Pasadena Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Spinal cord injuries always cause significant loss of body function, often including paralysis of the limbs beneath the injury site. A person with a spinal cord injury will require extensive medical intervention and rehabilitation support to learn how to maximize their remaining physical function.

The care and treatment required for this type of injury is incredibly expensive, even for people with good insurance. When another party’s negligence caused the accident that led to the injury, the negligent party could be liable for the injured person’s damages.

If an accident led to your spinal cord injury, it is wise to explore your legal options with a local catastrophic injury attorney. A Pasadena spinal cord injury lawyer could prepare a robust legal case supporting your right to damages.

Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord is a sheath of nerves stretching between the brain and the limbs. The nerves transmit electrical impulses throughout the body that control movement and bodily functions. When the spinal cord suffers an injury, communication is usually severely impaired or lost entirely below the injury site.

As a result, people with spinal cord injuries often lose movement and sensation in their limbs and become paraplegic or quadriplegic. They might lose bowel and bladder control, sexual function, or have difficulty breathing without mechanical assistance if the injury is high on the spine. They often suffer from chronic pain.

A spinal cord injury takes a significant toll on the person’s health. Being sedentary can lead to problems with circulation, blood pressure regulation, respiration, and other secondary health impacts. It might also lead to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.

Holding Negligent Parties Responsible

Spinal cord injuries are almost always the result of accidents. Motor vehicle crashes are the most frequent cause of these devastating injuries. Falls from a height, sports injuries, and gunshot wounds are other common causes.

An injured person claiming damages must prove another party’s negligence caused their injury. Negligence means failing to use the degree of care a reasonably prudent person would use in similar circumstances and it is a factor in most accidents.

A Pasadena attorney could investigate an incident that led to a spinal cord injury and identify all the parties who failed to use reasonable care. Multiple parties often bear partial responsibility for the inciting incident.

The Actions of the Injured Party

The rule codified in Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001 holds that an injured person whose negligence contributed to their injuries can collect damages if they were not primarily responsible for the incident. However, a negligent claimant could collect only the portion of their damages caused by other responsible parties. For example, if the claimant is 20 percent at fault for their spinal cord injury, they could collect only 80 percent of their damages.

If a case goes to a trial, a jury decides how much blame to allocate to each party. Each negligent party will pay a share of the plaintiff’s total damages that is proportionate to their percentage of responsibility. If one of the responsible parties is more than 50 percent responsible, they could be liable for all the claimant’s damages under joint and several liability.

Many injury cases never get to the trial stage because the parties reach a settlement but they will negotiate fiercely about allocating fault. A Pasadena lawyer representing someone with a spinal cord injury must ensure the injured person does not bear an unfair proportion of responsibility for an accident and can collect adequate damages.

Contact a Pasadena Spinal Cord Injury Attorney If You Suffered Harm

If you sustained a spinal cord injury in an accident, do not try to manage a claim without legal assistance. There is too much at stake to proceed without experienced legal counsel.

A Pasadena spinal cord injury lawyer could investigate the incident, identify responsible parties, and seek contribution from everyone that had a part in the event. Call today to schedule a consultation with a trusted personal injury attorney.