Some of the most serious injuries you can suffer are spinal cord injuries. These can affect your mobility and, in the most severe cases, even your vital functions. Suffering a catastrophic injury of this sort can leave your life in shambles, resulting in your not being able to work or lead a normal life. If you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of someone else’s negligent or wrongful conduct, you may be entitled to file a claim for compensation. To recover the damages you need, it’s essential that you contact a Levittown spinal cord injury lawyer.
The team of spinal cord injury lawyers at Wapner Newman has four decades of experience representing clients who have suffered these catastrophic injuries. We are dedicated, fierce advocates who can fight in your corner against insurance companies that may want to deny you fair compensation.
Schedule a free consultation with our Levittown spinal cord injury lawyers by calling Wapner Newman at (215) 569-0900.
Why Choose Us?
How Wapner Newman Provides Essential Help
Filing a personal injury claim on your own is never a good idea. You’ll be struggling with injuries and emotional trauma, all of which can make it impossible to focus on the legalities involved. That’s when you need our dedicated spinal cord injury attorneys to represent you.
We have over 40 years of experience helping clients recover significant sums in settlements and jury awards. We’ll never see you as just another case, however. With our team by your side, you’ll get the compassionate guidance you need to get through this difficult moment in your life. Because we understand that you’re battling serious injuries while also experiencing financial strain, we never charge upfront fees. We only get paid if we win.
If you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury because of someone else’s conduct, don’t wait to contact us. Our Levittown back injury lawyers will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
Our team is made up of over a dozen lawyers licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The Most Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can occur in a number of ways, but there are some causes that are more common. Our team of back injury attorneys offers a look at these.
Vehicular Collisions
One of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries is vehicular collisions — especially those that occur at high velocities. A crash can result in a sudden blow to the spinal cord and the tissues that surround it, including ligaments and vertebrae. The impact can cause tissues to slip out of place or even get crushed while also putting the vertebrae at risk of breaking.
In the most severe spinal cord injuries, the injury can spread down the spine, affecting the nervous system and impacting mobility. The spinal cord doesn’t have to be severed to result in complete paralysis.
Falls
Our Levittown spinal cord injury lawyers have also represented many clients who have suffered spinal cord trauma from falls. In fact, most of these injuries in people over 65 occur from falls.
The fall doesn’t have to be from a great height (though those can cause catastrophic harm to the spine). A blow to the wrong part of your neck or back is enough to result in these injuries.
Medical Malpractice
Although not as common as the first two causes, medical errors can also lead to spinal cord injuries. If a healthcare provider makes a mistake during surgery or doesn’t use the right stabilization equipment to keep the body safe while the patient is under anesthesia, spinal injuries can occur.
Understanding Your Rights After a Spinal Cord Injury
Our Levittown spinal cord injury attorneys often see clients who aren’t sure whether they can file a claim. It’s vital that you understand that if someone else’s conduct resulted in your suffering injuries of any kind, you can consider this option. That’s the case even if you were partly responsible for the accident.
To be able to get compensation, you’ll have to demonstrate that the defendant was negligent. That’s not as easy as it may sound. One of the first things that you have to do is show that the other party owed you a duty of care and that they breached it. For example, if you slipped and fell on unmarked wet floors while grocery shopping, you can say the store owner owed you a duty of care because you were a visitor. By not putting out a “Wet Floor” warning sign or mopping up the puddle, the store owner breached their responsibility.
The next aspect of proving negligence is demonstrating that the defendant’s conduct led you to suffer injuries for which you can be compensated. If you hit your back as you fell in the grocery store and hurt a vertebrae, you will need medical care. This means that you can file a claim based on negligence.
You have a limited amount of time to file the claim, however. Statutes of limitation are meant to ensure that claims are brought forward when evidence is still available, but sometimes they can be very constrictive. The law for most personal injury claims gives you up to two years from the moment the accident occurs to file a claim. However, if the incident occurs in a government building instead of a grocery store, you have a much shorter amount of time to file. That’s why it’s crucial that you contact our Levittown back injury attorneys.
At Wapner Newman, we know how complex the process of proving negligence can be. We’ll investigate the accident and gather the necessary evidence to demonstrate that the other party is liable. We’ll do the tough work so you can put all of your focus on healing from your injury.
Recovering Damages After a Spinal Cord Injury
By filing a personal injury claim, you have the opportunity to claim compensatory damages. These are made up of economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages strive to compensate you for quantifiable losses. Medical expenses make up a great part of economic damages, especially if you’re facing serious long-term consequences from the accident. Economic damages cover hospital bills, rehabilitation sessions, and even any changes you need to make to your home or vehicle because of the spinal cord injury.
With a catastrophic injury, you will likely be unable to go to work for a significant amount of time. That means you won’t receive the income you would have earned if you had not suffered the injury. You can receive compensation for lost wages, and you can also claim loss of earning potential if you can’t return to work.
Non-economic damages help you recoup losses that are less tangible. These can include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
At Wapner Newman, our back injury lawyers can help you get a clear sense of what you’ll be able to claim. During your free consultation, we can go over all of the details and explain the various damages in depth.
Spinal Cord Injuries FAQs
When you are preparing to file a claim after suffering a spinal cord injury, it’s normal to have lots of questions about the process. Our Pennsylvania spinal cord injury attorneys offer the guidance you need.
What accidents cause the most spinal cord injuries?
Vehicular collisions cause a significant number of spinal cord injuries. Falls are another common cause, with even seemingly simple slip and fall accidents potentially leaving you with lasting back injuries.
Do I have to have a disabling injury to file a claim?
No, you can have any type of spinal cord injury to file a claim. If someone else caused you to suffer losses, the law gives you the opportunity to recoup damages regardless of whether you’ll have lasting health issues. Of course, the more severe your injury is, the more you can expect in terms of settlements or jury awards.
Do you charge upfront fees?
No. Because we want everyone who needs help to be able to receive it, our Pennsylvania spinal cord injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. We don’t charge any upfront fees, and we only get paid if we win your claim. We also offer a free consultation to ease the financial burden even more.
Will my case go to court?
The answer depends on how negotiations go with insurance companies. We always try to get a fair settlement because it’s faster and allows you to get the compensation you need sooner. If we don’t think insurers are treating you correctly, we’ll discuss with you whether going to court should be the next step.
If you have any questions or concerns, we can schedule a free consultation.
Contact Experienced Levittown Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
Choose Wapner Newman for Compassionate Representation
If you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury because of someone else’s conduct, our team of Pennsylvania back injury lawyers can help. We’ll fight to get you the compensation you need.
Get experienced representation by contacting Wapner Newman at (215) 569-0900.