According to a 2016 report from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), about 17,000 people sustain lasting spinal cord injuries every year. Many of them occur during accidents caused by someone else’s negligence, such as car accidents or slip-and-fall incidents. In many cases, the spinal cord injury victims and their families are eligible for compensation to cover their medical bills, lost wages, ongoing care costs, and pain and suffering.
Many accidents resulting in spinal cord injuries occur due to another person’s careless or unreasonable behavior. If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident caused by a negligent party, the Miami personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine could help you explore your legal rights. Call us today to speak with a spinal cord injury lawyer in Miami.
What Kinds of Costs Will I Face After a Spinal Cord Injury in Miami?
Because of the nature of spinal cord injuries and the number of body systems they affect, the costs of treating them and providing ongoing care is often very high. According to the NSCISC, the average person spends 11 days in the hospital following a spinal cord injury before transferring to an inpatient rehabilitation center for an average of 35 days. The cost for this treatment and therapy alone can easily surpass hundreds of thousands of dollars.
At the same time, these injuries take time to heal and many people never regain full function. Much of the long-term outcome relies on where the injury is on the spine. The Shepherd Center describes typical outcomes based on the location of the damaged vertebrae:
- Those who suffer injuries in the neck typically struggle to move their arms and legs, control their bladder and bowels, and may require respiratory support. They are totally reliant on others for self-care.
- A mid-back injury may lead to nerve injuries and issues with fine motor skills in the hands, but sufferers can usually move their shoulders and control a motorized wheelchair.
- Lower back injuries often reduce the function of the legs and hips and cause problems with bowel or bladder control.
- When damage to the spinal cord is incomplete, nerve damage depends greatly on the area and severity of the injury.
The NSCISC reports that less than 1% of those who suffer spinal cord injuries recover fully before hospital discharge. This means that more than 99% of accident victims require physical therapy visits and at-home care after completing their hospital stay and inpatient rehab treatment.
These costs can quickly bankrupt a family, leaving them struggling to pay their bills and provide the level of care their loved one needs. Many family members take on caregiving roles while dealing with intense financial stress.
To make matters worse, spinal cord injuries commonly cause permanent disabilities. Many victims cannot return to their previous job and some never return to work at all. If this sounds like your situation, you need compensation and financial support to care for your family, provide the necessary level of care for yourself, and ensure you can maintain a good quality of life.
How Can a Lawyer Help My Family Recover Compensation After a Spinal Cord Injury?
If someone else’s negligence led to your spinal cord injury, you have the legal right to recover compensation to cover your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other accident-related losses. While we most commonly see spinal cord injuries occur in Miami car accidents, negligence can also cause injuries through almost any other type of accident.
We can help you identify which state statutes apply in your case, whether that is medical malpractice, defective products, premises liability, or any number of others. Once we take on your case, we collect all pertinent evidence to prove the other party acted negligently and to demonstrate the full financial and emotional impact of your damages.
For example, imagine you suffered spinal cord injuries in a car crash, suffered paralysis from the chest down, and now use a motorized wheelchair. We would obtain a copy of the police report and interview eyewitnesses. We might also hire experts to reconstruct the accident. This evidence would build a strong case to show the other driver broke the law and caused the crash.
Then, once we have proof of negligence, we can file a claim with the liable party’s auto insurance, homeowner’s insurance, or business liability policy. Usually, the insurance company views our evidence and makes a settlement offer. This begins a series of negotiations that continue until the insurance company pays out a fair settlement.
If they refuse to offer a just settlement, we may need to discuss pursuing other options for compensation. A Miami personal injury lawyer may file suit in these rare instances.
When Should I Contact a Lawyer About My Miami Spinal Cord Injury Claim?
For the best possible outcome in your case, you need to contact us as early on as possible. We need to start collecting evidence immediately to have the best chance at scoring you the maximum payout possible in your case.
While we cannot file your claim until your injuries stabilize and we have a good idea of your future care needs, we can answer your questions and help you understand your legal options based on your circumstances.
Once your injuries stabilize, we can bring in expert witnesses to calculate your ongoing care needs and establish a value for your claim. Once we have this information, we can file a claim and focus on obtaining the compensation you need.
You do Not Have to Take Our Word for It – Listen to Our Clients
We work tirelessly to get our clients the compensation they deserve. We post reviews from former clients on our website. Here are some examples::
- “I can honestly say that Travis Greene and Shire Patel, attorneys at Anidjar & Levine, treated me like family after my accident…I would have no problem whatsoever recommending them to anyone & everyone.” 5 stars – Andrea V.
- “I had such an amazing experience here…I would highly recommend letting them be your attorney.” – 5 stars – Sarah A.
- “I hired Anidjar and Levine for a car accident case, in the course of the case Anidjar & Levine protected my character, my future…went far and beyond what initially were hired for…They got it done, thank you!!!!!!” – 5 stars – Erika C.
We treat our clients like family and always go the extra mile.
What You Can Expect When We Handle Your Miami Spinal Cord Injury Case
We will go the extra mile when we handle your personal injury case. We keep you up-to-date on what is happening in your injury claim or lawsuit. We let you know how the negotiations are going. We do not settle your case without your permission.
You can count on getting responses to your calls and emails and having your questions answered. We treat our clients with respect and kindness.
Is There a Deadline in My Spinal Cord Injury Case?
Yes, Florida has a statute of limitations, which is a legal term for a filing deadline, for every kind of lawsuit, including personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. If you suffered a spinal cord injury because of the carelessness of someone else, you have only four years, under Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a), to file a lawsuit seeking money damages from the negligent party.
If your loved one died from spinal cord damage because of someone else’s negligent or intentional act, we might be able to seek additional compensation for the legal beneficiaries. We would have to file the wrongful death lawsuit within two years, according to Florida Statutes § 95.11(4)(d).
The only way to preserve your right to seek compensation for your losses is to file a lawsuit. If your case does not settle before the deadline, we can continue to negotiate, but we would have to file the lawsuit in court. If you miss the filing deadline, you could forever be barred from holding the at-fault party accountable.
How Can I Reach a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine?
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, our lawyers are ready to fight for your family today. Call us to schedule a free case evaluation and initial consultation.
We Can Help.
