San Diego Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

Helping Victims of Catastrophic Injuries Recover Fair Compensation

Spinal cord injuries can result in lifelong consequences. Victims could find themselves facing the need for years of medical treatment — sometimes lasting a lifetime — and ongoing pain and suffering. The only thing that makes such injuries worse is when they’re caused by the neglectful or wrongful acts of others. If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury, you may be entitled to financial compensation. A San Diego spinal cord injury lawyer may be able to assist.

At Finn Trial Attorneys, our California personal injury attorneys are here to help. We know that damage to the spinal column results in far more harm than most injuries sustained in accidents. Even incomplete spinal cord injuries — which still allow some signals to get to the brain — can change all aspects of your everyday life. Our law firm can handle settlement negotiations or file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit on your behalf. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Do You Have a Valid Personal Injury Case?

Spinal cord injuries result in the need for medical treatment, physical therapy, and other essentials whose costs can quickly add up. Unfortunately, not everyone who suffers such injuries will be able to recover compensation. In any personal injury lawsuit, the injured person must prove certain elements of liability. Compensation is unlikely if they cannot establish that such elements exist. Additionally, this dramatically reduces the potential for any insurance settlement.

Spinal cord injury victims will need to establish the following regarding the at-fault party:

Duty of care: All wrongful death and personal injury cases start with showing that a liable party had a duty of care. This duty means a responsibility to avoid actions — or inaction — that could harm others.
Violation of duty: It’s also necessary to show that the responsible party violated a duty of care. For instance, perhaps they were speeding — thus increasing the risk of car accidents.
Damages: Evidence must show that damages resulted from an incident. This evidence could include medical expenses, lost wages, loss of enjoyment in life due to permanent disability, and more.
Causation: It’s important to prove a direct causal link between the at-fault party’s actions and the damages suffered by the victim or their loved ones.

Spinal cord injury cases that have these elements of liability typically result in monetary compensation for the victim. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean compensation will be fair. Insurers will try their best to avoid paying fair settlements — and if a spinal cord injury lawsuit is necessary, they’ll have an entire team of lawyers working to minimize your chances of getting fair compensation. This risk is why you need dedicated legal representation on your side.

At Finn Trial Attorneys, our spinal cord injury lawyers are here to help. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

What Are Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?

Recovering compensation for spinal cord injuries is a long road. Indeed, there are sometimes shortcuts — such as securing a fair settlement from the negligent party’s insurer. However, even this process can be difficult due to adjusters focusing more on profit than justice. Regardless of the path taken to recover compensation, it all starts with proving why an injury occurred. Many spinal cord injuries are linked to physical trauma, but some stem from healthcare issues. A medical professional will need to link your injury to specific causes:

Motor vehicle accidents
Slips and falls
Sports and recreational events
Assaults and other forms of violence
Workplace accidents
Medical and surgical complications
Illness and infection

Keep in mind that this list is far from exhaustive. Spinal injuries can stem from a variety of incidents, and it’s not uncommon for a law firm to encounter a spinal cord injury case that’s entirely new for them. These are complicated injuries, so if you or a loved one have suffered such harm, it’s important to speak with a legal professional. At Finn Trial Attorneys, we’ll review your spinal injury claim and help you understand the best path forward.

Every San Diego spinal cord injury attorney at our law firm is ready to aggressively advocate for your best interests.

Should You Hire a San Diego Spinal Cord Injury Attorney?

The body’s ability to recover is extraordinary, but when it comes to cervical spine damage or harm to another injury site along the spinal column, there’s often not a lot that can be done. Because of such a disastrous outcome, individuals sometimes think they don’t need an attorney. While this may seem counterintuitive, injury victims might assume that liability in their case is so clear that they don’t need legal representation to secure maximum compensation. These individuals believe the insurance company will immediately recognize liability and pay fair financial recovery.

Unfortunately, insurers aren’t in the habit of paying accident victims everything they deserve. These companies are for-profit businesses, and while they’re expected to reimburse valid claimants fairly, that’s very often not how things play out. For instance, they may try to frame your injury as being partially caused by pre-existing issues with your physical health. They might also try to say that you contributed somewhat to your accident. In a comparative negligence state like California, this could mean any potential compensation is greatly reduced.

And what happens if insurers don’t offer a fair settlement for your spinal cord damage? In such a situation, litigation will be necessary. At this point, you’ll be up against a team of insurance company lawyers — and even if liability seems clear to you, that might not be how the jury sees things. If someone makes it this far in their claim, they’ll likely recognize the need for a San Diego spinal cord injury attorney. However, they will have expended unnecessary time and money dealing with something their lawyer could’ve simplified from the start. Don’t fall into this trap. Contact our law firm today.

How Much Is Your Spinal Cord Injury Case Worth?

It’s difficult to estimate how much any personal injury case will be worth without an attorney reviewing the facts. One might assume that a person who suffers complete spinal cord injuries would be entitled to more than someone who is dealing with an incomplete injury. After all, one of these individuals will maintain certain bodily functions while the other does not — even when damage occurs to the same portion of the spinal column. However, personal injury claims are multifaceted and quite complex. You have to look at all potential losses to determine damages.

Just consider the many types of damages available in these cases:

Special damages: This court award is related to financial losses. Medical care expenses, lost wages, property damage, future medical bills, and other economic damages would qualify.
General damages: This court award reimburses claimants for non-financial losses. These losses could include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment in life due to zero motor function, emotional distress, and other non-economic damages.
Punitive damages: Spinal cord injury victims are also sometimes eligible for punitive damages. These are meant to punish the defendant for particularly egregious acts. While rare, such damages can be substantial.

These types of damages make it clear that any online estimate of personal injury lawsuit values would be incomplete at best. Two people could sustain the same exact injury, require the same level of medical attention, and face the same lifetime costs. However, one of those individuals may secure substantially higher compensation if they receive punitive damages or can prove that general damages occurred. Put simply, you need a San Diego spinal cord injury lawyer to review your case to help you better understand what you’re eligible for.

At Finn Trial Attorneys, we offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis — meaning you won’t pay a dime if we don’t secure compensation for you. Contact us today. We’re here to help.

Contact Our San Diego Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Today

Whether you’ve suffered an incomplete or complete spinal cord injury — or if a loved one is seriously harmed or died from their injuries — securing fair compensation is typically not a straightforward process. Even when insurers promise to cover medical costs, it’s difficult to put a price on what these expenses will eventually add up to. Anyone with an injury to the spinal cord will need extensive medical treatment, and even after they’ve reached maximum medical recovery, the cost of ongoing therapy is typically excessive. Of course, even these losses aren’t enough to say what a victim truly deserves.

At Finn Trial Attorneys, our San Diego spinal cord injury attorneys will fight to secure every penny you’re entitled to. From medical expenses to emotional distress; from lost earnings to lost sexual function — these are all compensable losses in a personal injury lawsuit. You need a legal team on your side that can handle settlement negotiations, but if these fail, a trial attorney is essential to ensure you’re properly represented during litigation. If you’re ready to understand your legal options and take action, we’re on standby and ready to assist.