Los Angeles Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Los Angeles Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

Few situations can be as painful, overwhelming, and life-altering as dealing with a spinal cord injury. When the spinal cord’s primary function is impeded, the resulting shock can be felt throughout your body, and the consequences can be disastrous. You could endure severe health problems that could last the rest of your life. If you have injured your spinal cord in an accident, you may want to take legal action with the help of a Los Angeles spinal cord injury lawyer.

Why Should You Hire a Spinal Cord Lawyer?

Personal injury lawyers tend to handle cases that involve sudden and unexpected injuries. Many times, these injuries are the result of another person’s negligence or malicious actions, and the victim may be able to seek compensatory damages from that person. That’s where a personal injury lawyer, such as a spinal cord accident lawyer, can really come in handy.

Spinal cord injuries are often severe, detrimental, and the cause of other long-term health problems. They also fall under the category of personal injury. These injuries may cause you to have to adapt to a new normal you may not have ever prepared to handle. After all, there may have been no way to expect that you would be dealing with a spinal cord injury.

If you do wish to proceed with legal action against the negligent party, it is important that you recognize the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in the state, which is two years. That means you will have two years from the time of your initial injury to establish your claim, develop your case, gather the necessary evidence, consult with a lawyer, and file a claim for compensatory damages. If your claim isn’t filed in a timely manner, you could lose out on compensation.

If you are unable to file a claim before two years have passed, there is a decent chance your claim will be dismissed entirely, and the opportunity to seek compensation will pass by completely. Building a strong spinal cord injury case can take a lot more time than you might expect, so it might be wise to start developing your case sooner rather than later. If you are worried you might not have a case, take your worries to a lawyer and see what they say.

Important Traits of a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

When it comes to pursuing damages in a spinal cord injury case, choosing the lawyer who fits your case may be the most important decision that you make regarding your case. You will want someone you can trust, who understands your situation, and who you can rely on at all times. Your lawyer will look over the evidence you bring them and launch their own investigation into the incident to determine the facts for themselves. Here are some important traits to look for:

• Experience: One of the most important traits that a personal injury lawyer can bring to your case is experience. If at all possible, you should try to hire a lawyer who has handled cases similar to yours in the past and has a track record of success with those cases. An experienced lawyer can apply past winning strategies to your case and anticipate any possible setbacks, as they may have dealt with them before.Particularly, you will want a lawyer who has extensive experience in negotiation. Negotiating is one of the most vital skills that a lawyer can have in their arsenal. Many personal injury cases never make it to trial because they are settled through negotiation. Lawyers primarily deal in conflict and resolution, so finding one with extensive negotiation experience shouldn’t be difficult.
• Knowledge: It takes a great deal of personal investment and education to become a lawyer. From there, a lawyer will choose which field of practice to focus on, in this case, personal injury law. Your lawyer can apply a wealth of knowledge about their field and your state’s laws to your case. They can provide you with case histories that set important precedents, applicable federal and state laws, and strategies that could help your case.
• Resources: Throughout their careers, lawyers may build an extensive network of resources through connections, favors, and working relationships. A good lawyer can use this network to help your case by tapping into invaluable resources. These resources may include private detectives, expert witnesses, medical professionals, and fellow lawyers who may be more well-versed in certain subject matter.
• Time management: Pursuing legal action is not easy. There are multiple moving parts that all come together to form not just your case but the defendant’s case as well. It can be exhausting, stressful, and tedious to try and keep up with the significant deadlines on your own. A lawyer can take charge of your case and ensure that you don’t miss any deadlines that could impact your case. This allows you to focus on your recovery.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are no laughing matter. The spinal cord’s primary job is to send and receive messages from the brain and then transmit those messages throughout the body. If the spinal cord is injured in any way, it can cause those messages to become disrupted, which can then cause significant health problems throughout your body, such as full or partial paralysis.

Spinal cord injuries often result in lifelong complications that can be difficult or even impossible to heal from, depending on the damage. The spinal cord is one of the most easily damaged and fragile parts of your body. Here are some of the more common ways that a spinal cord injury can occur:

• Car accidents: Considering how many people in the entire country have to drive on a daily basis, car accidents remain one of the most common sources of serious injury. A bad car accident can result in catastrophic injuries, depending on how severe the accident is. Even a sudden jerk of your neck from a harsh stop can put undue stress on your spinal cord and cause an injury. Wearing your seatbelt at all times can help prevent some injuries.
• Sports injuries: Contact sports can be a fun hobby or an exhilarating career, but they can also result in serious injuries if you are not careful. Spinal cord injuries can happen if you are tackled wrong or trip and fall hard. Sports like football, hockey, skiing, and many others can all result in significant spinal cord injuries in the most extreme situations.
• Bad falls: A sudden slip and a bad fall can happen at any moment. Nobody is truly safe from a bad fall. Depending on how hard you land and the way that you land, you could severely injure not just your spinal cord but your brain or several limbs. Anything from a wet floor to an uneven sidewalk can cause a bad fall. You might even just trip over your own feet. Be careful of your surroundings, especially if you are somewhat clumsy.
• Spinal tumors: Cancerous masses can grow on the spine at any given time. If one or more develop around the spinal cord, the resulting pressure on your vertebrae can result in severe pain, nerve damage, and spinal cord injury. If you are feeling constant pressure on your spine and do not know why, you may want to consider reaching out to a doctor and see if you are dealing with a spinal tumor.

Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury

You could develop a spinal cord injury and be totally unaware of it until it is too late to do anything about it. You likely won’t immediately feel paralysis the day that your spinal cord injury develops. It can take some time to manifest, as the symptoms of a spinal cord injury can be a gradual process that grows worse as time goes by. If you start to feel any of the following symptoms, you may want to see a doctor to have a look at your spinal cord:

• A numb or tingling sensation in your hands and feet.
• A complete lack of feeling in your hands and feet.
• Erectile dysfunction or a total loss of sexual libido.
• Random pressure or feelings of pain in your neck, back, and/or head.
• Partial or total paralysis.
• Inexplicable feelings of physical weakness.
• Loss of bowel or bladder control.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Difficulty moving around or walking.

Complete Versus Incomplete Injury

Depending on how damaged your spinal cord is, recovery may be possible, though there are no guarantees. Everybody may react to a spinal cord injury in different ways. There are two main forms of spinal cord injury that you could be dealing with, and the treatment you receive will be dependent on which one you have:

• Incomplete spinal cord injury: If you are dealing with an incomplete injury, that means your spinal cord was not totally severed. You may still have some feeling in your body below the injured area. Your spinal cord may still be functioning, and messages may still be being received from and sent to the brain. Some recovery may be possible.
• Complete spinal cord injury: If you are dealing with a complete injury, then your spinal cord is completely severed. You have absolutely no feeling in your body below the injured area. Your spinal cord is no longer functioning properly, and it cannot heal. The damage is permanent, and full recovery is no longer possible.

FAQs About Los Angeles, CA Spinal Cord Injury Law

What Is the Survival Rate for a Spinal Cord Injury?

The survival rate for a spinal cord injury depends on a number of significant factors, most notably the injury’s severity and the overall health of the victim. A particularly severe, complete spinal cord injury can cause additional health problems that will impact the victim’s quality of life, reducing their life expectancy by a certain amount. It depends on the person who is dealing with the injury. Some victims survive, recover partially, and continue with their lives.

How Much Can You Get from a Spinal Cord Injury?

There is no telling how much you might receive from a spinal cord injury settlement. Considering that a spinal cord injury is often catastrophic and results in lifelong trauma, there is a good chance you will receive a substantial settlement if someone is found liable for your injury. Other factors that could influence your settlement amount include the amount of evidence you have and your lawyer’s negotiation skills.

Is a Spinal Cord Injury Considered a Disability?

Yes, a spinal cord injury is considered a disability. A person who suffers a spinal cord injury is forced to deal with a significant affliction that can impact their ability to hold down gainful employment. They will likely have to file for disability assistance in order to pay their bills. Not every spinal cord injury victim will need to file for disability, particularly if they are able to still have gainful employment.

What Percentage Do Most Personal Injury Lawyers Take?

The amount that your personal injury lawyer will take from your settlement package will be decided on between you and your lawyer before you decide to hire them. Generally, a personal injury lawyer who works on a contingency basis will only charge you if they win your case. If you lose, you won’t pay them anything. Their fee will come out of your compensation.

Reach Out to a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Today

Dealing with a spinal cord injury can be frustrating, painful, and isolating, especially if you decide to pursue legal action on your own without the help of a spinal cord accident lawyer. An experienced lawyer can help by taking the lead on your case while you focus on your treatment plan and recovery. Having someone on your side who can help can make all the difference.

The legal team at Heimanson & Wolf, LLP, understands the kind of legal help you may need during this trying time. We can help build up your case, gather evidence, and make sure you are not taken advantage of. Contact us to schedule a consultation today.