Damaging your spinal cord is a life-altering event. In most cases, your movement and sensation will be extremely limited below the site of the injury. Rehabilitation after a spinal cord injury is a long, arduous, and expensive process. You might be concerned that you do not have the resources to get the help you need.
If the incident that caused your spinal cord injury resulted from another party’s negligence, a diligent catastrophic injury attorney could help you seek compensation from the responsible parties. A Jackson spinal cord injury lawyer at the Reaves Law Firm, PLLC could fight on your behalf until you get a settlement or damage award that appropriately compensates you for your devastating injury.
Motor vehicle accidents are a primary cause of spinal cord injuries. Collisions and single-vehicle accidents can subject the body to sufficient force that damages the spinal cord. Such accidents could involve many types of vehicles, including:
Depending on the circumstances, other drivers, a vehicle manufacturer, and the local government could be liable to pay compensation to an injured accident victim.
Falls also account for many spinal cord injuries, especially in older adults. If someone fell in a nursing home or care facility, workplace, or area open to the public, the property owner could have liability for the fall and resulting spinal cord injury.
Some spinal cord injuries result from sports accidents. Forceful impacts from skiing, diving, football, and other activities can damage the spine. A proactive Jackson attorney could investigate a sporting mishap to identify potentially responsible parties and prove their negligence contributed to a spinal cord injury.
Most people with spinal cord damage have limited movement and sensation below the injury site. This could be devastating, but it is not the worst symptom of a spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injuries can create a cascade of significant health conditions.
According to the Dana and Christopher Reeve Foundation, the secondary effects of a spinal cord injury are often challenging to manage and could have a severe impact on a sufferer’s quality of life. Some of the secondary health impacts of a spinal cord injury include:
When seeking financial recovery on behalf of someone with spinal cord injury, a committed Jackson attorney could document every related health issue afflicting the injured person. The parties whose negligent conduct contributed to the injury owe comprehensive damages for all of its effects—past and future.
Each state restricts the time a person may bring about a lawsuit. In Mississippi, a plaintiff claiming damages for personal injuries must file a lawsuit within three years of the date of their injury. Though, if an accident victim is a minor, the law provides extra time.
Accidents that cause spinal cord injuries sometimes implicate the state or a local government. For example, if a person sustained an injury in a wreck with a city bus or a car driven by a public employee who was working at the time, the drivers’ employers could be liable. Similarly, a town or county could be liable if poor road maintenance or malfunctioning traffic light led to a crash that caused a spinal cord injury. If the injury resulted from a fall on government property, the government could be liable.
In such cases, an injured person must act quickly after an accident to preserve the right to sue. Mississippi Code § 11-46-11 allows a plaintiff just one year from the accident date to file suit against the state or a local government. Additionally, a plaintiff must submit a notice of claim to the appropriate government office prior to filing. The rules surrounding suing a unit of government are complicated, but a knowledgeable Jackson spinal cord damage attorney could ensure an injured person files the proper notices promptly.
Recovering from a spinal cord injury requires all of your focus and strength. Allow a legal professional to handle the business of securing appropriate compensation for your injuries.
A Jackson spinal cord injury lawyer could investigate your accident, identify the responsible parties, collect evidence, and negotiate until you receive a settlement that provides a fair financial award. Your time to act is limited, so call the Reaves Law Firm, PLLC today to schedule a case review.
