Paralyzing injuries are life-changing for the person who suffers the injury and for their loved ones. Besides the physical limitations paralysis brings, the financial and emotional tolls are enormous.
Reach out to a Midland paralysis injury lawyer if you or a family member suffered an accident that resulted in paralysis. A trusted catastrophic injury attorney can identify the causes of the accident and hold those responsible financially accountable for your injuries.
Accidents That Can Cause Paralysis
Paralyzing injuries can occur in various ways. Among children and young adults, vehicle accidents are the most common cause. Among older adults, paralysis most often results from stroke or falls. Gunshots, stabbing, and sports injuries are other notable causes of paralysis.
Most incidents that cause paralysis are preventable, and most vehicle accidents would not happen but for a driver’s negligence. Similarly, nursing homes must keep their premises free from hazards that might lead to a patient falling and sustaining a paralyzing injury.
An attorney in Midland would investigate any accident that led to paralysis. They would seek to find evidence of a person, company, or government agency failing to use reasonable care to protect others from injury. When they find proof of negligence, they can bring a claim for compensation on behalf of the injured person against the responsible party.
Limitations on the Time to Act
Laws called statutes of limitations define the timeframe in which an injured person can bring a lawsuit. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003 allows an adult two years from the accident date to file a lawsuit in most cases. When a child is injured, a parent or guardian can bring a personal injury lawsuit on their behalf within the two year timeframe.
The state or a local government could be a defendant in many accident claims, but you have a much shorter timeframe to work with when bringing a claim against the government. Injured people must file an official notice of claim within 180 days of the incident that led to their injury.
A paralyzed person who engages a Midland attorney soon after the accident can preserve all their rights. In addition, a legal professional can manage medical bills, ensure referrals to appropriate specialists, and negotiate with any insurance companies that make an early settlement offer.
Understanding the Claims Process
An event that causes paralysis can be overwhelming for the injured person and their family. In the weeks and months following the injury, everyone’s focus is learning how to manage their new reality. It is wise to take some time during this period to engage legal representation. While the injured person and their family members are adapting to the paralysis, a legal professional can be investigating the accident, identifying potentially responsible parties, and asserting claims for compensation.
It is not unusual for insurance companies for the responsible parties to approach a family with a settlement offer. When the family has engaged a Midland attorney, all communication must go through the legal representative. This spares the family from the distraction of negotiations, and ensures that the insurance companies negotiate in good faith.
Reach Out to a Midland Attorney After a Paralyzing Injury
An injury that causes paralysis requires massive adjustment by the injured person, and those who care for them. Appropriate compensation from the responsible parties will be a critical factor in your well-being going forward. Negotiating with the responsible parties is best left to professionals who know your claim’s value.
Contact a Midland paralysis injury lawyer as soon as possible after the accident. They can handle all the critical financial issues while you and your family focus on recovery.
