A spinal cord injury diagnosis can cause significant emotional strain on an injured person and their loved ones. People with SCI require millions of dollars in medical care throughout their lives. They also face shorter life expectancies than they did before their injuries.
If you or a family member has suffered spinal cord injury (SCI), you need an experienced attorney to help you recover compensation for your lifelong disability. Nessler & Associates can handle all aspects of your spinal cord injury lawsuit. We offer a complimentary, risk-free initial consultation, so you know what to expect when working with us.
Your attorney has specific duties to help you win your Chicago spinal cord injury
claim. A spinal cord injury attorney with Nessler & Associates has extensive experience with multiple causes of spinal cord injuries and can explain the types of damages you might expect to recover.
The Lawyer’s Role
A personal injury attorney who frequently handles spinal cord injury cases understands how intimidating the legal process can be. We bear the legal burden so you can focus on your recovery. Tasks we take on include investigating the claim, calculating damages, negotiating with insurance carriers, and appearing in court.
Investigation
Your legal team will investigate your accident. The claimant has the burden of proof, meaning your lawyer must prove that the responsible party engaged in negligent behavior and that behavior led to your injury. We investigate slip and fall, trip and fall, car, motorcycle, truck accidents, and medical malpractice incidents that have left you with an SCI.
Determination of Settlement Value
Your attorney determines the value of your settlement by reviewing your accident-related documents and talking with you about how the injury affects your life. Standard documents used for this purpose include medical bills, pay stubs, and treatment records. Your attorney might interview friends and family to get a different perspective on how the accident impacted your life.
Negotiation with the Insurance Company
Letting your legal representation negotiate with the insurance company ensures you do not accept a smaller settlement than you deserve. We know how these companies attempt to justify small payments and scare you into taking them. We will aggressively protect your interests and stand up for your right to fair compensation.
Appearance in Court
If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, a personal injury lawyer can initiate litigation and appear in court on your behalf. We can call on our network of medical specialists to testify to the nature and extent of your injuries. We also work with accident reconstructionists to show the jury what happened.
A spinal cord injury lawyer can handle the legal issues so you can focus on recovering from your injuries. You deserve fair compensation for the harm you have suffered. The experienced team at Nessler & Associates can help you get it.
Causes of Spinal Injury
This type of injury can result in complete or partial paralysis and require extensive rehabilitation to increase your quality of life. Several kinds of accidents can cause these life-changing injuries, including:
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Auto accidents are the most common cause of SCI. Truck and motorcycle accidents have higher rates of severe injuries than other accidents and increase the risk of SCI. Talk to a car accident lawyer at Nessler & Associates if you have suffered an SCI in a vehicle accident.
Falls
Falls due to wet floors, icy sidewalks, and poorly maintained property are the second most common cause of SCI. These accidents can easily cause neck injuries that result in cord damage in the cervical spine. The experienced lawyers with Nessler & Associates handle premises liability cases.
Medical Malpractice
Some medical mistakes can lead to SCI, including anesthesia mistakes, surgical errors, and misdiagnosis of spinal fractures. You might have a medical malpractice claim if your medical treatment did not meet the standard of care for your injury. Our attorneys have won millions for malpractice clients.
If someone caused your SCI through negligence, recklessness, or misconduct, let the personal injury team with Nessler & Associates assist you with legal action. You deserve compensation for your injuries, and we will fight hard to help you get it.
Damages You Might Recover
Legal services providers can help an injured party receive economic and non-economic damages to ease the financial burden of SCI. Lifetime costs for treatment range from $1.2 million to $2.8 million, depending on the injury’s location and severity and the injured person’s age. Your lawyer can explain the following damages in detail during your legal consultation.
Monetary Damages
Monetary damages cover current medical expenses, additional treatment, caretaking expenses, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity. They can also cover modifications to your home or vehicle and assistive devices that increase your mobility. The average SCI patient stays in the hospital for 11 days, followed by 31 days in a rehabilitation facility.
Illinois allows calculable or economic expenses to cover these costs. Your lawyer can calculate your expenses, including medical costs, lost wages, and your ability to work into your settlement amount.
Intangible Losses
Your injury leads to losses that do not have a monetary value. These non-economic damages include physical pain and suffering, emotional pain, chronic pain, decreased life expectancy, and loss of ability to perform everyday activities. Your spouse can receive damages for loss of consortium, a legal term describing lost services around the house, physical intimacy, companionship, love, and affection.
Illinois does not limit the damages you can recover in a personal injury lawsuit. The statute of limitations does require that you file within two years of receiving the injury.
If your SCI is due to medical malpractice, you also have two years to file a claim. Illinois doesn’t limit damages for medical malpractice; however, it is essential to work with a skilled medical malpractice attorney to meet the filing deadlines and notices accompanying this type of case.
A Winning Track Record
Nessler & Associates has a history of winning large accident verdicts and settlements. Our litigation team recovered $2.1 million for a bicyclist struck by a state-owned vehicle.
We also convinced a family that lost a child to dangerous property conditions not to accept the $50,000 settlement the insurance company offered and won a $1.1 million verdict instead.
We can help you get fair compensation for your accident injuries.
Reach Out to an Experienced Illinois Spine Injury Lawyer
You need a personal injury law firm to protect your legal rights to financial compensation for spinal cord injuries caused by another party’s negligence. The dedicated team at Nessler & Associates will guide you through the lawsuit and stand up for your right to fair compensation.
If you need to file a personal injury claim for SCI, contact the legal team at Nessler & Associates at (800) 727-8010 to schedule a free, no-risk consultation.