Building a personal injury claim after a spinal cord injury
Personal injury accidents deprive Utah residents of many pleasures. An injury can steal away someone’s ability to live pain-free, or their ability to participate in their job or favorite activities. In some cases, an injury can rob a victim of their ability to function or move as intended.
Spinal cord injuries are catastrophic injuries that can impose all of the mentioned burdens and more on victims. Not all spinal cord injuries are the same, however, and a victim’s treatment and legal recovery options can differ from those of others. However, after suffering a spinal cord injury, a victim can choose to learn about their rights and options for seeking relief.
Types of spinal cord injuries
Spinal cord injuries vary depending on where on the spinal cord they happen. When a spinal cord injury happens high on the spinal cord, the injury may cause problems and paralysis from the neck down. When it happens in the middle of the body, problems and paralysis may affect the body from the torso down.
Spinal cord injuries can be complete or incomplete. A complete injury causes full loss of feeling and control below the injury site. An incomplete injury causes some loss of feeling and control below the injury site.
Understanding liability concerning spinal cord injuries
Injuries to the spinal cord happen in many different ways. A victim may fall on a slippery or uneven surface and cause a catastrophic injury during the event. During a motor vehicle accident, a victim may suffer severe and life-threatening harm during the collision. Horrendous injuries like spinal cord injuries may even happen when victims are struck by out-of-control skiers on local Utah slopes.
At the heart of spinal cord injury claims is the liability of another person. Slip and fall accidents happen because someone did not clear debris, shovel ice, and snow, or level floors. Car accidents happen because drivers speed, fail to yield and act negligently. Ski collisions occur when skiers and snowboarders are reckless on the slopes.
To recover after a spinal cord injury, a victim must build a case based on the events that led to their harm. They must show how the evidence of their claims supports the elements of the legal actions they wish to pursue. They often must present their case to a judge who will decide whether fault should be imposed.
Managing a legal claim for personal injuries like spinal cord injuries can be hard. Victims can seek support from their trusted local Salt Lake City personal injury attorneys for help when they are ready to begin learning about their rights.