Severe car accidents in Athens can lead to back or spinal cord injuries. If you or a loved one were injured, an Athens back and spinal cord injury lawyer can help.
Spinal cord damage may lead to lost bladder control, extreme pain, and even permanent paralysis. You shouldn’t have to pay for the results of a crash you didn’t cause. At John Foy & Associates, we’ll fight for the compensation you deserve.
Learn your legal options during a free, no-risk consultation today. Call (404) 400-4000 or contact us online – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
What Is a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit Worth?
The value of a spinal cord injury case depends on the severity of the injury. Since spinal cord damage often has permanent consequences, lawyers may achieve high awards in this type of lawsuit. A victim might win hundreds of thousands or millions in court.
However, every case is different. The best way to know what you might win is by talking to a back and spinal cord injury lawyer. Your lawyer will evaluate damages like:
Medical Expenses
According to the Reeve Foundation, the cost of living with a spinal cord injury depends on:
- The severity of the injury
- The age at which the damage happens
Healthcare and living expenses range from nearly $350,000 to over $1 million in the first year of injury. After that, yearly costs can be tens or hundreds of thousands per year. These numbers don’t even include losses like missed income or pain and suffering (which we’ll cover below).
Healthcare costs can include:
- Doctor bills
- Hospitalization
- Prescription medications
- Physical therapy or rehabilitation
- Home healthcare
- Assistive medical equipment
An experienced lawyer will not underestimate your medical costs. They’ll consider all expenses you face because of your injury. If you were not at fault for the accident that injured you, you shouldn’t have to pay.
Pain and Suffering
Spinal cord injuries will affect any survivor’s quality of life. Paralysis, pain, and loss of function will impact your ability to work and live as you could before. To recover these losses, your attorney will seek pain and suffering damages.
Pain and suffering damages are one of the main injury categories under OCGA §51-12-2. They account for how an injury impacts your entire life. The at-fault party should be held accountable for everything they’ve taken from you, including how you experience and enjoy life.
Pain and suffering damages require a formula. Typically, your attorney will take your total financial losses and multiply them by a number between 1.5 and 5.
Lost Wages
Back and spinal cord injuries affect a victim’s livelihood in many ways. If you perform manual labor for a living, it might be impossible to work as you could before. Even desk jobs are often unmanageable with spinal cord damage.
Your claim should include any wages you’ve lost because of your injuries. Lost wages also include bonuses, raises, or paid time off you would have received. Your lawyer can help you calculate missed wages and prove them through documents like paystubs.
The estimated lifetime costs of a spinal cord injury are:
- Between $1.6 million and $4.7 million at age 25
- Between $1.1 million and $2.6 million at age 50
Get the strong arm
What Is the Settlement for a Back Injury or Bulging Discs?
Bulging or herniated discs in the back can cause a lot of pain and loss of movement. Although every case is different, settlements might be around $140,000 to over $400,000. Your compensation might be more or less depending on your case.
If you have disc injuries combined with other damage, your compensation might be even greater. It’s best to speak with a lawyer to know for sure.
How to Build a Strong Spinal Cord or Back Injury Claim
If you were not at fault for your accident, you can bring a legal case against the responsible person. Most of the time, that’s another driver.
You can file a personal injury claim with the responsible driver’s insurance company. But before that, you’ll need to gather evidence and build a strong case. Building a solid claim includes:
- Compiling proof of your injuries and treatment
- Showing how the other party was at fault
- Calculating what damages you deserve to recover
- Gathering proof of medical needs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses
An experienced lawyer will prepare your claim as if they’re going to court. While claims settle outside of court, more complex ones – like those with spinal cord injurie – may require a trial.
Obtain Legal Help as Soon as Possible
Time is crucial when it comes to a legal case. In Athens, you must bring a lawsuit within two years of your injuries. If you wait longer than that, the courts will probably throw out your case – which can leave you paying out of pocket for everything.
Take action today to avoid losing your chance at compensation. Talk to a lawyer during a free consultation to go over your options.
During your free case review, you’ll learn your rights and ensure you file within the deadline period. From there, your attorney will handle the legal details while you focus on healing.
Speak with an Athens Back and Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Today
Get a free, no-risk consultation today. You pay nothing upfront, and there are no fees unless we win you money.
Call (404) 400-4000 or contact us online for your free consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to take your call.
706-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
