If you’ve suffered an injury to the spine, it’s important to contact a spinal cord injury lawyer as soon as possible. Spinal injuries have long-term effects that differentiate them in the eyes of the law from other types of bodily harm. A lawyer can drastically reduce what you’ll pay in medical costs, both from the injury itself and rehabilitation going forward. You may also obtain compensation for pain and suffering and time lost from work.
In the wake of a serious injury, it’s often impossible to remain in the right frame of mind to deal with logistics, insurance companies, and mounting debt. Legal representation is vital to take the pressure off of you in this trying time.
Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Take Cases on Contingency
If you’re wondering if you can afford to hire a lawyer for your spinal cord injury, the answer is likely yes.
Personal injury cases are most often taken on contingency, meaning that your lawyer will be paid by the liable party if they win your case. You do not have to pay them out of your own pocket.
Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Level the Playing Field
Unfortunately, some parties may attempt to take advantage of you while you’re in the difficult early stages of recovery. Hospitals, insurance, and other companies have legal teams that advise them on how to deal with your injury while spending as little as possible. Hiring a spinal cord injury lawyer protects you from being cheated.
1. Taking On Insurance Companies
Don’t assume that your health insurance will honor a valid claim without question.
Insurance companies turn a profit by avoiding paying out claims at all costs, even for well-documented injuries. Entire legal departments work to achieve this goal. The insurance company may use jargon to pressure you into settling for less money than they owe.
A professional spinal cord injury lawyer knows how to deal with insurance companies tactics. They will work with your medical team, investigate the cause of the injury, review relevant case law and take steps to ensure the insurance company pays the full amount you’re owed.
2. Holding Guilty Parties Accountable
Liability is the key to personal injury law, and its legal definition differs from the common usage. A property manager may not have shoved you down a flight of stairs, but in neglecting to notice a crumbling step, they may be legally liable for your injury. Even if you didn’t notice the bad step either, it was the manager’s job to keep the property safe.
There are a wide variety of situations in which another party can be held liable for your injury in Arizona. If a company or person is found liable, they are required to pay you for the damage their negligence has caused. Some possible causes of liability include:
- Hazardous Property. An owner or manager of a property has a responsibility to ensure that public areas are safe. Poorly kept walkways and stairs often cause spinal injuries. Swimming pools with unclear depths or badly designed elements can also lead to liability.
- Reckless Driving. Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of spinal cord injuries. If another driver’s careless actions or impaired driving caused your injury, they’re legally required to compensate you.
- Workplace Injuries. You have the right to a safe workplace. Facilities, conditions, or instructions that cause spinal injury at work can be grounds for a lawsuit. Your employer may try to convince you the accident was your fault, so a spinal cord injury lawyer is essential to determine your legal standing.
- Unsafe Sports and Recreation. Did you join a recreational sports league or pay for a sports activity and sustain an injury? The coaches, other players or the recreation company may be liable if they behaved negligently.
- Medical Malpractice. Doctors’ mistakes can lead to life-changing injuries. If you suffered a spinal injury as a result of a doctor’s errors, a lawyer can help you sue for medical malpractice.
- Combination of Factors. In the state of Arizona, it’s possible to find more than one party liable for your spinal cord injury. If you fell into a poorly kept swimming pool and a doctor complicated the problem by treating you incorrectly, it’s possible to sue both the owner of the property and the doctor. A spinal cord injury lawyer has the expertise to evaluate all of the options and choose the best route forward.
3. Sharing Knowledge and Experience
Most victims of spinal cord injuries don’t have reference points for lawsuits, insurance payouts, and the costs of treatment. Lawyers have years of experience navigating the system and obtaining fair compensation for spinal cord injuries. One of these professionals on your side can provide crucial knowledge and help you understand the process.
4. Letting You Focus on Recovery
After an injury, your body is doing everything it can to repair itself. That leaves little energy for other important life tasks.
A spinal cord injury lawyer can take care of logistics. You can recover faster without worrying about the costs of physical therapy, surgery, or your hospital stay.
Arizona Law Allows You To Seek Past and Future Damages
Spinal cord injuries have long-lasting effects. If your injury causes paralysis, you may be unable to return to your job. Even lesser spinal cord injuries, such as a slipped disc, are extremely painful and limiting.
You may be entitled to compensation not just for the injury itself but also for the future impact it will have on your life.
Hiring the right personal injury attorney is vital to securing your finances moving forward. If you are unable to return to work or require decades of expensive physical therapy, you will want that paid for by the party who caused your injury. Securing legal representation now may save countless headaches down the line.
Act Quickly To Hire a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
The statute of limitations for spinal cord injuries in Arizona is one year, meaning that you have one year from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. Investigations are required to determine liability, so don’t delay in hiring a spinal cord injury lawyer. Contact the experts at Sargon Law Group for a free consultation.