Individuals who suffer a spinal cord injury may not only have severe pain, extensive medical treatments and a lengthy recovery time, but in many cases, these injuries are life changing. The mounting financial costs along with pain and suffering can place a tremendous burden on injury victims and their families.
At Geoff McDonald and Associates, we have more than 25 years of experience representing Virginia residents and have obtained more than $400 million in settlements and verdicts for our clients. This includes $450,000 for a client who required lumbar fusion revision surgery following a rear-end collision.
Our Richmond spinal cord injury attorneys welcome the opportunity to review your circumstances and discuss the legal options that may be available to you in a free, no-obligation legal consultation. Since we work on contingency, there are no upfront fees if we represent you. We only collect payment if we help obtain compensation for you.
Call our firm today: 804-203-0678
How Do I Know If My Spinal Cord Injury Claim Is Valid?
If you or someone you love sustained a spinal cord injury caused by another’s negligence, you may be eligible to file a legal claim for damages. However, since the cause and extent of a spinal cord injury can vary greatly, each case is not only unique, but also complex. This is why we recommend you consult with an experienced lawyer to ensure your best interests are represented and your legal rights are protected.
Complete our FREE Case Evaluation form today to get started.
What Is The Value Of My Spinal Cord Injury?
There are many different types spinal cord injuries, and some are more severe than others. To accurately calculate the value of your potential case and subsequent damages, our lawyers will first need to fully understand the details of your injuries and any other contributing factors.
If your case has merit, some of the damages you may be able to recover include:
- Loss of income – If you are unable to return to work during your recovery time, you may be eligible to recover past wages in your final compensation.
- Medical expenses – This could include hospital stays, physical therapy, surgical interventions, emotional counselling, traveling to and from your medical appointments and cost of home care.
- Loss of future earning capacity – These damages are intended to recover the income you would have been able to make in the future if you had not sustained an injury that caused you to become either partially or fully disabled.
- Pain and suffering – This includes physical pain and mental suffering. Determining the value of these damages is difficult and requires an attorney who knows how to accurately calculate them.
- Home modifications –These damages are designed to cover reasonable costs for any adjustments that are required to help an injury victim gain improved mobility management in his or her home.
We are prepared to provide answers to your legal questions and help you understand the claims process.
Deadline for Filing Spinal Cord Injury Claims
The deadline for filing a spinal cord injury claim in the state of Virginia, also known as a statute of limitations, is two years from the date your injury occurred. However, there are exceptions that may cause your deadline to be significantly earlier or moved back, depending on the specifics of your situation.
This is why it is important to act immediately so you do not jeopardize your ability to bring a claim forward. We are prepared to review certain factors that may affect your filing deadline and invite you to contact our legal team even if you believe your deadline may have already passed.
Do not risk losing your opportunity to recover damages: 804-203-0678
What Are the Benefits of Hiring an Attorney?
We understand the significant impact a spinal cord injury has injury victims as well as their loved ones. We also know how difficult it can be to try to handle your medical appointments, care for your family and do your own day-to-day tasks while trying to navigate the legal process to obtain fair compensation.
If we determine you have a case and we represent you, we are prepared to handle the following:
- Investigate the cause of your spinal cord injury
- Gather supportive evidence to help establish negligence
- Communicate with insurance companies and other third parties on your behalf
- File all necessary documents in a timely manner
- Fight to protect your legal rights and best interests
- Keep you fully informed about every aspect of your claim
It is worth mentioning that victims who hire an attorney are more likely to end up with a higher settlement award than someone without legal representation. We handle injury claims every day and have extensive knowledge about the legal system and how to pursue a claim to your best advantage.
How Do Spinal Cord Injuries Happen?
Spinal cord injuries can happen for a number of reasons, most often caused by accidents such as:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Commercial truck collisions
- Slip and fall accidents
- Boating accidents
- Work-related accidents
- Acts of violence
- Sporting accidents
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
There are many different types and levels of spinal cord injuries. These include:
Acute Injuries
Acute injuries typically involve the cushion-like discs situated between the vertebrae. When these are fractured, dislocated, compressed or ruptured, they are intensely painful.
Overuse Injuries
Typically, these spinal injuries happen to workers or others who have to lift heavy items on a daily basis. When back muscles or tendons get stretched or twisted from overuse or misuse, they can get strained or torn. Muscle spasms are a common occurrence and happen when the back muscles suddenly contract.
Complete Spinal Cord Injury
A complete fracture involving the spinal cord causes the victim to lose all mobility and sensation below the point of the injury. The full degree of paralysis varies and is determined by location of the fracture:
Tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia, affects all of the victim’s upper and lower limbs, as well as the torso and pelvic organs.
Paraplegia, while similar, affects the functionality of part or all of the lower limbs, pelvic organs and torso.
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
Although less severe than a complete spinal cord injury, it also causes injured victims to lose varied ranges of functionality and sensation.
Contact A Richmond Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Today
At Geoff McDonald and Associates, we understand the many challenges that a spinal cord injury victim faces. We have extensive experience in handling these cases and we are well-versed in Virginia state laws.
We have more than two decades representing injury victims and recovering millions in compensation for our clients. Our CEO and president, Geoff McDonald is a member of the National Trial Lawyers – Top 100.
Contact us to schedule your free consultation. There are no upfront legal fees unless we help you win.
Our office is located less than half a mile from Virginia iSpine Physicians, a pain management facility.
Geoff McDonald and Associates: 804-203-0678.