How To File a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit in Colorado
Learn how spinal cord injury cases work in Colorado and what you should know to recover maximum compensation
Spinal cord injuries are serious and can often change your life in an instant, whether they occur as a traumatic workplace injury or outside of work. If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence, here are some things you should know about your legal rights and the spinal cord injury lawsuit process in Colorado.
Role of the spinal cord
To appreciate the devastating effect a spinal cord injury can have on a victim’s life, you must first understand the pivotal role it plays in the human body. If you have suffered from spinal cord trauma, then you know its importance all too well.
The spinal cord is an elongated bundle of nerves extending from the brain to around the middle of the back that is responsible for motor reflexes (moving), sensory information, and the transmission of signals from the brain to the body.
When damage to the spinal cord occurs, the risk of a serious and permanent injury is high, and a wide range of the body’s core functions are put in jeopardy. Doctors take spinal cord injuries very seriously, and you should seek an experienced injury attorney who does as well.
Besides pain and other long-term physical effects, spinal cord injuries carry high emotional and financial costs as well.
Damage to the spinal cord can result in:
- Paralysis/immobility
- Loss of feeling
- Pain
- Increased risk of infections
- Loss of sexual functions
- Muscle spasms
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
Because the spinal cord plays such a critical role in mobility and strength, injuries sustained to this area of the body can take a long time to heal, if they ever do. Many back injuries are permanent, which forever prohibits an individual’s ability to function and move in the way they once did.
Spinal cord trauma is costly to treat and involves extensive operations, frequent examinations, therapy, long-term care and more. Your medical tab can add up quickly if you sustain a spinal cord injury, but you may not be obligated to pay for medical expenses if your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, which we’ll discuss below.
Common causes of spinal cord injuries
Not all spinal cord injuries are caused by preventable accidents. Spinal trauma can result from unavoidable factors such as genetic abnormalities, tumors, developmental disorders and infectious diseases.
However, spinal cord injuries caused by another person’s irresponsible actions do happen and are oftentimes permanent and irreversible. These incidents often occur because of the following:
- Car crashes, especially ones involving drunk drivers
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Work-related injuries
- Pedestrian accidents
- Diving accidents
- Sports injuries
- Gunshots
- Defective products
In all of these types of accidents, if someone else’s negligent actions or inactions resulted in your spinal cord injury, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against them to financially recover your losses.
How to Prove a Colorado Negligence Claim
Learn about the elements required to prove negligence in a successful personal injury lawsuit.
Identifying the extent of your spinal cord injury
One of the challenges with recovery after spinal cord trauma is identifying the true extent of your injury. At first, you might only notice a minor tingling sensation. But that tingling could be the result of serious and detrimental nerve damage.
Following an accident, you should always visit a doctor to fully assess your injuries. You should consider working with a Colorado spinal cord injury attorney and medical experts in order to properly evaluate your injuries and document them for your case.
Spinal cord lawsuit compensation
Another thing to be aware of when you’re building your claim after a spinal cord injury is the types of damages that may be available to you. If you or a loved one was injured by someone else’s negligence, there are many types of damages that may be available to you:
- Rehabilitation. Compensation for physical therapy and follow-up medical visits
- Mobility. Compensation for wheelchairs, walking aids and even home modifications like widening doors or putting in an electric chair to make it easier to move around the home
- Long-term care. Compensation for additional assistance you require, like hiring home care professionals
- Lost income. Compensation for past and future unearned wages you would have made had you not been injured
- Loss of use. Compensation for not being able to live like you used to
- Pain and suffering. Compensation for emotional distress due to your injury
- Punitive damages. Compensation to punish the negligent party for willful or wanton disregard for your safety
Preserving evidence and building your claim
When you suffer a spinal injury, it’s crucial to get emergency care to prevent further damage and minimize the chances of permanent paralysis. A spinal injury isn’t always immediately obvious, and after an injury, it’s important to seek immediate care. Additionally, failing to see a doctor can raise doubts about the cause of your injuries.
You should also take the time to write down a narrative of the events as soon as you’re able to after the accident. Some spinal cord injury cases last years, and memories can fade with time. Your recorded recollection of events can be critical for preserving necessary evidence for your case.
Work with a skilled Colorado personal injury attorney
The experienced Denver spinal cord injury attorneys at Babcock Tucker can help you take the right steps to make your claim successful. We can help you identify your type of claim and review the medical evidence by putting you in touch with qualified professionals to identify your injuries. Finally, we can help you calculate the many types of damages that you might deserve in your case.
