Every nerve in the body originates from a cord-like collection of nerves running from the brain stem all the way down to the tailbone through the centers of the spine’s vertebrae. Unlike most other body parts, the spinal cord cannot heal from trauma on its own, and sometimes even immediate treatment from expert medical professionals is not enough to fix the damage. As a result, spinal cord damage very often has permanent and physically debilitating consequences.
If you have sustained this kind of injury because someone else was reckless or careless around you, you may have grounds for legal action against them, which our experienced catastrophic injury attorneys could help you pursue. From beginning to end of your settlement talks or, if necessary, your lawsuit in civil court, a Ponchatoula spinal cord injury lawyer from Tomeny | Best could fight tirelessly to enforce your rights and proactively demand compensation for the harm you have suffered.
How Are Spinal Cord Injuries Valued During Civil Claims?
While no amount of money can completely make up for the harm done by an irreversible spinal cord injury, civil recovery can still be key to maximizing your overall quality of life and addressing specific compensable damages you will experience because of that injury. Each case is unique, but in general terms, the two factors of a spinal cord injury that most significantly affect its severity are the location of the injury and its completeness. The severity of the damage in turn determines how much money should be sought for injury-related losses during a civil claim.
Injuries lower down the spine may cause only paraplegia in the lower limbs and torso, while injuries higher up the spine and closer to the neck can cause quadriplegia in all four limbs and the entire torso. Similarly, incomplete injuries that involve the spinal cord being only slightly torn may not cause total paralysis and may even offer some prospects of long-term recovery, while complete tears of the spinal cord invariably cause permanent and total paralysis. A dedicated Ponchatoula attorney could help shape the strongest possible claim around any type of spinal cord trauma you have sustained.
Avoiding Legal Roadblocks to Recovery
Legal counsel could also play a key role in ensuring common procedural obstacles do not unduly keep you from receiving the compensation you need. We could make sure you are able to begin the legal process well within the boundaries set by Louisiana Civil Code § 3493.1, which typically allows a maximum of two years from the date of the injury for a lawsuit to proceed.
Perhaps even more importantly, a lawyer from our team could effectively fight any accusations levied against you that you were partly at fault for causing your own spinal cord injury in Ponchatoula through your own irresponsible actions. Otherwise, Louisiana Civil Code § 2323 would allow a court to reduce the total amount of compensation available to you by whatever percentage of comparative fault it assigns you for your losses.
Speak With a Ponchatoula Attorney About Your Spine Injury Case
Spinal cord trauma can alter the course of your life at a moment’s notice, and it is often the result of misconduct by someone other than the injury victim. Fortunately, you have assistance available from dedicated legal professionals who know how to fight effectively on behalf of people like you and who have achieved favorable outcomes from cases like yours in the past.
A Ponchatoula spinal cord injury lawyer from our team could discuss your options in detail and offer preliminary guidance during a confidential consultation. Call Tomeny | Best today to set up a meeting.
