Spinal cord injuries are devastating. While they may vary in severity and lasting effect, they can easily cost victims several thousand dollars a year in healthcare costs alone. When a careless or negligent driver caused a car accident and your injuries, you need a skilled spinal cord injury lawyer on your side.
If you suffered spinal cord injuries in an accident in Johnson City, TN, the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC are here to help you collect the compensation you deserve. We offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. Call our office today at 865-546-1111 to schedule a time to discuss your accident with a knowledgeable spinal cord injury lawyer.
How much does it cost to treat a spinal cord injury?
Spinal cord injury victims require extensive medical care. After initial emergency services, they are usually hospitalized at an acute care facility before transferring to a rehabilitative clinic. During this time, they can incur considerable medical costs.
According to 2015 data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Database, the cost for treating major spinal cord trauma can reach more than a million dollars in the first year and almost $185,000 annually in subsequent years. Even those who only have minor lasting motor impairment from their injury can expect to pay an average of $347,484 the first year and $42,206 annually afterward. Those who suffer the most severe neck or upper spine injuries may face lifetime average costs of care between $2.5 and $4.7 million, depending on their age at the time of the accident. Accident victims left with paraplegia can face average lifetime costs between $1.5 and $2.3 million.
It is important to note these numbers are only averages and can vary widely. At the same time, they only tell part of the story. These numbers include only care costs. If you cannot return to work after your injury or are unable to work in the same capacity, you will likely face additional costs stemming from wage loss, loss of benefits, and other damages.
If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury after a car accident, contact our lawyers. We can help you tally the costs you have already faced and help estimate the cost of any future medical care you may need.
How can I prove responsibility and hold the at-fault driver liable for my injuries?
As you can imagine, these expenses can wreak havoc on a family’s financial health. Without compensation from an insurance settlement or lawsuit, most victims could not afford the care they need. To win your case, though, we need to prove the other driver acted negligently.
Drivers have a duty to follow traffic laws and drive in a manner that does not put others in unreasonable danger. When they fail to uphold this duty and it causes an accident, this is negligence. To establish negligence, we will need to provide evidence showing the other driver caused your wreck and that is how you suffered your injury. Then we can recover compensation to cover your medical care and other losses.
The type of evidence available varies depending on the facts of the case. If your crash occurred in town, a local store’s cameras may have recorded the accident. Eyewitnesses can also play a key role. In some claims, the accident report is enough to show fault. When we pair this with your medical records, it may be enough to prove liability.
What types of damages are available in a spinal cord injury claim?
In addition to your medical bills and lost wages, you can also collect a variety of other compensatory damages in your claim. Depending on your current condition and expected recovery, you will have ongoing care costs that may include regular nursing care and the replacement of wheelchairs or other equipment.
We may also be able to secure compensation for expenses such as home renovations to allow wheelchair access and a lift on your vehicle for wheelchair accessibility. We can help you look at all types of economic and noneconomic losses and determine an estimated value for your claim. This includes compensation for pain and suffering.
How will an attorney recover my personal injury compensation?
Many people believe it is necessary to file a lawsuit to collect compensation after a car accident. While this is occasionally necessary, we can settle most claims without ever having to involve the court system.
After we collect all the necessary evidence in your case, we can file a third-party liability claim based on the auto insurance policy of the at-fault driver. We can present our case with our claim and request compensation for your accident-related damages.
Typically, the insurance company will make an offer and we counter-offer. This negotiation process continues until we reach a fair settlement amount. In the event that it becomes apparent we cannot reach an agreement, we can file a lawsuit and ask a judge to award you the compensation you deserve.
How can I reach a spinal cord injury lawyer?
At the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC, we understand the devastating effect a major car accident injury can have on the victim and their family. We offer no-cost case evaluations and handle all claims on a contingency fee basis. You do not pay us until we recover the compensation you deserve. Call our office today at 865-546-1111 to schedule a time to meet with one of our spinal cord injury attorneys.