Yes, you can seek compensation for a spinal cord injury if your injury was caused by another party’s intentional acts, negligence, or other wrongdoing. However, you have the burden of proving the other party caused your injury before you can recover damages. Our Devils Lake spinal cord injury attorneys discuss spinal cord injury claims in this blog, including the compensation you may receive for a claim.
What Are the Consequences of a Spinal Cord Injury?
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that transmit messages to and from the brain and other parts of our body. Any damage to the spinal cord could result in complete or incomplete paralysis. Spinal cord injuries can impair or disable bodily functions.
Symptoms of a spinal cord injury include, but are not limited to:
- Difficulty walking
- Numbness and weakness in legs and arm
- Loss of feeling in the lower body
- Pain or intense stinging sensation
- Paralysis of the lower body or from the neck down
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of control over bowels or bladder
The consequences of a spinal cord injury depend on the severity of the injury. Immediate medical treatment is crucial whenever someone sustains an injury to their neck or back.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Devils Lake, ND?
The spinal cord can be injured during any traumatic event, including but not limited to:
- Falls, including falls from heights and slip-and-fall accidents
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Defective products
- Attacks and violent acts
- Sports injuries and recreational activities
- Medical malpractice
- Construction accidents
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
You must have evidence proving the other party caused your injuries. Evidence could include accident reports, medical records, eyewitness statements, expert opinions, and evidence from the accident scene.
The evidence must prove the party had a legal duty of care, they breached the duty of care, and their actions were the direct cause of your injuries. You must also prove you sustained damages and how much those damages are worth.
What Compensation is Available for a Spinal Cord Injury?
Accident victims can recover economic and non-economic damages for a spinal cord injury claim. Damages include:
- Past and future medical bills
- Impairments and disabilities
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Long-term nursing and/or personal care
- Rehabilitative therapy and care
- Lost wages and benefits
- Diminished quality of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
The amount you receive for a spinal cord injury claim depends on numerous factors. The amount offered by an insurance company could be much lower than the value of your claim.
What Makes a Spinal Cord Injury a Complicated Personal Injury Case?
Proving fault may be challenging in any personal injury case. However, spinal cord injuries often result in permanent disabilities. Therefore, the victim can be expected to experience ongoing pain and suffering, future medical expenses, cost of long-term care, and decreased quality of life.
Valuing future damages requires assistance from expert witnesses, including medical specialists, vocational rehabilitation professionals, economists, financial professionals, and daily life planners. The insurance company will try to minimize your damages. Our legal team diligently works to ensure all factors are considered to maximize how much your case is worth.
Learn More from Our Devils Lake Personal Injury Attorneys
Spinal cord injuries can result in lifelong, debilitating impairments. You deserve to be compensated for all damages caused by a spinal cord injury. Contact Pringle & Herigstad, P.C. to speak with an experienced Devils Lake spinal cord injury attorney about your case.
