What Kinds of Compensation are Available in a Spinal Cord Injury Case?

A serious spinal cord injury can require expensive medical treatment, lead to lost wages, and impact your life greatly. You deserve to be compensated fairly for these damages and more. 

Just about any kind of accident can result in a serious spinal cord injury. It could be the result of a car accident or a motorcycle wreck. Someone’s life could suddenly be turned upside down by being hit by a vehicle while on their bicycle or while simply taking a walk around their neighborhood. It only takes a few seconds for someone to be injured so severely that they can’t even walk any longer, much less be able to work or enjoy the activities they once loved.

If you have suffered a severe spinal cord injury in an accident that occurred due to the negligence of another, the attorneys with Jones Law Group will be here for you. We’re not only legal experts. We also have team members with extensive medical experience. 

As a result, we’ll know exactly how much to demand from those responsible for your injury. We don’t need to call in medical experts because we’re the experts. This will save you a lot of time and could significantly increase whatever compensation you may obtain.

Please get in touch with our firm as soon as possible to schedule a free consultation. You can contact us online or call (727) 571-1333.

Here’s a look at the different types of compensation you may be able to obtain if you sue those who caused the accident that caused your injury.  

Compensation for Economic Damages

“Damages” is the legal term for monetary losses incurred as a result of an injury. When a person is severely hurt, their damages are going to be much higher than those of someone who suffers a relatively minor injury. These are just a few examples of the economic damages you may be able to recover through a personal injury lawsuit. 

Past Medical Bills

Suppose you were hurt in a slip-and-fall accident that led to you suffering several broken bones in your back. You had to be transported by ambulance to the emergency room, and then you had to be admitted to the hospital. You also had to have a surgical procedure and take prescription medications to relieve your pain. 

All of these medical expenses are examples of economic damages for which you may be able to obtain compensation. 

Future Medical Bills

You might have suffered a severe injury that will require further medical treatment. This could mean additional surgeries or physical therapy. These will also be included in the compensation your attorney will demand from the at-fault party’s insurance company.  

In-Home Care

The damage from a spinal cord injury can be horrible, rendering you helpless because you’re unable to move. This will require extensive in-home care – probably on a 24/7 basis. An attorney will include these costs – which will be astronomical – in their demand for compensation. 

Home Modifications

Even if someone doesn’t require around-the-clock care, their spinal cord damage may be substantial enough that they need to use a wheelchair – possibly for the rest of their life. That very likely means special accommodations will need to be made so they can get around their home. 

These accommodations could include installing a lift to get upstairs, widening doors so a wheelchair will fit, and installing ramps to all of the home’s entrances.  

Loss of Earning Capacity

Someone with a serious spinal cord injury will find it almost impossible to work. Even if they’re lucky enough to do so, there’s a very good chance they’ll no longer be able to stay in their former profession. In order to support themselves, they’ll have to get a new job – one that pays much less.

A skilled attorney will know how to calculate your lost earning capacity. This includes not only salary but any raises you may have earned, as well as promotions, bonuses, and commissions. 

Lost Wages

When you’re hurt and can’t work, there’s only so much vacation time and sick time you can use. It probably won’t be too long until you start to lose your salary. An attorney can help you recover every dime you lost because you were unable to perform your job. 

Compensation for Non-Economic Damages

All of the above damages are called “economic” because they’re tangible and, in most cases, relatively easy to calculate. Other types of damages, known as “non-economic” damages, are subjective.

One example is emotional and mental trauma stemming from one’s inability to cope with debilitation. Another is loss of quality of life since they can no longer do the things that used to bring them joy. An experienced attorney will know how to place a value on these types of damages. 

Compensation for Punitive Damages

As the name implies, these are meant to punish the person or entity that caused the accident. It’s important to note that while punitive damages are often much higher than economic and non-economic damages, they’re very rarely awarded. 

The at-fault party must have done something so heinous that they must be punished. One example is a truck driver who chose to drive while impaired or a trucking company that ignored obvious problems with their commercial vehicle.  

How Much Money Will I Receive Total? 

No attorney worth your time will ever promise how much money you’ll get without knowing all the facts surrounding your case. 

Typically, however, someone with a severe spinal cord injury will obtain more than someone with an injury that will heal relatively quickly, such as a broken leg. The reason is that the severely injured person’s damages will be much, much higher than those of the other person. 

Contact Jones Law Group if You Were Involved in a Personal Injury Accident that Left You With a Spinal Cord Injury

Contact an attorney as soon as possible to best ensure you obtain full and fair compensation for your spinal cord injury. Jones Law Group’s personal injury attorneys can be reached by contacting us online or calling (727) 571-1333 for a free consultation.