Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
Choosing the right Tampa spinal cord injury attorney to represent you is an important decision. The devastating spine injuries that result from an accident can change the course of your life. It can impact your ability to earn a living, be independent, and the future of your entire family.
The Tampa spinal cord injury team at Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, fights for justice for accident victims. With decades of experience and millions recovered for our clients, we have the skills and resources to get results for you. Contact our Tampa personal injury lawyers to schedule a free consultation.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injury
There are several ways that a spinal cord injury may occur. Here are some accidents and causes that may form the basis of a legal claim:
- Car accident
- Drunk driving crash
- Motorcycle crashes
- Slip and fall accident
- Fall from an elevated height
- Workplace accidents
- Heavy machinery accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Assault and battery; gunshot wounds
Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injury
Every year, more than 8,000 spinal cord injuries are reported, with the vast majority of them being men from ages 16 through 30. In the United States, nearly half a million Americans must live with injuries to the spinal cord due to gunshot and knife wounds, car crashes, sports injuries, falls and more.
Some symptoms of damage to the spinal cord can include poor coordination, loss of bladder or bowel control, tingling, numbness, weakness or paralysis. When trauma causes your spinal cord to push sideways, be pulled or be cut, it can result in severe injury; they can also be due to blood clots, tumors or inherited disorders like Friedrich’s Ataxia.
If your doctor suspects that you have a spinal cord injury, you’ll likely undergo an MRI to make a diagnosis. The immediate treatment should be to stabilize the spine’s condition while aggressively fighting to mitigate damage. Surgery could be required in some cases. Additional rehabilitation continues for six months, after which any remaining disability is likely permanent.
Compensation for Spinal Cord Injuries
In a court of law, you can receive compensation for several expenses related to the accident, including:
- Hospitalization
- Ongoing medical care for life
- Home caregivers
- Rehabilitation
- Therapy
- Counseling
- Lost wages
- Expenses that health insurance will not cover
- Travel costs
- Funeral costs
- Support services for the family
By hiring a qualified spinal cord injury lawyer in Tampa, you can receive the compensation necessary to cover all of the expenses associated with your injury. While you focus on your health and recovery, our spinal cord injury attorneys will get to work to claim the financial support you’re entitled to after an accident.
How to Claim Compensation After a Spinal Cord Injury
With the right legal advocacy and representation, the process for a spinal cord injury lawsuit includes the following:
- Immediate medical treatment for the victim
- Documentation of physical injuries, including the short and long-term implications
- Determination of the value of the case and what to claim in damages
- Filing the legal claim in the appropriate court
- Service of process on the other legal party or parties
- Building the legal evidence through civil procedure and legal process
- Pursuit of legal motions and strategy to build the claim; attendance at hearings
- Settlement negotiations
- Preparation of the case for trial; bringing the claim for trial
- Appeals; post-trial legal actions
Each spinal cord injury case is unique. The exact process to use in your circumstance should be an individual determination of the steps necessary to maximize the claim. Remember, the right steps can change during the case. Our spinal cord injury team works with you to prepare a legal strategy to best pursue your case for your personal goals.
Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Free Consultation
If you’re hurt because of a spinal cord injury, contact our Tampa spinal cord injury lawyers for your free consultation. Our team helps you understand the legal process, the strengths and weaknesses of your case and how our team of experienced and determined professionals can help you reach your goals.
There’s no cost to talk to us about your case and no obligation. However, statutes of limitations limit the amount of time to bring a claim, so don’t wait. Let us fight for your rights—contact us today.
Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit FAQs
How much is a spinal cord injury lawsuit worth?
A spinal cord injury lawsuit is generally worth the value of economic losses plus compensation for pain and suffering commensurate with the severity of the accident. Because of the seriousness of injuries relating to the spine, these cases are often worth $1 million or more. Even when damages are extensive, the victim must appropriately identify damages and build their legal claim to receive appropriate compensation.
Is a spinal cord injury a disability?
Yes, a spinal cord injury is a disability. The severing of the spinal cord may be partial or complete. Damages may ultimately impair feeling or mobility, or injuries may cause a range of limitations that impair bodily functions and movement. Because spinal cord injuries are typically severe, disfiguring and permanent, they tend to qualify as a disability that interferes with one or more major life activities.
What does life expectancy have to do with a spinal cord injury claim?
Life expectancy is an essential consideration in a spinal cord injury claim because it is a part of the losses endured by the victim. Spinal cord injuries often impact the life expectancy of the victim significantly. This is a form of loss that is appropriate to identify and represent. You may work with medical and financial experts in order to determine the amount to claim for this type of loss.
What kind of lawyer do I need for a spinal cord injury?
The kind of lawyer that handles a spinal cord injury is a personal injury attorney. They represent individuals who are hurt by others in a claim in civil court. A spinal cord injury attorney may also be called a tort lawyer, civil injury lawyer or medical malpractice attorney.
Do most spinal cord injury lawsuits go to trial?
No, most spinal cord injury lawsuits do not go to trial. By building a strong case, you can help the parties reach a fair settlement. A non-trial case settlement results from hard work and thorough case preparation that proves the value of the case.
Because the damages in a spinal cord injury case are often significant, it’s critical to value the case carefully, pursue the evidence and build a legal strategy. When the strength of the case becomes evident to both parties, you’re in a position to pursue a fair resolution without trial. However, the victim is not required to accept any settlement offer.
Tampa Car Accident + Personal Injury Lawyers
For more than 40 years, personal injury lawyer Jack G. Bernstein has protected the rights of individuals who have been injured in a variety of circumstances. Throughout his career, Bernstein has been a strategist thoroughly dedicated to the idea of protecting the rights of his clients. Mr. Bernstein is a member of the Florida State Bar Association, the Hillsborough Bar Association and the Clearwater Bar Association.
Mr. Bernstein has the experience and expertise to handle a wide range of injury cases. Among the types of plaintiffs Mr. Bernstein represents are individuals involved in car accidents caused by drunk drivers or other exhibiting negligence, medical complications resulting from carelessness caused by a physician or a medical facility, including brain injury, bicycle, motorcycle, moped and truck accidents, admiralty law and cruise ship accidents, accidental drownings, all types of wrongful death lawsuits, along with most injury, catastrophic occurrences and legal malpractice issues.
Our firm handles every type of personal injury and accident case, using negotiation and litigation tactics effectively. We handle cases throughout Tampa, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, FL. With a staff of approximately 40 people, including six lawyers and 34 support personnel, we have the legal resources to get the justice you deserve and the maximum recovery for your losses. Schedule your free consultation today; we are always here to help.
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