If the unthinkable happens and you suffer damage to your spinal cord, you may face a lot of uncertainties and newfound concerns: ensuring the best treatment, adjusting to new physical limitations, and planning for how your future may change. In the midst of all these challenges, the last thing you likely want to worry about is how to pay for care and provide for your family going forward.
An experienced Wheaton spinal cord injury lawyer could help ease the burden on you at this difficult time by bringing a cause of action against the party responsible for your injuries, so you can get the compensation—and justice—you deserve. If you are dealing the economic fallout of a spinal cord injury someone else caused, get in touch with a qualified personal injury attorney today.
Preventable Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
According to the World Health Organization, the majority of spinal cord injuries stem from preventable causes. Among the leading causes of spinal cord injuries are:
- Automobile and motorcycle accidents
- Bike accidents
- Falls
- Assault
- Firearm-related injuries
- Defective products
- Industrial accidents
- Construction accidents
When an individual’s spinal cord is damaged from trauma, the victim may suffer a variety of consequences, including severe pain; partial or complete loss of the use of their arms, legs and/or body; and the inability to regulate core bodily functions such as breathing and heart rate. These effects can severely restrict a person’s abilities both in the short and long term and necessitate a lifetime of specialized care.
Negligence Defined
If damage to a spinal cord occurs as the result of another person’s careless or reckless behavior, then a plaintiff may have a cause of action for negligence. Legal negligence is the failure of an individual to exercise the level of ordinary care that a reasonable person would have in similar circumstances. To prove negligence, a plaintiff must show that the defendant breached a duty of care they owed them, and that the breach directly caused injuries for which they suffered compensable damages.
Even if a plaintiff is partially at fault for the incident that caused their injuries, they can still recover damages under Illinois law if they are not more than 50 percent at fault. However, any economic or non-economic damages awarded would be diminished proportionately by the percentage of fault attributable to them.
Statute of Limitations for Spinal Cord Injury Cases
In Illinois, under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for a plaintiff bringing a personal injury action is two years from the date of the injury. After that time, the plaintiff may be barred from recovering any damages. A Wheaton spinal cord injury lawyer who specializes in these types of injuries could help a victim seek compensation for their losses from the responsible party without running afoul of such important deadlines.
Let a Wheaton Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Help
When you suffer a spinal cord injury, you may need to put a lot of time and energy towards adapting your life based on your changed capacities and personal circumstances. While you focus on your recovery, a knowledgeable Wheaton spinal cord injury lawyer could take point on pursuing compensation that could help make your life easier for you and your family. Call today to schedule a consultation.
