Suffering a spinal cord injury in an accident can be devastating. Your life is forever changed in an instant. You may face permanent disabilities, astronomical medical bills, lost wages, and a painful recovery process. Although no amount of money can make up for what you’ve lost, you deserve justice and compensation. The right lawyer can make all the difference in getting you the maximum settlement you deserve.
Why You Need a Lawyer Specializing in Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injury cases are highly complex. The injuries are severe, with lifelong implications. The cases involve extensive medical evidence, accident reconstruction, calculating future costs, and determining accountability. Generic personal injury lawyers simply don’t have the specialized knowledge to maximize your settlement.
What should you look for in a spinal cord injury attorney? Specifically, you need a lawyer who:
- Focuses exclusively on spinal cord and traumatic brain injury cases – This is the only way for a lawyer to become truly knowledgeable about these unique and technical cases. An experienced specialist knows how to thoroughly investigate liability, prove long-term costs, understand the medicine, and negotiate high settlements.
- Is familiar with Utah laws and courts – Local expertise is critical. An attorney experienced with Utah’s negligence laws, insurance regulations, and court systems can best protect your rights under state law. They’ll know how local judges respond to certain arguments and evidence in these cases.
- Has a proven track record of results – Don’t entrust your case to an unproven lawyer. Look for a spinal cord injury attorney with a long history of securing substantial verdicts and settlements for clients. This track record shows the lawyer has the litigation skills to successfully fight big insurance companies.
- Provides compassionate support – A catastrophic injury turns your life upside down. You need an attorney who treats you like family, not just a case number. Look for a lawyer known for personal attention, compassion, and guidance during the legal process.
Navigating the Complex Medical Issues
Spinal cord injury cases involve complicated medical evidence. The defense will try minimizing the extent of your injuries. An expert spinal cord injury lawyer will know how to prove the true severity through testimony of doctors, rehabilitation specialists, life care planners, and other experts.
Some key medical issues in spinal cord cases include:
- Neurological damage – Pinpointing the exact location and severity of cord damage. This determines disability levels and equipment needs like wheelchairs.
- Impairments – Establishing physical, occupational, speech, respiratory, and other impairments. This forms the basis for a life care plan.
- Rehabilitation – Assessing rehab needs such as physical, occupational, and water therapy. This demonstrates the commitment needed to regain functionality.
- Equipment – Documenting equipment like beds, lifts, and mobility devices required for activities of daily living.
- Home accommodations – Modifications needed such as ramps, door widening, grab bars, and stair lifts.
- Future care – Calculating costs of medications, assistive devices, accessible housing, in-home care, and other lifelong care needs.
Proving Liability and Damages
In addition to managing medical evidence, your lawyer must establish liability and prove damages. This involves:
- Accident reconstruction – Using police reports, skid mark analysis, vehicular damage inspection, and more to show exactly how the spinal cord injury occurred and who was at fault.
- Witness testimony – Interviewing eyewitnesses to prove factors like speeding, distraction, impairment, or other negligent behaviors.
- Expert testimony – Retaining engineers, accident reconstruction experts, economists, vocational experts, and others to prove liability and damages.
- Evidence gathering – Collecting photographic, video, vehicle diagnostic, and other evidence to corroborate your claim.
- Lost income – Showing past and future income losses using pay stubs, tax returns, employment records, vocational assessments, and specialist testimony.
- Pain and suffering – Establishing physical, emotional, and psychological trauma through testimony and precedence.
- Medical costs – Documenting past treatment costs and projecting significant future expenses using life care plans.
Demanding Maximum Compensation
Securing fair compensation requires skill and negotiation savvy. A seasoned spinal cord injury lawyer will demand full accountability and maximum damages including:
- Past and future medical costs
- Lost past and future income
- Pain and suffering damages
- Caregiver services
- Special housing accommodations
- Accessible vehicle costs
- Ongoing rehabilitative care and therapies
- Adaptive equipment and devices
- Any other costs stemming from disabilities
Why Choose Monge & Associates?
Monge & Associates have been fighting for spinal cord injury victims in Utah for over 30 years. We have 32 offices in 19 states, including Utah, Colorado, and Arizona, and our attorneys have extensive experience with these life-altering cases. We have the legal firepower and resources to stand up to insurers and their defense lawyers.
If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence, contact Monge & Associates for a free consultation today at (888) 477-0597. We can evaluate your case at no charge and advise you of your rights. Our dedicated lawyers will fight to get you maximum compensation so you can focus on your recovery.