The spinal cord is extremely sensitive to external trauma and generally cannot repair itself once it sustains damage. Dealing with permanent pain or paralysis can feel especially unfair when another person causes your injuries through their negligent behavior.
Money alone cannot make up fully for becoming physically disabled, but demanding civil restitution with help from a King of Prussia spinal cord injury lawyer could improve your overall quality of life after getting hurt in this way. From establishing solid grounds on which to build your civil claim to helping you avoid common pitfalls that might keep you from getting the compensation you deserve, your dedicated catastrophic injury attorney could assist at every stage of the legal process.
Two main factors determine the severity of a spinal cord injury, which in turn impacts the amount of compensation an injured person can demand through a claim.
The first factor is the “completeness” of the injury. Bruising, twisting, or slight tearing of the spinal cord may cause only partial paralysis and may even offer some prospects of long-term recovery, but a complete severing of the spinal cord can cause permanent and total paralysis below the injury site.
The second factor that determines the severity of a spinal cord injury is its location and, more specifically, which part of the spine it affects. Damage to the lumbar spine or the lower part of the thoracic spine is more likely to cause paraplegia of just the lower limbs and torso. Damage to the upper thoracic spine or any of the cervical spine is more likely to cause quadriplegia of all four limbs and the entire torso.
A King of Prussia spinal cord injury attorney could help determine the unique circumstances impacting an injured person’s recovery. For instance, someone who primarily works behind a desk may not need to recover for loss of earning capacity even when they are paralyzed below the waist.
Regardless of how severe a spinal cord injury is, the two-year “statute of limitations” written in 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes § 5524 still applies. With very few exceptions, anyone who waits longer than two years after sustaining spinal cord trauma through someone else’s negligence to file suit against that negligent person cannot recover any civil compensation for their injury.
The “modified comparative fault” system established in 42 P.S.A. §7102 also applies to catastrophic injury claims. A spinal cord injury lawyer in King of Prussia could help prove someone else is at fault for a client’s injury and help them avoid a reduction in damages based on the percentage of “comparative fault” assigned to the injured person.
Spinal cord trauma can change your life at a moment’s notice and cause immense financial, physical, and psychological losses. However, when you are proactive about taking legal action against the person responsible for your injuries, you can ensure they pay for the consequences of their actions.
Assistance from a King of Prussia spinal cord injury lawyer could be essential to getting the best possible result and obtaining every cent of the compensation you deserve. Call today for a confidential consultation.
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