Spinal cord injuries are one of the most devastating and challenging cases, often leaving victims with lifelong physical, emotional, and financial complications. When such harm is caused by someone else’s negligence, filing a personal injury lawsuit may be the most suitable approach to take to secure financial compensation needed for medical care, rehabilitation, and long-term support.
At West Coast Trial Lawyers, our Beverly Hills spinal cord injury attorneys will ensure your rights are protected and your case is built with strength to better your likelihood of receiving favorable results. Our legal team has recovered more than $1.7 billion in settlements on behalf of our clients and maintains a proven track record of delivering client satisfaction. We strive to help personal injury victims by providing them with the resources needed to rebuild their lives.
Our law firm runs on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win for you. To set up a FREE consultation, you can connect with us by calling (213) 927-3700 or completing our easy online contact form.
How Does a Spinal Cord Injury Affect Your Daily Life?
Spinal cord injuries occur when the spine endures severe trauma that may be caused by negligent actions, like reckless driving, unsafe property conditions, or slip and falls. Beyond traumatic cases, various medical conditions may also lead to or exacerbate spinal injuries.ย ย
Depending on the extent of damage, individuals may experience either partial or full paralysis, limited mobility, or chronic pain in different parts of the body. Basic tasks, like getting dressed or moving around, can become complicated and may require long-term assistance.ย
Affected individuals may also be met with challenges when it comes to bladder control, bowel function, and overall independence. These limitations can greatly affect a person’s emotional well-being and quality of life.
What Happens if the Spinal Cord Is Damaged?ย
When the spinal cord is damaged, the brain will become partially or fully unable to send or receive signals to parts of the body located below the injury site. Because of this, they may experience partial or complete paralysis.ย
Many affected individuals are expected to suffer from loss of sensation along with complications pertaining to breathing, bowel and bladder control, sexual function, and temperature regulation. Because the spine plays a critical role with a person’s bodily function, severe trauma can contribute to long-term or permanent disability. Patients may need ongoing care, rehabilitation, and assistive devices to improve their quality of life.ย
Can a Car Accident Cause Spinal Cord Injury?
According to the most recent data provided by the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), car accidents remain as the leading cause of traumatic spinal cord injuries, contributing to about 37.5% of cases since 2015. High speed impact, blunt force to the spine, or being crushed or twisted in a crash are factors that can raise the risk of vertebral fractures or dislocations, which can damage the spinal cord.
Falls are followed in second at 31.7%, with acts of violence accounting for 15.4% and recreation injuries making up 8.0%. These findings demonstrate that each case has its own unique circumstances that can contribute to such bodily trauma.
What Is the Most Common Spinal Cord Injury?ย
Based on the report presented by the NSCISC, the most common spinal cord injury is the incomplete tetraplegia. The organization further notes that rates of incomplete paraplegia and complete paraplegia are similar, showing little difference in overall frequency. In addition, less than 1% of people will experience neurological recovery by the time they are discharged from the hospital.
What Are the 5 Signs of a Spinal Injury?ย
Detecting early signs of a spinal cord injury is important, especially if you have been in a car crash or slip and fall accident. Symptoms may arise shortly after the impact and may require immediate medical attention to prevent further complications from arising. Below are some notable signs to look out for that can suggest a spinal cord injury:
- Severe neck or back pain
- Numbness or tingling in the limbs
- Loss of mobility or difficulty controlling limbs
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
- Trouble walking or maintaining proper coordination
Any of these can signal serious spinal damage. Because this part of the body plays a critical role with mobility, delays in treatment can result in long-term and/or permanent complications. If someone is experiencing either of these issues after a traumatic event, they should get assessed by a medical expert as soon as possible to reduce risks of lasting damage.
Who Is Liable for Your Spinal Cord Injury?
Liability for a spinal cord injury will depend on how the incident happened and which parties violated their duties under California law. In motor vehicle accidents, an at fault driver may be held liable if their negligence contributed to the crash. This includes speeding, which goes against California Vehicle Code ยง 22350 (Basic Speed Law), or distracted driving as it violates CVC ยงยง 23123 and 23123.5 (hands-free and texting-while-driving law).
If a spinal cord injury arises because of exposure to a hazardous environment, property owners may be responsible under California’s premises liability statute (Cal. Civ. Code ยง 1714). This regulation requires owners to keep their property in a reasonably safe condition and to warn others about any dangerous obstacles that they know or should know exist.
Based on the circumstances presented, liability could also extend to product manufacturers or government entities whose negligent actions contributed to the spinal cord injury. Identifying every responsible party is important to help you secure fair compensation for any losses you endured.
How Far Back Can You Sue for Injury?
In Beverly Hills, you will have two years from the date of the incident to file a spinal cord injury lawsuit (California Code of Civil Procedure ยง 335.1). If you did not discover the injury right away, the delayed discovery rule may apply, giving you one year from the date you knew or reasonably should have known to submit your claim.ย
For cases involving government entities, caused by unsafe public property, city vehicles, or Beverly Hills city employees, you will be given within six months to file an administrative claim (Government Code ยง 911.2). Since the city is a high-traffic area with ongoing pedestrian activity along busy streets, like Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, accidents are bound to happen at any given time.ย
Missing deadlines can bar you from recovering compensation, which is why it is important for victims to act promptly to protect their legal rights. Having a Beverly Hills personal injury lawyer on your side will help you stay on track, ensuring no mistakes are made that could be detrimental to the outcome of your case.
How Much Compensation for Spinal Cord Injury?
Compensation for a spinal cord injury will vary for each victim. Such bodily harm can result in long-term consequences and extensive medical bills. Affected individuals may also be eligible to recover lost income if they could not work during the recovery process, as well as compensation for reduced earning capacity if spine damage limits their ability to return to work or earn the same wages in the future.
Other than financial expenses (that fall under economic damages), spinal cord injury claims may often involve non-economic damages, as well. This refers to intangible losses, like emotional trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering. Since each case has its own unique challenges, the total value of a settlement will differ in terms of severity of the injury, long-term needs, and how it has impacted your daily life.
To learn what you could be eligible for, you can use our personal injury settlement calculator by entering the losses you suffered from the incident.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Spinal Cord Injury Case?ย
Having a Beverly Hills spinal cord injury lawyer can help better your chances at securing fair compensation to cover medical expenses, ongoing treatment, and lost wages. Most attorneys will work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you do not have to pay anything upfront and will only need to if they win your personal injury case.
They will work alongside medical experts to prove the extent of harm you endured, future care needs, and the impact the injury has had on your life. Having legal representation for your personal injury claim can ensure you pursue justice and hold negligent parties accountable while you focus on your recovery.
Let Our Beverly Hills Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys Help You Seek Justice
If your spinal cord injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be given the right to seek compensation for the losses you incurred. At West Coast Trial Lawyers, our Beverly Hills personal injury attorneys are readily available to help you pursue the financial support you need for lost income and long-term care. We will work to establish fault and hold the responsible party accountable through legal action.
Our law offices are scattered all throughout California, including Beverly Hills. To book a FREE consultation, you can reach out to us by calling (213) 927-3700 or completing our quick online contact form.
