A spinal cord injury comes as terrifying news to a victim and their family.
Just hearing the phrase makes a mind race with all the possibilities it could imply.
And while the cost of such a traumatizing injury isn’t even on the victim’s, or their family’s, radar, you can believe the hospital and insurance company are thinking about it.
Depending on the severity of the injury, extensive medical care and rehabilitation may be needed. What about a long-term care facility? Ongoing in-home care? Additional surgeries? Medications?
Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys Make Everything Easier
As a concerned family member, as much as your mind is on your loved one when there’s a negligent party, you’re going to need a good personal injury lawyer. You know it’s a part of what has to get done, and soon.
The sooner we get the call, the sooner we get to work getting the victim what they deserve. And what they deserve is peace of mind, free from the worries of the other side – what seems like the insensitive side – of recovery. Recovery costs a lot of money and can send a family into financial ruin.
Our firm knows what to do to avoid adding more pain to the process. We want those injuries healed. We want those bills paid. And we’re committed to helping you get the compensation you deserve.
We want the call. Slater & Zurz has been doing this for 30 years. We’re a premier law firm here in Ohio fighting for you every step of the way.
Risk Factors For Spinal Cord Injuries
A spinal cord injury can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. But there are some factors that increase a person’s chances.
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC),
- The average age at the time of sustaining a spinal cord injury is 43 years old.
- Males account for about 78% of all SCI victims.
- Traffic accidents are responsible for roughly 39% of spinal cord injuries.
- Falls cause over 32% of all SCI cases.
Types Of Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that carry signals back and forth between your brain and your body. When your spinal cord is damaged, it disrupts these signals and can result in tetraplegia (paralysis of both arms and legs) or paraplegia (paralysis of both legs).
There are two types of spinal cord injuries – complete and incomplete. Complete SCIs occur when there is a total loss of sensation and function below the affected area. A spinal cord injury is considered incomplete when some feeling and function remain under the damaged site.
NSCISC reports the results of spinal cord injuries as follows:
Complete tetraplegia – 12.3%
Incomplete tetraplegia – 47.6%
Complete paraplegia – 19.6%
Incomplete paraplegia – 19.9%
Normal function and sensation – 0.6%
Compensation For Your Spinal Cord Injury
A spinal cord injury can have devastating physical, emotional, and financial consequences. But when someone else’s actions cause the injury, the victim has the right to seek compensation. How much depends on the specifics of the case but typically includes some or all of the following:
- Medical expenses
- Cost of care (in-home or at an assisted living facility)
- Rehabilitation therapy expenses
- Medical equipment
- Medication
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
- Emotional trauma
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium
Spinal Cord Injuries And Negligence
Most personal injury lawsuits are based on an element of negligence. If your injury was caused by another party’s careless or intentional actions, you and your attorney must prove the party was negligent and, therefore, legally responsible for your losses. Another reason why having the right law firm truly matters. Four essential elements are needed to prove negligence.
- Duty of care – The party owed you a duty of care or to act or not act in a way to avoid causing you harm or injury.
- Breach of duty – The party’s actions or inaction breached that duty.
- Causation – The breach of duty directly resulted in your injury.
- Damages – You sustained losses due to your injury.
Spinal Cord Injuries Can Be Caused By A Defective Product
If a defective or otherwise dangerous product caused your spinal cord injury, you might be entitled to compensation from the party responsible for designing, manufacturing, marketing, or distributing the product.
Several legal theories may be used in a product liability case, including strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty, and fraud.
To learn more about product liability lawsuits, contact Slater & Zurz to arrange a free case review.
What If I Am Partially At Fault For The Accident That Caused My Spinal Cord Injury?
Ohio is a comparative fault state, meaning a person can seek compensation from at-fault parties even if they are partially at fault – as long as they are 50 percent or less responsible for the accident that caused their injuries. However, if they are awarded damages, the amount received will be reduced by their determined percentage of fault.
Qualified Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
Our attorneys understand the catastrophic toll a spinal cord injury can take on you and your family. After your injury, you may be left with a long road to recovery while also struggling to pay mounting medical bills. This is where our top-rated law firm can help.
Our goal is to do everything we can to help you recover much-needed financial compensation so you can heal and return to a productive and fulfilling life.
Communicate with our Ohio personal injury lawyer, throughout the entire legal process, and will make ourselves available to address your questions and concerns and keep you updated with any developments in your case.
Our attorneys will perform a thorough investigation into your accident to identify at-fault parties and work with our team of medical and financial professionals to accurately determine the total damages caused by your injury. Once we have the facts, we will build a compelling argument supporting your right to full and fair compensation.
If an acceptable settlement cannot be reached out of court, we march into trial on your behalf and work to provide you with a positive outcome for your case.
After a devastating spinal cord injury, so much is at stake. You and your family’s entire future is unknown and largely depends on the outcome of your case. When so much is on the line, you need the experience of Slater & Zurz to provide diligent, unrelenting legal representation. You can rest assured knowing we will stop at nothing to protect your rights and best interests.
Why Working On A Contingency Basis Works
Hiring a personal injury lawyer at Slater & Zurz will not cost you anything unless we recover compensation on your behalf. Under a contingency fee agreement, we only charge you for our legal services if we win your case. There’s no money out of pocket. Instead, you pay the agreed-upon cost directly out of your compensation award. It’s that simple.
