Burbank Paraplegia Injury Lawyer

An injury that causes paraplegia is life-altering in every way. The physical, financial, and emotional adjustments necessary are extreme.

When your lower body paralysis results from an accident that was someone else’s fault, you could seek compensation with the help of a dedicated catastrophic injury attorney. Contact a Burbank paraplegia injury lawyer to discuss your situation and learn about your legal options.

Negligent Parties Are Responsible for the Damage They Cause

When someone—a person, company, or local government—does not use reasonable care to protect others from injury, they are negligent. When their negligence harms someone else, they have a legal responsibility to compensate the injured person’s losses.

Accidents almost always result from someone’s negligence. Common examples of incidents that can lead to paraplegia and often have their root in negligence include motor vehicle crashes and falls. Diving accidents and sports injuries can also cause injuries that result in paraplegia.

Sometimes, an injured person’s conduct contributed to their injury. California Civil Code § 1714 allows a negligent accident victim to claim compensation from others. However, the claimant will be responsible for the portion of their losses caused by their own conduct. A lawyer in Burbank could fight against allegations of comparative fault in a paraplegia lawsuit.

Calculating Damages After a Severe Injury

The compensation an injured person receives after an accident is called their damages. The costs of treating paraplegia and living with the condition are high. Seeking damages from responsible parties could ensure the injured person has access to the care they need and the opportunity for the most fulfilling life possible after the injury.

Economic Damages

An injured person should receive reimbursement for all their injury-related expenses. These include medical treatment, rehabilitation, and aftercare. Psychological, occupational, and physical therapy are often necessary to help the injured person adapt to life in a wheelchair. Damages would include the cost of a wheelchair or other mobility device, renovations to a home to accommodate the wheelchair, and an adapted vehicle.

Often, paraplegia prevents an injured person from returning to their job. Economic damages would compensate for their lost income and diminished earning capacity.

Non-Economic Damages

The losses that have no objective cost are compensated through non-economic damages. A paraplegic could receive non-economic damages for their physical pain, shortened lifespan, disability, emotional trauma, and other effects of the injury.

Punitive Damages

When a responsible party’s conduct was more heinous than typical negligence, a court could award punitive damages. Although punitive damages are rare in personal injury cases, a court might consider them if the circumstances of the accident indicate an intentional disregard for others’ safety. A paraplegia injury attorney in Burbank could evaluate the available evidence and determine whether seeking punitive damages is a wise move.

Seek Legal Advice as Soon as Possible

When catastrophic injuries occur, the insurers for the potentially responsible parties often take a proactive approach. They might contact the injured person or their family with an offer of a cash settlement. Sometimes, they reach out with settlement offers before the injured person has been discharged from the hospital.

These offers do not represent fair value. It is critical to decline any offer and refuse to negotiate. Instead, engage a paraplegia injury lawyer in Burbank and allow them to conduct negotiations. They could ensure the responsible parties negotiate in good faith and present reasonable offers.

Legal professionals understand all the elements of a claim for damages and how much an injured person could possibly receive if a case went to trial. They can leverage that knowledge to force the insurers to acknowledge the extent of the injured person’s losses and compensate them fairly. They also would handle communication with all the interested parties, sparing the injured person and their family members from that burden.

Work With a Burbank Attorney When an Accident Causes Paraplegia

When an accident leaves you wheelchair-bound, your life changes dramatically. When another’s conduct led to the incident, they owe you compensation for the profound impact their decisions had on your life.

Money cannot give you back what you lost but it can ensure you receive all the care you need and the opportunity to make your life as interesting and purposeful as it can be. Reach out today to speak with a Burbank paraplegia injury lawyer.