San Francisco Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Few injuries are as devastating as those involving the brain and spinal cord. Brain injuries can lead to memory loss, seizures, loss of mobility or coordination, personality changes, and cognitive difficulties. Spinal cord injuries can result in all types of health issues, including loss of grip strength, numbness in the extremities and, in the most severe cases, partial or complete paralysis.
When these injuries happen in accidents that occur because of another party’s negligence, victims have the right to be fully compensated for any losses they suffer as a result. There can be a number of long-term complications that could require attention in these cases, and the assistance of an experienced attorney can be invaluable. At Mary Alexander & Associates, P.C., our personal injury attorneys represent victims in all types of brain and spinal cord injury claims. A San Francisco spinal cord injury lawyer could help you file a claim for compensation.
Seeking Full Compensation For Bay Area Brain Injury Victims
We got our start winning a significant verdict for a quadriplegic who had been injured after faulty bicycle brakes caused a crash in Yosemite Park. Since then, we have developed a reputation and an impressive track record for helping serious injury victims get a new start. We can help you get one, too.
When the brain is damaged by sudden impact or physical force to the head — when striking, for example, the pavement or windshield during a car accident — the consequences can be dire. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in permanent physical, mental and emotional disability. Symptoms, whether cognitive or emotional, can be immediate or take days or weeks to develop, and the damage can be massive even if there is no visible trauma to the skull.
Trauma to the nerves carrying sensory and motor signals to and from the brain deprives the victim of sensation and mobility. While the level of injury can vary depending on where and how severely the spinal cord was damaged, the result is almost always life-changing — especially when considering conditions such as paralysis, including both paraplegia and quadriplegia. If you have suffered a serious spinal cord injury, our lawyers will fight to obtain compensation for all of your current and future needs.
Is Whiplash a Type of Spinal Cord Injury?
Whiplash is one of the more minor forms of spinal cord injury, but is still a legitimate issue that can cause serious side effects. The technical term for whiplash is cervical hyperextension, and it is a common result of car accidents – especially so-called “rear-enders.” This can result in Whiplash-Associated Disorder, also known simply as “WAD.” Whiplash can either be quite severe or relatively moderate. In severe cases, whiplash can lead to serious discomfort and pain, numbness, stiffness, and other issues. It can also cause you to miss weeks or even months of work. In addition, whiplash can lead to considerable medical expenses as you try to heal as best as possible.
Always Get Medical Treatment
For any neck injury, it is always very important to get the necessary medical treatment right away. Although you might think that a minor neck injury simply needs rest, you should still see a doctor of some kind. This is important for a number of reasons. First of all, a neck injury can become progressively worse with time if not properly treated. Your spine may be out of alignment without you realizing it, and this can lead to a “domino effect” on the rest of your body as a result.
Secondly, you will need to get medical treatment if you want to successfully file a personal injury claim. You cannot prove that your injuries actually occurred unless you have the medical records to back it up. In addition to updating your medical records, your doctor may also write you special notes. You may also receive medical images that clearly show the extent of your spinal cord injury, such as an X-ray. These are all valuable pieces of evidence in your upcoming personal injury lawsuit.
What Damages Can I Claim?
You can claim a number of damages when it comes to a spinal cord injury lawsuit. Damages are separated into two distinct categories:
- Economic Damages: These damages represent your financial losses. These may include missed wages, medical expenses, and any other out-of-pocket expenses you have incurred as a direct result of your injury.
- Non-Economic Damages: These damages represent mental or emotional issues you have suffered due to your injury. These damages can be summed up by catch-all phrases like “emotional distress” and “pain and suffering.” In addition, they may also include specific damages like PTSD, depression, anxiety, loss of enjoyment of life, and so on.
You can claim both economic and non-economic damages for a spinal cord injury. Your economic damages form the “foundation” of your total settlement amount, and that total number will be multiplied by a factor that represents your non-economic damages. For example, you may have suffered a serious spinal cord injury with $300,000 in missed wages (both future and past), plus $700,000 in medical expenses. This total of $1 million may be multiplied by a factor of three – a “special damages multiplier” that represents your non-economic damages. As a result, you would be left with $3 million in this hypothetical scenario.
However, it is worth mentioning that each situation is different, and your exact settlement amount will depend on the unique circumstances surrounding your accident. If you would like to get a more accurate estimate of what your settlement might be worth, book a consultation with a San Francisco personal injury attorney and discuss your legal options alongside a professional.
What if I Was Partly to Blame for My Own Injury?
Many people assume that if they were partly to blame for their own injuries, they can not file a personal injury claim and receive compensation for a spinal cord injury. However, this is simply not the case. Due to California’s “pure” comparative negligence laws, you can file a personal injury lawsuit even if the accident was partly your fault. For example, you might have been speeding when a semi-truck ran through a stop sign and struck your vehicle. Even though you were technically breaking the law by speeding through the intersection, the semi-truck driver was also partly to blame because they failed to stop at the stop sign.
In this situation, the court may determine that you are 25% at fault, while the trucker is 75% at fault. Under pure comparative negligence laws, you would be entitled to 75% of a normal settlement. It is also worth pointing out that California’s “pure” system would allow you to pursue compensation even if the tables were turned, and you were 75% responsible for the accident. The only catch is that you would then only be entitled to 25% of a normal settlement.
Schedule a Consultation with a San Francisco Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
When a traumatic brain injury is the result of someone’s negligence, victims can fight back, demanding the redress and the answers they deserve. Speak to a San Francisco spinal cord injury lawyer for help today.
