Spinal cord injuries can be devastating, resulting in the need for long-term medical care. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may no longer be able to work to provide for yourself and your family, much less pay for all the medical expenses you will have now and in the future.
At Seattle Injury Law, our compassionate Seattle personal injury lawyers understand the magnitude of your injury and your needs. We have a proven record of recovering maximum client compensation, having recovered over $300 million for injury victims like you. Our spinal cord injury attorneys want to help you get justice and every dollar you deserve.
Call (800) 928-5486 or complete the form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your claim. We will listen to you, answer your questions, and explain your rights. If we represent you, our Seattle spinal cord injury attorneys will fight tirelessly to recover all available compensation for your injuries.
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Why Choose Seattle Injury Law?
Spinal cord injury victims need more than just legal support, they need trusted advocates. Here’s why so many clients turn to Seattle Injury Law to fight for the justice and compensation they deserve:
- Our Seattle spinal cord injury attorneys will investigate the accident or incident that caused your injury to determine all possible causes and liable parties to help maximize your compensation.
- We have recovered over $300 million in settlements and verdicts for our clients.
- Our team will meet you wherever convenient – your home, the hospital, or anywhere you want.
- Our attorneys are real people who help others obtain the justice and compensation they need to move forward after a tragedy.
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What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
The spinal cord is the bundle of nerves that runs from the base of the brain down through the vertebral column. It serves as the primary communication pathway between the brain and the rest of the body, carrying signals that control movement, sensation, and organ function. When the spinal cord is damaged through trauma, those signals can be partially or completely disrupted.
Spinal cord injuries are among the most serious outcomes of any accident. Unlike a broken bone, for instance, damage to the spinal cord often cannot be fully repaired. The consequences for victims can be life-altering and may include:
- Partial/total loss of mobility
- Loss of sensation below the injury site
- Chronic pain
- Difficulty breathing without assistance
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
- Dependence on wheelchairs and other assistive devices
- Need for around-the-clock personal care
The financial costs associated with these injuries are also staggering, frequently reaching into the millions of dollars over a lifetime when you account for emergency care and ongoing support.
What Are the Different Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries are classified in two primary ways: by the completeness of the injury and by the location along the spine where the damage occurred.
A complete spinal cord injury means that all sensation and motor function below the point of damage has been lost. The brain can no longer send or receive signals past the injured area. An incomplete spinal cord injury, on the other hand, means that some degree of function is preserved. The amount of remaining sensation and movement with an incomplete injury varies widely from one person to the next.
In addition, the location of the injury determines which parts of the body are affected:
- Cervical injuries (C1 through C7): These occur in the neck region and are the most severe. Depending on the exact level, a cervical injury can result in quadriplegia, which involves loss of function in all four limbs as well as the torso.
- Thoracic injuries (T1 through T12): These affect the mid-back and typically result in paraplegia, meaning loss of function in the lower body while the arms and hands remain unaffected.
- Lumbar injuries (L1 through L5): These involve the lower back and can affect the hips, legs, and portions of the lower body.
- Sacral injuries (S1 through S5): These affect the base of the spine and may impact bladder control, bowel function, and sensation in the legs and pelvic region.
The higher the injury occurs along the spinal cord, the more of the body it tends to affect. Our Seattle spinal cord injury lawyers will work hard to determine how the specific nature of your injury translates into the compensation you should be pursuing.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Seattle, WA
Spinal cord injuries have numerous causes. Some of the most common include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Slip and Falls
- Surgical and other medical errors
- Sports accidents
- Acts of violence
- Defective products
- Premises liability accidents
- Workplace accidents
Depending on the cause of your spinal cord injury, your cause of action may be filed as a general personal injury claim, a medical malpractice claim, a product liability claim, a workers’ compensation claim, or more than one of these causes of action.
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Types of Compensation Available for Spinal Cord Injury Claims
Spinal cord injuries can result in extraordinary damages. The amount and type of compensation you can recover depend on multiple factors, including the severity of your injuries and the available sources of compensation to pay for your damages.
In a successful Seattle spinal cord injury claim, you may recover economic damages such as current and future medical expenses, current and future lost wages, property damages, the costs of making necessary modifications to your home and vehicle, and other expenses incurred because of your injury.
You may also be able to recover non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, permanent disability, and other intangible losses caused by your injury.
If you have lost a loved one due to a spinal cord injury, our wrongful death attorneys in Seattle can help you seek justice and pursue compensation through a wrongful death claim.
At Seattle Injury Law, our dedicated spinal cord injury attorneys work hard to establish all current and future damages and to help ensure they are accurately valued to determine a fair settlement for your claim.
The Benefits of Hiring a Seattle Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
A Seattle spinal cord injury lawyer can help you recover maximum compensation for your damages. They will investigate the accident or incident that caused your spinal cord injury to determine all possible causes and all potentially liable parties.
They will conduct discovery to uncover the evidence to establish causation, liability, and the existence and value of your damages.
Your attorney can help reach a fair settlement of your claim as quickly as possible, and when a fair settlement is not reached, they can take your case to trial and demand full compensation for your damages.
How Do I Establish Fault in a Spinal Cord Injury Case?
To recover compensation in Washington, you need to show that another party’s negligence caused or contributed to your injury. This means demonstrating four things: that the other party owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty, that their breach was a direct cause of the accident, and that you suffered actual harm as a result.
Evidence is the foundation of every successful spinal cord injury claim. Our lawyers will work to build a case by gathering materials such as:
- Police/incident reports
- Medical records linking the injury to the accident
- Witness testimony
- Available surveillance or dashcam footage
- Expert analysis from accident reconstruction specialists
- Maintenance records and other documentation in cases involving defective products and unsafe property conditions
Once the available evidence has been collected, we will use it to demonstrate exactly how the responsible party’s actions led to the accident and the spinal cord injury you sustained. From there, our team of Seattle spinal cord injury attorneys can pursue compensation through a settlement demand or, if necessary, by filing a lawsuit and taking your case to trial.
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How Much Is My Seattle Spinal Cord Injury Case Worth?
Spinal cord injury cases tend to carry significant value because of the severity and permanence of the harm involved. That said, every case is different at the end of the day. Some of the key factors that will influence what your claim is worth include:
- Whether the injury is complete or incomplete
- The level of the spine where the damage occurred
- Your age and overall health prior to the accident
- How much your medical care has cost and what it will cost going forward
- Whether you are able to return to work in any capacity
- The degree to which the injury has changed your daily life and independence
- The strength of the evidence establishing the other party’s fault
As the lifetime costs of a spinal cord injury can be enormous, it is critical to work with a spinal cord injury lawyer in Seattle who knows how to accurately project your future damages. Accepting an early settlement offer from an insurance company without understanding the full scope of your needs could leave you significantly under-compensated.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer in Seattle?
Seattle Injury Law handles spinal cord injury cases on a contingency fee basis. You will not owe anything upfront to get started, and there aren’t any hourly charges along the way either. Our attorney’s fees are only collected at the conclusion of your case if we obtain compensation for you.
This way, you can afford to hire an experienced lawyer for your case no matter your current financial circumstances. It also motivates us to increase the value of your claim as much as we can because our success is tied with yours.
How Long Do I Have To File a Spinal Cord Injury Claim in Washington?
The statute of limitations for most personal injury cases in Washington State is three years from the date of the accident under RCW 4.16.080. If you do not file your lawsuit before that deadline passes, you will almost certainly lose the right to pursue compensation regardless of how compelling your case may be otherwise.
There are limited exceptions that could affect this timeline. For instance, if the injured person is a minor, the three-year clock does not begin until they turn 18. Claims involving government entities may also carry additional procedural requirements.
Speaking with a personal injury attorney as early on as possible is the safest approach to ensure you file your claim on time.
Contact Our Seattle Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Now
When you suffer a spinal cord injury, you will likely have severe damage now and in the future. You need a Seattle spinal cord injury lawyer to help hold all responsible parties accountable for paying your current and future damages.
At Seattle Injury Law, our attorneys have the experience, skills, and resources to help you recover maximum compensation for your Seattle spinal cord injury. Let us help you. Call (800) 928-5486 or visit our contact page and schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
