A Lafayette, LA, spinal cord injury lawyer from the Morris Bart law firm is ready to go to work for you after your negligence injury in Lafayette Parish. We provide free consultations so that you can learn more about your rights and options for justice.
We believe you should not have to pay for your treatment and care out of your pocket. Louisiana’s personal injury laws allow you to hold the at-fault party or parties responsible and recover compensation for the financial, physical, and emotional harm you endured.
Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries, Treatment, and Other Damages
Spinal cord injuries, even those with minor lasting damage, can be extremely expensive to treat. They often require:
- Stabilization in the field
- Ambulance transportation or airlift
- Emergency department evaluation
- Surgery and hospitalization
- In-patient rehabilitation
- Ongoing therapies
- In-home nursing care and support
- Ongoing care
In addition, the victim will likely miss weeks or even months at work. They may not be able to return to their job if they have lasting injuries. This could also cause extreme emotional distress, reduced quality of life, and more.
Those who have paralysis or other related impairments may require lifts, wheelchairs, and other mobility and medical devices. These can be costly but should be included in the claim based on their accident.
Lasting Injuries After a Lafayette Parish Spinal Cord Injury
The severity of the injury and how it affects the victim’s life depends on the spinal cord injury and where it occurred along the spine. A person with a spinal cord injury in their neck will have more neurological damage than someone with a lower back injury.
There are also additional risk factors that come with living with a spinal cord injury. These include:
- Increased risk of bladder and urinary tract infections
- Other bowel and bladder concerns
- Increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses and pneumonia
- A greater risk of heart problems
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), managing these chronic conditions and risks plays a central role in a person’s quality of life and future health.
For a free legal consultation with a Spinal Cord Injury lawyer serving Lafayette, call (337) 446-4571
How Can Morris Bart Help My Family Manage My Spinal Cord Injury?
At the Morris Bart law firm, our attorneys have more than 40 years of experience protecting our client’s rights and recovering compensation for them. We know how much it costs to live with a spinal cord injury and believe you do not deserve to shoulder this burden alone. We will:
- Investigate what happened
- Identify the liable parties
- Prove negligence occurred
- Document your damages
- Value your claim
- Demand a payout that is fair and just
- Fight for the financial recovery you deserve
Our team often settles cases out of court, but we are trial attorneys who will sue when necessary to force a better settlement offer to take the case in front of a judge and jury. We regularly recover large cash settlements and awards for victims of accidents in Lafayette. In all, our 15 offices recovered compensation for more than 6,500 clients in 2019.
You can reach the Morris Bart law office in Lafayette at:
400 E. Kaliste Saloom Rd., Suite 1300
Lafayette, LA 70508
Building a Personal Injury Case Based on a Spinal Cord Injury in Lafayette
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the most common cause of spinal cord injuries varies by the age of the victim.
- Children, teens, and adults are more likely to suffer a spinal cord injury in a traffic accident
- Older adults over the age of 65 are more likely to get hurt in a fall
Both scenarios and many others that lead to spinal injuries, could support a personal injury case. Other examples include swimming pool accidents, trampoline injuries, defective product incidents, and medical malpractice.
Negligence and a Personal Injury Case
At the center of a personal injury case is someone else’s negligent behavior. Unless someone else acts carelessly or recklessly, you do not have a claim. This is because we must prove your injuries were the result of negligence to recover monetary damages. Proving negligence requires four elements. For example, in a slip-and-fall accident, they would include:
- The property owner or occupier had a duty to keep the property safe by addressing known hazards.
- They failed to take steps to clean up a spill despite workers being aware of it.
- This directly led to the victim’s fall when they slipped on the wet floor.
- The victim suffered physical and emotional harm and financial losses.
Our team knows how to develop strong support for our client’s claims and look for evidence. We investigate each incident and work with experts to document exactly what happened and understand the injuries the accident caused. We also show the prognosis, disabilities, and effects the injury has on our client’s everyday life.
We believe in holding the liable parties accountable and getting spinal cord injury victims the justice they deserve. This is possible through an insurance claim or lawsuit and recovering compensation for their expenses, losses, and ongoing care needs.
Click to contact our Lafayette Personal Injury Attorneys today
Will My Accident Case Go to Trial?
The great majority of personal injury cases do not go to trial. We sometimes need to sue the liable party or parties for our clients, but even this does not usually lead to a trial. In fact, this often encourages the insurer to increase its settlement offer to avoid a trial.
Under certain circumstances, going before a judge and jury is the best option to present a case’s facts and get justice for our client. We can explain why this is necessary in your case. However, this is rare. Most of our cases settle out of court.
In general, Louisiana only gives us up to a year to file a personal injury lawsuit under La. Civ. Code Art. 3492. Exceptions could mean even less time to act.
Talk to a Morris Bart Injury and Accident Attorney at No Cost Today
You can speak with an attorney from our team for free today. We offer free consultations and are a contingency fee law firm. Dial (337) 446-4571 to get started with your free case assessment.
Questions?Call (337) 446-4571
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
