Eustis Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Spinal cord injuries caused by someone’s negligence often lead to profound adverse physical, financial, and emotional outcomes for victims and their families. If you recently sustained a spinal cord injury because of another party’s negligence actions, you should focus on getting appropriate medical care and consult with an experienced Eustis spinal cord injury lawyer as soon as possible.

The catastrophic injury attorneys at The Umansky Law Firm can help by providing aggressive legal representation to hold the responsible parties accountable and pursue comprehensive compensation for these damages. Our legal team can investigate the incident, gather evidence, prove liability, and negotiate with insurance companies for your  maximum financial recovery.

What Are the Leading Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?

Motor vehicle accidents caused by negligence are one of the top causes of spinal cord injuries. Examples of negligence that can lead to crashes includes speeding, drunk driving, or distracted driving. In a head-on or rear-end collision, the victim’s head and neck are often violently forced forward or backward beyond their normal range of motion. This rapid, forceful movement can stretch the ligaments and discs and fracture the vertebrae, which can compress or even sever the spinal cord.

A violent twist of the torso or neck can cause spinal ligaments to tear, dislocate vertebrae, and shear the spinal cord tissue. This is common in side-impact collisions. In rare cases, a foreign object (e.g., debris from the road, a guardrail) can pierce the vehicle and physically penetrate the spinal cord, which can cause a localized spinal cord injury.

A negligent slip and fall can also lead to a spinal cord injury through sudden, forceful impacts to the head, back, or neck. A Eustis lawyer can establish the at-fault party’s negligence, gather crucial evidence to prove the link between the accident (such as a collision or fall) and the resulting spinal cord injury, and pursue full compensation for the victim’s extensive damages.

What Are the Key Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?

Spinal cord injuries are typically classified by the extent of nerve damage and loss of function. In a complete spinal cord injury, the spinal cord is fully severed or severely damaged, resulting in total loss of motor function and sensation below the level of the injury. Examples of complete spinal cord injuries include:

• Paraplegia: Paralysis that affects the lower half of the body (legs, and in some cases the abdomen and pelvic organs).
• Quadriplegia: Paralysis that affects all four limbs, the torso, and pelvic organs, typically resulting from injuries to the cervical (neck) region of the spine.

In an incomplete injury, the spinal cord is only partially damaged. The individual may retain some motor or sensory function below the level of the injury. There are several types of incomplete spinal cord injuries:

• Central cord syndrome: Damage to the center of the cord, often causing more impairment in the arms than the legs.
• Anterior cord syndrome: Damage to the front of the cord, typically preserving the ability to feel light touch but causing paralysis and loss of pain and temperature sensation.
• Posterior cord syndrome: Damage to the back of the cord, typically preserving movement but causing loss of sensation.

If your spinal cord injury was caused by someone’s negligence, do not hesitate to contact a Eustis attorney who can review the details of your accident and determine what legal action is possible.

Recovering Compensation from the Liable Parties

You must establish that the at-fault party owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, their breach caused your spinal cord injury, and that you suffered damages as a result. Compensation can cover a wide range of expenses and losses, including:

• Economic damages: Past and future medical expenses (hospitalization, surgeries, physical/occupational therapy, medication), costs for medical and adaptive devices (wheelchairs, home/vehicle modifications), and lost wages/future earning capacity.
• Non-economic damages: Physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Punitive damages: In rare cases involving gross negligence or intentional misconduct, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the at-fault party.

Having a lawyer is crucial for establishing negligence, identifying all damages, negotiating with insurance companies, and even litigating the case to secure a fair settlement or verdict for your spinal cord injury.

Contact a Eustis Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Today

Insurance companies are for-profit businesses. Every dollar they pay out in claims reduces their profit margin, so their primary goal is to settle claims for the lowest amount possible. Adjusters may try to shift blame or dispute the severity of the other at-fault party’s responsibility and pressure a victim to accept a lower offer.

A Eustis spinal cord injury lawyer at The Umansky Law Firm can collect all relevant medical records, accident reports, witness statements, photographs, and video footage to counter these lowball tactics, establish clear liability, and the full scope of damages. Our personal injury attorneys can also work with a network of experts, including doctors, life care planners, and vocational rehabilitation specialists to accurately project your lifetime medical costs, lost earning capacity, and future needs.