Boca Raton Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Spinal cord injury lawyers in Boca Raton help people to recover financially and psychologically after suffering a spinal cord injury.
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, about 11,000 spinal cord injuries occur each year in the United States. The vast majority of these injuries (81%) are experienced by males; and over half of all spinal cord injuries are experienced by young people between the ages of 16 and 30.
However, spinal cord injuries can affect anyone.
The three leading causes of spinal cord injuries in the United States include:
- Automobile accidents
- Falls
- Gunshots
Seniors are more likely to experience spinal cord injuries from falls, whereas young adults are more likely to suffer a spinal cord injury after a sports, automobile, or other accident.
Complete and Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves the National Institutes of Health notes is essential for carrying signals between your body and your brain.
One of the most delicate parts of the body, the spinal cord can be disrupted by a seemingly small impact, which impedes the ability for your body and brain to communicate with one another.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a complete spinal cord injury is one in which the entire section of the spinal cord below the injury is damaged, causing paralysis.
An incomplete spinal cord injury is one in which the section below the injury is damaged but not to the point of paralysis.
Paralysis
There are also two different types of paralysis that can result from spinal cord injuries: tetraplegia (quadriplegia) and paraplegia.
Tetraplegia affects almost the entire body: from your arms and hands to your feet.
Paraplegia affects mostly the lower section of the body.
When you have been injured in an accident, doctors will perform tests to determine what kind of spinal cord injury you have suffered. Spinal cord injury lawyers can help you to pay for your medical tests and bills, and to recover lost wages as well.
Spinal Cord Injury and the Law in Florida
When a person suffers from a spinal cord injury that is due to someone else’s negligence, an attorney helps you to Demand the Limits.
Examples of negligence include the following:
- Household Accidents or Accidents on Private Property
Accidents That Occur in Homes or Private Property
It can be challenging to prove negligence when it comes to accidents that occur in someone’s home. Homeowner’s insurance does cover some types of accidents.
However, homeowner’s insurance may not pay out on a claim.
If the owner of the property had neglected to notify you of something that could have precipitated the accident: from unsafe staircases to loose tiles in the floor, you may be able to Demand the Limits by calling a spinal cord injury lawyer in Boca Raton now.
Sip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents are those that occur due to something underfoot: such as a leak or spill that causes you to literally slip and fall. When a slip and fall results in a spinal cord injury, you can Demand the Limits when you can also prove that the property owner knew about the hazard and did nothing to prevent it or warn you about it beforehand.
Slip and fall accidents can occur on public or private property, such as in a shopping mall, a store, or at the beach. Whether the accident occurred on public or private property, call an attorney now for a free consultation to see what steps you can take to assure you receive just compensation for your loss.
Automobile Accidents
One of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries, especially among younger populations, automobile accidents can be life changing.
If you were a bicycle rider or pedestrian and suffered a spinal cord injury after a run-in with a car, you can also receive compensation for your medical bills plus emotional damages and lost wages.
The process of going through insurance companies can be daunting, and a lawyer can help you to understand the fine print of your contract and the at-fault individual’s contract too.
An attorney can also help to evaluate the circumstances of the accident to see if negligence or liability is distributed among multiple parties. For example, there might have been more than one vehicle involved in the crash or the city might not have been maintaining their road properly.
Sports Accidents
Affecting persons of all ages, sports accidents can result in spinal cord injuries. Although not all sports accidents are due to someone else’s negligence, there are cases in which a sporting facility—public or private—was not being maintained well enough to prevent problems from occurring.
Gunshots and Violence
If your spinal cord injury was the result of violence or a gunshot wound, there are several pathways you can take to Demand the Limits. Calling a spinal cord injury attorney in Boca Raton now will help you to understand the difference between your criminal and civil suits, and help you receive just compensation.
Medical Malpractice
Unfortunately, healthcare workers are sometimes unwitting causes of spinal cord injuries. In addition to the steps you can take in a standard medical malpractice lawsuit, you can Demand the Limits for your spinal cord injury.
How to Receive Compensation
When you call an attorney in Boca to hear and handle your case, you will start by relaying the details of the injury. You will usually come up against insurance companies, and a lawyer can help you to overcome the many barriers that they will put up to deny liability and deny your claims.
Another reason why you need to call an attorney is that you have no idea how much value is actually in your claim. An attorney who specializes in spinal cord injury will know exactly how to estimate the damages, including future earning potential, future and lifelong medical care, pain and suffering, lost wages or reputation, and any number of other issues that impact the quality of your life.
Spinal cord injuries can result in dramatic changes to your life that you never before imagined.
- You may need constant care.
- Your relationships with your spouse, children, and friends may change significantly.
- You may experience changes in sexual functioning or even fertility.
- You may not be able to walk.
- You may have trouble breathing.
Because these changes usually entail tremendous costs to you and your family, it is important that you Demand the Limits.
An attorney will also help you learn about resources to help you and your family, like the Florida Spinal Cord Injury Resource Center, or the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program (BSCIP), which is run by the state government.
Often these types of services are not enough. As helpful as they are in your recovery and adaptation, you still have bills to pay. You may not be able to work in the career you worked your whole life to establish. An attorney can help you heal emotionally, psychologically, and financially.
The Law is On Your Side
As of 2018, Florida state law (Title XXIX, Chapter 381.78) includes a provision specifically related to spinal cord injuries. This provision creates a 16-member advisory council on brain and spinal cord injuries, comprised in part of people like you who have suffered and wish to help others.
Spinal cord injury lawyers in Boca Raton work under the provisions of Florida law to help you and your family receive just compensation for spinal cord injuries resulting from the negligence of others.
Call now and Demand the Limits!