St. Tammany Parish Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Spinal cord injuries can instantly force people to change almost every aspect of their everyday lives. If you have recently suffered an accident that damaged your spinal cord, your daily life may now revolve around your recuperation. You may also face costly medical bills, and you may have been forced to take a temporary or permanent leave of absence from your job, potentially leading to lost wages.
A local catastrophic injury attorney could help you recover a financial judgment against the person responsible for your injuries. A monetary settlement could give you the means necessary to pay for your medical and other injury-related expenses. Reach out to a St. Tammany Parish spinal cord injury lawyer as soon as possible to begin the process of recovery.
How do Spinal Cord Injuries Occur?
Although degenerative illnesses, surgical malpractice, and intentional violence such as gunshot wounds cause some spine injuries, traumatic accidents cause the majority of spinal cord injuries. Some of the types of traumatic accidents which commonly dislocate, compress, fracture, crush, or sever the spinal cord are:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Slips and falls, especially for older people
- Sports, in particular, impact sports like football
- Recreational activities, such as diving or bungee jumping
In the United States, men are more likely than women to damage their spinal cords. Although many older people suffer back injuries from falling, young people between the ages of 16 and 30, tend to incur the most spinal cord injuries. When people incur such severe injuries in the prime of their lives, they will often have an even greater need for financial assistance throughout their lifetime.
What Kind of Damages Are Available?
In a personal injury case involving a spinal injury, claimants must establish that another person’s negligence caused the accident. A skilled legal representative would skillfully look through police reports, eyewitness statements, and medical records and consider all possible sources of liability to determine if one or more parties could be held legally liable for a claimant’s injuries and financial damages.
Following a spine injury, people often have significant medical, caretaker, and rehabilitation expenses. Many people are also forced to remodel their home to install wheelchair ramps or to move to another house or living situation that is more handicapped accessible. Additionally, many people are either temporarily or permanently unable to work due to their injury. A skilled legal representative would work diligently with a claimant to obtain them the maximum recovery of damages.
In Louisiana, claimants can pursue special damages to compensate them for all of these actual increased costs. They can seek to recoup damages for their past and future medical, caretaker, and rehabilitation costs. They can also attempt to recover their past and future lost wages and lost earning potential. A dedicated spinal injury lawyer would also work to demonstrate why a court should award a claimant general, or non-quantifiable, damages, for their pain and suffering and other intangible harms that they have suffered. Additionally, according to Louisiana Civil Code Article 2315.4, plaintiffs may be eligible to receive punitive damages in cases where the defendant caused injuries due to intoxication.
Louisiana is a pure comparative fault state meaning that a court will take into account the claimant’s own blame when awarding damages. Louisiana Civil Code 2323 states that a court will reduce a claimant’s damages award in proportion to their degree of fault for their accident.
Reach out for Legal Assistance Today
After your spinal cord injury, you are likely facing a long and challenging recovery with medical and emotional uncertainties. Compensation from the person responsible for your spine injury could better allow you to pay for all of your new expenses. Contact a St. Tammany Parish spinal cord injury lawyer today to see if you should pursue a personal injury claim.