Los Angeles Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Spinal cord injuries are some of the most severe types of injuries a person can endure. Due to the spine’s limited ability to absorb impact and its crucial role in sending and receiving signals from the brain to the rest of the body, the spine injury can potentially affect how your body operates and ultimately how you can live your life. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) have deduced in a facts and figure report that there are on average 302,000 people in the United States who are living with a severe spinal cord injury.

If you or a loved one have received a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence or ill intention, then you may be able to sue to recover compensation. At West Coast Trial Lawyers, our team of spinal cord injury attorneys are ready to fight for you and be there every step of the way. We are a personal injury law firm with over 20 years of legal experience and our team of attorneys are confident that they can get you the maximum compensation you deserve for your losses.

We have recovered over $1.7 billion in financial compensation to our clients and we will continue to guide them throughout the legal process to ensure their medical expenses are covered so they can get on the fast track to recovery. Whether you have been involved in a minor incident with constant back pain or have experienced complete paralysis, our lawyers have seen them all and are available 24/7 to address any questions or concerns you have about your case.

We run on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you pay no fees until you win. To schedule a FREE consultation, you can get in touch with us by calling us at (213) 927-3700 or by filling out our quick online contact form.

What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?

Spinal cord injuries can be caused by damage to any part of a person’s spinal cord or the nerves at the end of the spinal canal. These injuries are catastrophic and can easily cause permanent changes in strength, tactile sensation, and other crucial bodily functions. However, the severity of a spinal cord injury is based on how many nerve connections are severed in an accident and as such they are classified as either complete or incomplete.

Complete spinal cord injury occurs when there is a complete severance of nerve connections from the spine to the brain and all feeling and ability to control movement is lost. Meanwhile, an incomplete spinal cord injury occurs when there is a partial severance of nerve connections and as a result, there is partial motor or sensory function. Depending on the location and the nature of the accident, incomplete injuries are recoverable, but requires extensive physical therapy and possibly surgery.

Spinal Cord Injury Symptoms

With that in mind, if you have experienced any of the following symptoms after an accident, it is vital that you seek a medical professional to understand the scale of your injury. Should you choose to file a claim, it is important to let an experienced spinal cord injury attorney know about your situation.

• Loss of movement
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Spasms or exaggerated reflex activities
• Difficulty breathing, coughing, or lung secretions
• Pain or intense stinging caused by nerve damage
• Changes in sexual functioning, sexual sensitivity, or fertility
• Loss of/or alteration in the ability to feel heat, cold, and touch
• Difficulty walking or maintaining balance
• Extreme back pain or pressure in the neck, head, or back

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Los Angeles

Under the worst of conditions, spinal cord injuries can occur in any number of ways. Whether it is accidental or ill intentioned, a spinal cord injury attorney in LA can help you review the details of your case and determine whether you have the opportunity to get justice for your suffering.

As such, if you or a loved one sustains a spinal cord injury in any of the following accidents, it is important for the victim and the family to file a claim as soon as possible and understand the differences between the types of cases, because there are a number of unique obstacles that may prevent you from obtaining justice and financial compensation for your damages.

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Bus accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Premises liability accidents

Proving Liability for a Spinal Cord Injury

When it comes to proving liability in a spinal cord injury case there needs to be evidence that a negligent or reckless party was responsible for causing an accident that has left you with a spinal injury. Depending on the nature of the accident, gathering evidence and proving an at-fault party responsible for their actions may be as simple as taking photos and videos of the accident.

However, for more complex cases, additional information such as police reports, medical reports, and witness statements may be required in order to build and strengthen your personal injury claim. With that in mind, it is important that you hire a spinal cord injury lawyer and provide them as much details as possible in order for them to get started on your claim.

If you are partially responsible for the accident in question, then under California law, specifically California Civil Code 1431.2, a portion of your total awarded compensation will be subtracted in order to cover the damages that you were partially responsible for. For example, if you were 10% responsible for causing an accident, then 10% of your total awarded sum will be taken away to hold you accountable for the damages you have caused.

What to Do After Suffering a Spinal Cord Injury in Los Angeles 

After suffering a spinal cord injury in Los Angeles, you may be feeling worried about what your next steps should be. It is more common than you might think to be unsure how to handle the aftermath of a spinal cord injury. However, it is vital that you keep calm and carefully assess the situation at hand.

The first thing to do is to decide whether you need to call 911 or not, because should your or someone else’s condition require immediate medical attention, then it is recommended for them to call 911 and have first responders take control of the accident scene. If nobody requires any medical attention, then the next to do is to document the accident and trade contact information for everyone involved so you can either file a claim with your insurance company or use it to file a personal injury claim.

Once you have all of the necessary information, it is still recommended to see a doctor and have them take a look and make sure that you have not suffered any long-term or chronic health conditions. Should you run into any problems regarding your claim, it is highly recommended to pursue legal representation to ensure that you are not left with any out of pocket costs.

How Long Do You Have to File Your Los Angeles Spinal Cord Injury Claim?

When you are considering legal action against the liable party, it is important to take action on your case quickly. The statute of limitations for personal injury and spinal cord injury claims across California is just two years as per section 335.1 of California’s code of civil procedure. While two years may seem like more than enough time to build a powerful case against the liable party, there may be some complications that can delay your claim.

It is highly recommended that the sooner you get your attorney on your case, the more readily available time-sensitive evidence may be prepared properly. Should you choose to wait to file your lawsuit and the statute of limitations passes, you will no longer have the opportunity to recover compensation through the California court system. 

Any attempt to file after, will be immediately dismissed by the court and only exception to the two year rule is unless the filing plaintiff is either a minor, in jail, legally insane, living out-of-state, or disabled. So unless these conditions are applicable to your case, then it is highly recommended that you pursue legal representation for your case.

What Kind of Damages are Available for Spinal Cord Injury Victims?

After sustaining a spine injury, your entire life could be permanently affected by this injury and if you are filing a spine injury claim, it is vital to understand what kind of damages you can recover for your injuries. Generally, in spinal cord injury cases, a victim can receive economic and non-economic damages depending on the severity, scale, and the chances of recovery. So if you are filing a spinal cord injury case, it is best to familiar yourself with the different kinds of damages that are available.

Economic

Economic damages are defined as calculable losses that can be recovered for a specific monetary value. Damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, physical therapy, property damages, diminished earning capacity, and quality of life adjustments are all unexpected costs that typically arise in spinal cord injury cases and can be valued for a definitive sum. For spinal cord injury victims, these damages will be entirely dependent on the scale and severity of their injuries and as a result, accident victims can be awarded with all proposed damages and possibly even some non-economic damages because of the associated effect for suffering severe injuries.

Non-Economic

Non-economic damages are defined as incalculable losses that have occurred in an accident and due to the subjective nature of these damages the value will vary from person-to-person. For example, pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and a loss of consortium are all things that are very difficult to place a definitive value on. As such, accident attorneys will need to prove that the accident in question has caused these damages and that it has had a profound impact on the victim.

West Coast Trial Lawyers Is Here to Help

When you have suffered a debilitating spinal cord injury and do not know how to make the liable party pay for their negligence, it is important that you find legal guidance that will guide and support you throughout your case. At West Coast Trial Lawyers, our spinal cord injury attorneys are ready to represent you and serve as your trusted legal counsel throughout this stressful endeavor. 

We have recovered over $1.7 billion in financial compensation for our clients and we make it our duty to ensure that all of your legal needs are met and satisfied, because we understand how the lifetime costs associated with such injuries can be emotional and devastating to bear on your own. No matter what kind of accident you have been involved in, our attorneys will be there every step of the way and will answer any questions or concerns you have regarding your case.

We run on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that you pay no fees until you win. To schedule a FREE consultation today, we welcome you to reach out to our 24/7 legal team by calling us at (213) 927-3700 or by completing our easy online contact form.