You should not worry about how much the average spinal cord injury settlement is because such a number is impossible to calculate with any degree of accuracy. Instead, you can hire a Rutherfordton spinal cord injury lawyer to evaluate your case, calculate a fair settlement amount, and fight hard to get you that money as soon as possible.
Why Spinal Cord Injury Insurance Settlements Differ So Widely
As the Cleveland Clinic explains, there are several types of spinal cord injuries. The symptoms you experience, how long they last, and your long-term prognosis all depend on:
- What part of the spinal cord is affected
- How serious the injury is
- How quickly you receive medical care
- Whether you experience complications
- Your general health before the injury
- Any other injuries you sustained in the same accident
Spinal Injuries Can Be Catastrophic
At their worst, spinal cord injuries are among the most catastrophic injuries a person can suffer in an accident. If you were diagnosed with such an injury, you have every right to be angry and to take the time you need to process your loss.
You also have the right to consult with one or more personal injury attorneys who can tell you more about how much your spinal cord injury settlement may be and why calculating an amount specific to your situation is much better than depending on a hypothetical “average.”
Spinal Cord Injury Damages and Your Legal Case
Personal injury lawyers are trained and prepared to help you create a thorough list of your accident-related losses and injuries. With professional legal assistance, you can be sure you ask for fair compensation for every physical, emotional, financial, and professional loss.
Your economic and non-economic damages may include:
Medical Care for Your Spinal Injury Symptoms
You might find that your medical expenses are already intimidating and growing bigger every day. Spinal cord injuries often require a broad array of expensive medical treatments, such as:
- Long-term hospitalization
- Extensive physical therapy
- Medication
- Assistive devices
- Home nursing
The Physical and Mental Toll of Your Spinal Cord Injury
Everyone’s spinal cord injury symptoms are different, but they often lead to:
- Chronic pain
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of function
- Mental and emotional anguish
- Loss of life enjoyment
The Professional Implications of Your Spinal Cord Injury
Depending on your job type and your injury’s severity, you may or may not be able to return to your old career. Even if you do recover enough to return to work, you will have missed a lot of work as you underwent treatment and took time to recover. A spinal cord injury settlement can reimburse you for:
- Whatever wages or positions you have lost
- The wages, benefits, and positions you stand to lose if you will never fully recover from your injury
- The cost of retraining or re-educating yourself so you can qualify for a new position
Wrongful Death Damages
Since these injuries are so serious, some spinal cord injury victims do not survive. When this happens, the deceased’s surviving family members can hire a wrongful death lawyer to pursue money for:
- The portion of your loved one’s income that supported their dependents
- The cost of laying your loved one to rest with dignity and settling their estate
- The grief and emotional distress you experience knowing you will never spend time with your loved one again
Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me 828.286.3866
What Form Will Your Spinal Cord Injury Compensation Take?
It is generally easier to seek a pretrial settlement than take a case to court. That said, going to trial is the best or only way of getting compensation in some situations. How your case unfolds will depend on:
- How much evidence your lawyer can find to prove your injury’s worth
- How much evidence your lawyer can find to link the at-fault party to your accident
- Whether the insurance company agrees to cooperate with your case or the adjuster decides they are going to resist paying you a fair amount
- How negotiations go with the insurance company (if they drag on too long with little progress, your lawyer may start preparing for court)
- Whether your personal injury lawsuit goes to trial (in which case, your spinal cord injury attorney can represent you)
Overcoming Your Misgivings About Seeking a Personal Injury Settlement
Financial compensation can be very helpful in the aftermath of a life-changing spinal injury. However, certain aspects of pursuing that compensation may seem difficult or even a little distasteful to you. How can you put a price tag on your deceased loved one’s life or your emotional trauma?
It may help if you do not think of compensation in these terms. Instead of viewing your settlement as a replacement for what you lost, think of it as:
- A way of ensuring the responsible party does not get away with their negligent actions
- Much-deserved assistance that can make it easier to find a new normal after such a debilitating injury
- A way of protecting your community by proving careless behavior has significant consequences
Local Attorneys and Your Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit
If you do not want to handle your spinal cord injury claim or lawsuit alone, legal representation is just a phone call away. Many personal injury law firms offer free case evaluations, so it will cost you nothing more than a few minutes of your time to determine your legal options and what a personal injury lawyer can do for you.
What Will Your Spinal Cord Injury Settlement Look Like?
Our legal team at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC can help people in North and South Carolina determine how much their spinal cord injury settlement could be worth. We can also confront the insurance company to seek that amount on your behalf. Contact us today to get started with a risk-free, no-cost consultation.