It is important to get your lawsuit filed before the statute of limitations expires, or you risk your ability to recover the compensation you may otherwise be entitled to. 

The legal process for seeking civil damages in Texas can be complex, but with help from a spinal cord injury lawyer at our firm, you could bring the liable party to justice and recover the compensation you deserve.

How does the Texas Statute of Limitations Work?

Under Texas law, the statute of limitations is in place to ensure that injury lawsuits are brought forward in a timely manner. You must file your spinal cord injury case before the two-year statute of limitations expires, as outlined in Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. Failure to file your lawsuit before this deadline will result in your case’s dismissal. 

For example, if you attempt to file a personal injury lawsuit once the statute of limitations has passed, the defense will likely file a motion to dismiss your case on the grounds that the deadline has expired. The judge will have no other choice but to grant their motion to dismiss your case without hearing any evidence in this situation. 

For this reason, it’s in your best interests to get started on your case as soon as possible. You can hire a legal advocate right away to protect your case from procedural issues and meet all necessary deadlines.

Why Do You Need to Get Started ASAP?

Although two years may seem like more than enough time to pursue your spinal cord injury case, you really do not have the luxury of waiting. If you hope to get justice for your spinal cord injuries, your attorney will need to prove that someone else’s negligence is the cause.

Evidence Is Often Time-Sensitive

Much of the evidence needed to support your case is likely time-sensitive. In addition, the longer you wait, the less time your lawyer has to build the case against the liable party. If you wait too long to get a lawyer on your side, it may be more difficult to gather the evidence needed to build a compelling case against those responsible.

Various pieces of evidence could support your spinal cord injury lawsuit. Examples include:

• Accident reconstructionist reports
• Expert testimony
• Witness statements
• Police reports
• Crash reports
• Medical records
• Photos of your injuries
• Photos of the accident scene
• Video of the accident
• Cell phone records
• Chemical blood alcohol test results
• Other forensic test results

Depending on how your injuries occurred, there may be other types of evidence that could be used to support your case as well. For this reason, it is essential to get a catastrophic injury attorney on your side once you are medically stable.

You Need Time to Calculate Your Damages

If you hope to recover your economic and non-economic damages in full, you will need to review all the ways the accident has affected your life. Some of the more common damages you could recover in your spinal cord injury case include:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Ambulance and hospital bills
• Costs of prescription medications
• Physical and occupational therapy fees
• Costs of medical equipment
• Loss of income
• Diminished earning capacity
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Skin scarring and disfigurement
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Inconvenience
• Reputational damage
• Property damages, where applicable

It’s critical to understand the scope of your injuries, including how long it will take you to reach maximum medical improvement and what that will look like.

Your medical team may not know this information right away, meaning you will need to wait for an answer before seeking damages. Otherwise, you risk undervaluing your case and facing out-of-pocket costs in the future.

How Settlement Negotiations May Affect Your Case’s Timeline

If you hope to get the most out of your spinal cord injury case, it is important to get started in a timely manner. The statute of limitations is already ticking, and you need to be prepared to file claims with the insurance company and potentially bring your case to court. 

Insurance companies rarely compensate spinal cord injury victims without some negotiations. However, this does not have to prevent you from filing your lawsuit on time. These negotiations can continue even after you have initiated the legal process, leaving your financial recovery options open. 

Contact a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney in Texas

If you have questions or concerns surrounding how the statute of limitations could affect your spinal cord injury case, reach out to our firm and hire a spinal cord injury lawyer from our firm for help.

At Loncar Lyon Jenkins, we proudly offer free, no-obligation consultations to spinal cord injury victims throughout Texas. We’ll get started when you call our office today.

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Even if there was a database of spinal stenosis settlements, it would not be relevant to your case. Any settlement that you receive will be based on the specific facts of your case. The results of other cases are not relevant.

What Is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal column, according to Healthline.

What Are the Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis?

Healthline also notes that symptoms of spinal stenosis are:

• Weakness in your extremities
• Lower back pain
• Numbness in certain parts of your body
• Problems with your balance

These symptoms may interfere with physical activity, your ability to maintain certain types of employment, and your ability to enjoy life.

What does a Settlement for Spinal Stenosis Cover?

Civil settlements generally depend on a victim’s specific losses. Any settlement that your lawyer obtains for your spinal stenosis may cover:

The Cost of Diagnosing Your Spinal Stenosis

Mayo Clinic details the possible steps for diagnosing spinal stenosis, which may include:

• X-rays to reveal changes in your bone structure
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to reveal damage to soft tissues
• A CT scan, which may be a substitute for an MRI
• A CT myelogram, which involves color contrast and could be more expensive than a regular CT scan

These imaging services cost money. There is also a cost for a doctor to interpret imaging results and conduct any necessary examination.

The Cost of Treating Your Spinal Stenosis

Mayo Clinic also details possible treatment for spinal stenosis, which includes:

• Pain relievers, opioids, antidepressants, and other medications
• Physical therapy
• Steroid injections
• Procedures to decompress your spine
• Laminoplasty, laminectomy, and other surgeries
• Massage therapy, chiropractic treatment, and acupuncture

Spinal stenosis may also require modifications to your home and vehicle. You may also need equipment to help you get around.

Professional Damages Are Compensable

Spinal stenosis may:

• Prevent you from working permanently or temporarily
• Deprive you of your normal wages
• Deprive you of performance bonuses
• Reduce your earning power
• Prevent you from obtaining promotions
• Reduce your productivity

Our team will account for such losses as we negotiate a settlement.

Pain and Suffering

A settlement for spinal stenosis may include compensation for pain and suffering. Our team will seek coverage for any of the following damages:

• Emotional trauma
• Psychological trauma
• Physical pain from your spinal stenosis
• Lost quality of life
• Any other forms of pain and suffering

Spinal stenosis may get worse with time. Any settlement should account for not only current damages but future harm as well.

What Are the Possible Causes of Spinal Stenosis?

Though spinal stenosis can be naturally occurring, it can also result from trauma. Therefore, possible causes of spinal stenosis include:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Slip-and-fall accidents
• A medical error
• Trip-and-fall accidents
• Physical altercations
• Any other instance of physical trauma

These events may be cause for a lawsuit or insurance claim.

Who Is Liable for Your Losses?

Liability depends on the circumstances of your spinal stenosis. Negligent parties are generally liable for any harm that they cause.

Someone is generally negligent if:

• They owed you a duty to act reasonably (duty of care).
• They violated their duty of care to you.
• Their breach of duty of care caused harm to you.
• You can prove a link between the breach of duty of care and your losses.

Per the American Bar Association (ABA), intent is not necessary to prove negligence. Someone simply needs to act unreasonably to be negligent. If they cause harm, the negligent party may owe you compensation.

Can a Lawyer Obtain Compensation for Your Medical Malpractice-Related Injuries?

They may be able to. Our firm will pursue all of the compensation that you deserve. As someone suffering from spinal stenosis, you may hire a lawyer because:

• You are unsure whether you deserve compensation.
• You are uncomfortable with lawsuits or insurance claims.
• You value a lawyer’s training and experience.
• You want to focus on your recovery.

Our firm handles every step of your case. From gathering facts to interviewing witnesses and negotiating a settlement, your lawyer will do it all. You should have no concern except for your own health.

Hiring a lawyer may cost you nothing out-of-pocket. Our firm accepts cases without charging an upfront fee. Our team only receives our payment if your lawyer wins your case.

Call Loncar Lyon Jenkins to Start Your Case

With no financial risk or obligations, you should call Loncar Lyon Jenkins for a free consultation. Call in the Strong Arm to fight for you.

Our team is available around the clock. Call Loncar Lyon Jenkins now at (877) 239-4878 to complete your free consultation.

The post What Is the Average Settlement for Spinal Stenosis? appeared first on Loncar Lyon Jenkins.