Spinal cord injuries are among the most serious injuries a person can suffer in an accident. A spinal cord injury can easily result in death or permanent disability. If you suffered a spinal cord injury where another party was at fault, you may be able to recover compensation. An experienced spinal cord injury attorney in Anderson can help get you the money you need.
At the law firm of Vaughan & Vaughan, we have been helping injury victims throughout Indiana get the money they need for more than a century. Our team of personal injury lawyers in Anderson is ready and waiting to help after an accident. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation by giving us a call or completing our online contact form.
What a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Can Do to Help After an Accident
Your spinal cord injury lawyer will take various steps to help ensure you recover the compensation you need and deserve after an accident. One of the first actions your attorney will take will be to open their own investigation into your accident. The aim of this inquiry will be to gather evidence to support your injury claim and prove the liability of another party.
Once their initial investigation is complete, your attorney will assess the damages you suffered and calculate the full value of your claim. They will then take the necessary steps to submit an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit and complete the respective process.
As your lawyer works to build a strong case on your behalf, they will also be in continuing negotiations with the opposing party, attempting to come to terms on a settlement deal. If unable to reach a satisfactory agreement regarding an out-of-court settlement, your attorney will argue your case in court.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
File Your Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit Before Time Runs Out
When attempting to secure compensation through a lawsuit after a spinal cord injury, it is essential that you pay attention to the applicable statute of limitations. In Indiana, the personal injury statute of limitations allows accident victims to file a lawsuit against the liable party up to two years after the date they sustained their injury.
If you don’t get the required paperwork filed within this time period, you could be out of options for pursuing compensation. However, you must note that special conditions in your case may be taken into account, which could increase the length of time you have to file. Alternatively, you could also find that the circumstances of your accident further limit your filing time.
To avoid losing your right to pursue damages because of an unexpected deadline, it is critical that you speak with an experienced Anderson spinal cord injury lawyer as soon as possible after getting hurt. Your lawyer will identify the deadline that applies to your case and ensure that all the paperwork is completed and filed well before the cutoff date.
There is no fee
unless you win
Taking a Settlement Vs. Going to Trial
The main reason you might want to take your case to trial would be the potential to recover a more significant amount of money than you would get through a settlement. However, you need to understand that even if your case seems like a slam dunk, jury trials can be unpredictable, and nothing is guaranteed.
In addition to ensuring you recover money for your damages, settling out of court provides you with a much quicker path to securing compensation. Reaching a settlement agreement also has benefits for the defendant. While winning at trial would mean paying nothing to the defendant, a loss compounded by the increased legal fees can mean a much larger payout.
Overall, it will typically be in the best interest of all parties to reach a settlement deal, which is why most cases are resolved in this manner. However, it is still critical to hire a lawyer with a history of winning big for their clients at trial. There is always a chance you will not be able to come to terms on a deal, necessitating a day in court.
Damages Most Often Available in Spinal Cord Injury Cases
Following an accident that results in a spinal cord injury, there are a variety of damages you will likely qualify to pursue. It is essential that you identify all the damages that apply in order to recover the full value of your claim. Determining which damages are available can be tricky. Fortunately, an experienced spinal cord injury attorney in Anderson can help.
All recoverable damages following a spinal cord injury can be split among three main categories.
Economic Damages
All the losses resulting from your injury that affect you financially are found in the category of economic damages. How much these damages are worth tends to be pretty easy to determine since there are dollar figures attached to these losses. The economic damages available most frequently in spinal cord injury cases include:
- Property damage
- Money used for daily tasks you can no longer do yourself
- Medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning ability
Non-Economic Damages
All of the other losses you sustain as a result of your injury belong to the broad category of non-economic damages. Because these losses are personal rather than financial, attaching a price to them can be quite complex. The non-economic damages available most frequently in spinal cord injury cases include:
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of companionship
- Permanent disability
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Decreased quality of life
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are vastly different from the economic and non-economic damages reviewed above. Rather than serving as a means of compensation for losses suffered by the accident victim, the purpose of punitive damages is to punish the liable party for their role in causing the accident to occur.
Punitive damages are unavailable in the vast majority of spinal cord accident cases. These damages are reserved for extreme circumstances involving criminal negligence or intentional harm.
Reach Out to an Experienced Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Serving Anderson Today
Hiring an experienced attorney will give you the best chance of recovering the compensation you need and deserve after suffering a spinal cord injury. At Vaughan & Vaughan, we have a long history of ensuring our clients recover the money they need to get their lives back on track.
Contact us today by giving us a call or completing the contact form on this website and schedule your free consultation with one of our Anderson spinal cord injury lawyers.
