They will then use these facts to determine whether you have a case to make against the party responsible for the accident.

Do Not Accept An Initial Settlement Offer

If your spinal cord injury is the result of a car accident, then you will need to seek compensation from the insurance company of the driver who hit you. This will not be easy. Insurance companies try to minimize the amount of money they pay out. The insurer of the driver who hit you may offer you a low-dollar settlement. This is a ploy. Such an offer is contingent on you not making any further demands of them. It is an attempt to have you surrender your rights to fair and adequate compensation. You should not accept this money without first consulting with your legal team.

How Your Attorney Will Get You The Right Settlement

If you leave the negotiations to an experienced attorney, you have a much greater chance of getting a settlement that is just and fair.

The legal representation you hire will consider the extent of your injuries, the debilitating effect they will have on your life going forward, and the pain and suffering you have had to endure before coming up with the settlement value. The settlement value is the amount of money your spinal injury case is worth. Figuring out this sum may take some time, as you may need additional surgeries in the future. They will know how to come up with a dollar figure that will cover all your present and future expenses.

Your lawyer will also know how to get the insurance company to pay. The evidence gathered during their investigation will be used to pressure insurers into making a suitable offer. The insurer would rather avoid a lawsuit and they will do everything possible to keep the case out of court. A lawyer will use these vulnerabilities as leverage. They will file a lawsuit on your behalf only as a last result.

If you have suffered acute spinal cord injury in an accident that was caused by the recklessness of another person, then you should pursue legal representation to discuss your legal options.