Personal injury claims related to spine injuries vary substantially, with minor claims settled at an average of $25,000. Serious injuries with long-term ramifications can potentially be awarded multi-million-dollar payouts.
Injuries to your spine are some of the most serious, affecting movement, mobility, and pain levels and potentially jeopardizing your career due to restricted physical abilities and cognition. The key is to work with a specialist South Carolina spinal cord injury attorney to explore the nature and cause of your injury and calculate the real-world cost of covering medical expenses, lost income, and other adaptations to your home and life.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit for a Spinal Injury
If you feel you may have a claim or wish to determine whether a previous injury is eligible for financial compensation, the first step is to work through all the facts with a qualified lawyer, collating evidence and information to prove responsibility.
Do you get money for being paralyzed? If your spinal injury is serious and has caused permanent or temporary paralysis, the financial support you require will increase considerably. Whether your injury occurred as a result of a workplace accident, traffic collision, medical negligence, or fault of any other third party, it may be essential to seek a formal court ruling to secure the full compensation you need to cover current and future medical costs and lost wages.
The Strom Law personal injury team often consults with claimants concerned about filing a justified compensation claim and how this might affect their entitlement to disability benefits. Does spinal injury count as a disability? Usually, yes–if the injury lasts for three months and affects your ability to work for twelve months.
However, Social Security support is minimal and is a system that helps those unable to work cope with everyday living costs rather than providing comprehensive assistance with costly medical treatments, lost income, or long-term therapies.
What Is Considered a Spinal Injury for a Compensation Claim?
Thousands of people experience back injuries and spinal conditions, with many occurring at work due to heavy lifting or faulty equipment and others associated with traffic incidents. The effects of a spine injury are misunderstood and can impact far more than your ability to lift objects or stand for extended periods. For example, desk-based roles can cause spine injuries and make sitting in a prone position painful.
Spine injuries linked to desk-based employment include herniated discs, strains, and damage to muscles, ligaments, and joints. Repetitive movements also cause spine injuries and account for around 40% of all ongoing conditions in the U.S. These injuries accumulate because of movement patterns that overexert the spine.
Although those with serious spine injuries are entitled to higher compensation settlements, personal injuries can be complex and have a wide range of impacts on your health, well-being, financial income, and future prospects. Hence, any spinal injury caused by third-party fault or error or an injury related to the workplace may be eligible for a legal claim.
Factors That Impact Your Chances of a Favorable Settlement
Personal injury lawsuits can be settled out of court through intensive negotiations with insurers or may need to progress to the South Carolina court system if the responsible party is unwilling to meet their responsibilities. Three primary factors make a difference both to your chances of winning a settlement in your favor and to the value the culpable party is required to pay:
- Submitting an appeal for workers’ compensation
- Negotiating skill and the power of your evidence
- Representation by an experienced spine injury lawyer
The settlement figure you submit should be calculated carefully because this must cover all the expenses related to your spine injury. Medical costs and treatments are an obvious inclusion, but you might also need to take leave from work, losing income, impacting your security, and affecting your career.
How to Calculate a Fair Compensation Value
During our consultation process, Strom Law will work through the calculation with you step by step, looking initially at the severity of your spine injury and the type of condition backed by medical records. We then consider your treatment, surgery, medical interventions, occupational therapy, and other costs directly attributed to your injury.
The next phase is to consider other costs, such as legal fees, lost wages, future lost earnings, ongoing medical costs, re-training expenses, and adapting your vehicle or home to avoid further damage. Finally, we evaluate psychological harms, with more serious injuries resulting in trauma, difficulties with memory, and other conditions.
All these elements should be assessed, ensuring your compensation claim is supported by comprehensive documentation and with assistance from an expert spine injury lawyer to represent your interests, rights, and entitlements.
