Spinal cord injuries can have a devastating impact on a person’s life. Victims often experience permanent disability, financial hardship, and emotional trauma. If you develop a spinal cord injury due to the actions of another person, you deserve justice.
Trust our team of McKinney spinal injury attorneys to represent your lawsuit. Our lawyers have the skills, experience, and resources that you need to hold the at-fault party accountable and recover the compensation that you need to treat your injury.
The spinal cord is a column of nerve tissue that extends from the base of your skull down to your tailbone. Bones known as vertebrae surround the spinal cord and protect the nerves from injury. Squishy discs separate each vertebra to prevent pain and discomfort.
The purpose of the spinal cord is to transmit messages between your brain and the rest of your body. Any damage to this body part can have a significant impact on your ability to move, feel, or engage in daily activities.
If you develop a spinal cord injury, you can experience one or more of the following symptoms:
You can read more about spinal cord injuries here.
Spinal cord injuries are more common than we may believe. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), an estimated 17,180 new spinal cord injury cases occur each year in the United States. Approximately 294,000 Americans live with this injury.
Most of these injuries occur in motor vehicle accidents, representing 38.6% of all cases since 2015. The second-leading cause of spinal cord injury are falls, followed by acts of violence, sports injuries, and medical or surgical incidents.
Spinal cord injuries can happen in a wide range of incidents, including motor vehicle collisions, slip and falls, and workplace accidents. If you develop a spinal cord injury and believe that someone else’s actions were responsible, you may be eligible for legal action.
Any person whose negligence causes a spinal cord injury could be held liable for his or her actions. Depending on your situation, you could pursue an insurance claim or lawsuit against any of the following parties:
If someone else’s negligence caused your spinal cord injury, you have the right to hold him or her accountable for these losses. To recover compensation in your claim, however, you have to prove that this negligence occurred.
In Texas, you must establish four facts in order to recover compensation for your spinal cord injury: duty of care; breach of duty; causation; and damages. Our spinal injury lawyers in McKinney can help you gather the evidence necessary to prove these facts and craft a compelling case in your favor.
First, you must show that the defendant in your claim owed you a duty of care at the time of the incident. Different parties owe different duties of care in different situations.
For example, say that you are injured in a motor vehicle accident. The driver in your accident has a duty to drive safely and follow Texas traffic laws. If you slip and fall on someone else’s property, that property owner has a duty to ensure that his or her premises are safe and to respond to hazards as soon as reasonably possible.
Next, you will need to show that the defendant breached his or her duty of care through a negligent act or failure to act. Below are a few examples of negligence that could lead to a spinal cord injury:
Then, you will need to show that the breach of duty caused your accident and your spinal cord injury. You will need to prove that the accident would not have occurred if the defendant had upheld his or her duty of care.
Evidence like surveillance footage, witness testimony, medical records, and testimony from experts like medical professionals can help establish this element.
Finally, you will need to show that you suffered damages because of your spinal cord injury that you can recover in your lawsuit. These damages may include medical expenses, property damage, disability accommodations, and pain and suffering.
You can leverage evidence like medical records, paystubs, repair invoices, journal entries, and testimony from expert witnesses to prove your right to damages. Your attorney from Carew Garcia Bohuslav Law, PLLC can help you explore all possible avenues to compensation and calculate your potential settlement.
Spinal cord injuries are painful and life-altering injuries. If someone else caused your spinal cord injury, our personal injury lawyers can help you hold him or her accountable.
Contact us today to discuss your legal options with one of our experienced spinal cord injury attorneys in McKinney. You can call us or contact us online to schedule your free case consultation.