A spinal cord injury occurs when the nerves at the end of the spinal cord or a part of the spinal cord suffers damage. This type of injury can affect sensation, strength, and other bodily functions below the injury site. Pain, impaired mobility, and loss of sensation are common symptoms after sustaining a spinal cord injury. Unfortunately, some people experience permanent damage and never regain movement or muscle control.
If your spinal cord injury happened in an accident someone else caused, you could pursue a case against them to recover compensation. The compensation you receive could compensate for your medical bills, lost wages, and additional losses suffered due to the injury.
Proving a spinal cord injury can be challenging. It’s critical to hire an experienced lawyer immediately after the incident to assist you with your case.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Damage to the spinal cord can occur in a range of scenarios. The most common causes include:
The severity of the injury can range from minor to debilitating. Recovering from a spinal cord injury requires ongoing treatment to improve mobility and regain movement of the limbs. In some cases, victims become paralyzed and lose all bodily function below the site of the injury.
Police/Incident Report
Whether you were involved in a car crash or traumatic fall on someone’s dangerous property, you should call the police or complete an incident report. Police and incident reports can contain information relevant to the accident.
These reports should explain how the incident occurred and the type of injury you suffered. If you obtain a copy, you could submit it to the insurance company to show that another person or company is responsible for causing your spinal cord injury.
Medical Records
Your medical records can be significant evidence in a spinal cord injury case. You should seek medical treatment immediately after leaving the accident scene. Once the initial physician recommends follow-up care, regularly attend your doctor’s appointments during your recovery.
You can request copies of all documents associated with your treatment. That can include physical therapy or rehabilitation notes, surgical reports, imaging test results, and chiropractic care records. Your medical records will show the date you sustained the injury and a timeline of your recovery progress. They can prove your injury resulted from the accident and required treatment to heal.
Incurred Expenses
After a spinal cord injury, most people incur various expenses. If you couldn’t return to your job, you might have suffered lost income. You could obtain copies of your paystubs and your employment records from your employer to submit to the insurance company to show you couldn’t earn your usual income due to your injury.
You should also provide copies of billing statements, invoices, and other charges you had to pay for your medical care. If you were forced to pay for anything out of pocket, write a list of every expense or print out your bank statements. These documents will show the insurance company how much compensation you need to cover your losses.
Eyewitness Statements
Obtaining statements from people who saw what happened can serve as powerful evidence in your case. It might not be enough to provide only your version of events. If you have someone to back up your story of how the accident occurred, it could strengthen your case.
Speak to people after the accident about what they saw. If they can give you detailed information about the events leading up to the incident, ask for their names and phone numbers. They could provide a statement to the insurance company or testify as a witness in court.
Hire a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
An experienced personal injury lawyer is an excellent resource for proving you suffered a spinal cord injury. Your lawyer can obtain the evidence necessary to show that someone else caused the accident, resulting in your injury. They can also file an insurance claim and negotiate a settlement on your behalf.
You shouldn’t have to handle the complicated aspects of your case yourself. When you have the dedicated Chris Hudson Law Group legal team by your side, you can focus on treating your spinal cord injury while they focus on building your case.
Contact Us
The Augusta spinal cord injury attorneys of Chris Hudson Law Group have helped hundreds of our clients pursue the compensation they deserved from the negligent party responsible for the accident, and we can do the same for you. We have won millions of dollars in settlements for innocent victims of accidents. You can count on us to fight hard to protect your rights and seek justice for the trauma you endured.
If you sustained a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence, contact Chris Hudson Law Group right now at (706) 863-6600. We can discuss the circumstances of the accident during a free consultation and advise you about your available legal options.