Spinal cord injuries are almost always disabling and life-changing, even when the injured person recovers to some degree. If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury, you may need the help of an Anniston spinal cord injury lawyer to effectively pursue compensation from the responsible party on your behalf.
While no compensation can fully amend the life-changing circumstances surrounding a spinal cord injury, a damage award could help you pay your medical expenses associated with that injury. This could range from the cost of surgeries and intensive care stays to the cost of renovating a house or a vehicle for a disabled individual. Contact a compassionate injury attorney for assistance starting your claim.
There are about 1.4 million spinal cord injuries in the U.S. each year, costing the healthcare industry upwards of $40 billion each year. Spinal cord injuries can result from almost any type of accident, especially those that involve injuries to the back, neck, or head. Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries in Anniston include but are not limited to:
In a successful spinal cord injury lawsuit, compensation for damages would come from the responsible parties' insurances. Some parties who could bear responsibility for causing or contributing to a spinal cord injury include:
In certain cases, an individual suffering a spinal cord injury could obtain punitive damages, which are aimed at punishing the wrongdoing party for their negligence and egregious conduct. Alabama limits punitive damages to $1.5 million per physical injury case or three times the amount of compensatory damages, whichever amount is greater.
However, the punitive damage cap does not apply to the victim’s compensatory damages. Victims may seek damages for their economic damages like lost wages, medical bills, and future medical needs, as well as non-economic losses such as the loss of enjoyment in life or intimate relationships. An Anniston spinal cord injury attorney could help individuals identify their compensable damages and formulate a thorough settlement demand to cover them all.
In Anniston, accident victims who are partially responsible for their own injuries may be barred from seeking compensation from the other responsible party, even if the victim is only a small percentage at fault. As a result, it is common for defendants and their legal teams to claim the plaintiff in a spinal cord injury suit shares responsibility for causing the accident. This possibility underscores the potential importance of having help from a skilled spinal cord injury lawyer in Anniston to rebut claims of contributory negligence.
No matter the cause of your spinal cord injury or the severity of the disability you suffer, an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer in Anniston could work with you to seek the compensation you may be entitled to. Obtaining financial recovery could help pay medical bills and other expenses, hold the responsible party accountable for their negligence, and hopefully deter future wrongdoing on their part. Call now to find out about your legal options.