Experienced Gainesville Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

Car crashes, slips and falls, and boating accidents are just some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries in Gainesville. The spinal cord is one of the most important parts of the body, and it is also one of the most fragile. Any spinal cord injury is considered very serious and can result in permanent impairment, paralysis, and even death. If you have suffered such a serious injury after an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, our Gainesville spinal cord injury lawyers can advise you of your options for obtaining fair compensation.

Call Meldon Law today for a free consultation.

Living With a Spinal Cord Injury Is Often Expensive

When you’re facing life with a spinal cord injury (SCI) following a serious accident, chances are, your first thought isn’t about the associated expenses. Unfortunately, living with a spinal cord injury is very expensive.

These catastrophic injuries don’t just limit your activities and impact your quality of life. They can also leave you struggling to pay your bills or even to make ends meet. If you’ve sustained a spinal cord injury, make sure you’re prepared for the continuing expense associated with those injuries.

Medical Care

Medical care is one of the biggest immediate expenses of living with a spinal cord injury. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the costs can be over $1 million in the first year alone for an SCI that results in high tetraplegia. It’s important to note that these costs are just for medical expenses.

Over a lifetime, your medical bills could top $5 million.

Not only do you face the initial cost of your medical care, including hospitalization, surgery, and rehab, but you may also need to pay for:

• Wheelchairs and other assistance devices
• In-home care or aides as you learn to function more independently
• Medications
• Long-term potential health issues, including increased risk of illness and infection

Limited Earning Potential

People don’t always consider the effects a spinal cord injury can have on your ability to work. Where once, your earning potential was essentially unlimited, following your injury, it is limited by what you’re able to do.

If you’ve been paralyzed, you may not be able to complete some of the job responsibilities that were once easy. If you’re living with pain, your hours at work may be limited or your mind may be impacted by the pain medications you need to keep functioning. Living with a spinal cord injury may mean that you face significantly lower earning potential than you did before your injuries.

Home and Vehicle Modifications

Is your home fully wheelchair-accessible? If it’s not, you may be looking at a number of expensive modifications following your spinal cord injury. Modifications for your injury may include:

• Modified vehicles with wheelchair accommodations
• Lowered countertops
• Wider doorways
• Ramps and elevators
• Modified showers and other items

Other Increased Expenses

Living with a spinal cord injury is expensive enough in terms of simple modifications. There are also, however, several unexpected expenses that may creep in along with your injury. These may include:

• Travel expenses as you visit specialists and other doctors who are able to help provide care for your injuries
• Increased entertainment expenses, since you’re unable to participate in many of your former activities
• Accommodation expenses, such as the increased need to eat out as you’re unable to cook for yourself

Why You Want a Meldon Law Spinal Cord Injury Attorney on Your Side

You want a fighter in your corner after a spinal cord injury. Know that our personal injury lawyers won’t back down from a fight, no matter how difficult.

We know that experience, skill, and knowledge are the most important things to your case. We have those in spades. We have been helping injured Floridians seek financial compensation and justice since 1971.

With this experience, we’ve made a name for ourselves throughout the state. Insurers and defense attorneys know we’re a force to be reckoned with inside and outside the courtroom.

We’ve recovered millions for clients over the years. Our Gainesville spinal cord injury lawyers can help you fight for what you deserve.

Our Legal Team Can Help You Obtain PIP Benefits and More for Your Spinal Cord Injury

Traffic accidents involving passenger vehicles, trucks, and pedestrians are some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries. When this is the case, you can file a claim with your own insurance company to claim personal injury protection (PIP) benefits.

Even when dealing with your own insurance company, it is important to have legal representation by your side. Insurance companies, even your own, are not concerned about your safety or well-being. They are only interested in retaining their profits, so they may try to reduce, deny, or delay your claim. An attorney will not let them get away with these tactics.

In Gainesville, as throughout the rest of Florida, the minimum limits of PIP motorists are required to carry is $10,000, and most people do not purchase more than this. A spinal cord injury, though, can cost hundreds of thousands of (or over a million) dollars in the first year alone, particularly if it resulted in paralysis. In the event that you exhaust your own PIP benefits, and meet the serious injury threshold, you can seek additional damages by filing a personal injury claim against the negligent driver that caused the accident.

A Gainesville Personal Injury Attorney from Our Firm Can Help You Obtain Damages from Other Parties

If you did not suffer a spinal cord injury in a car crash but another type of accident, you may only have to deal with the negligent party’s insurance company. These insurers are even more likely to try and deny the damages you rightfully deserve. One of our spinal cord injury attorneys in Gainesville will accurately value your claim and help you claim a fair settlement, which may include common damages such as:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages, bonuses, and benefits
• Loss of future earning capacity if you cannot return to the same line of work after the accident
• Loss of household services
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage

It is often difficult for accident victims to accurately value their own claims, as they often do not consider all factors, such as future losses. A spinal cord injury attorney will know how to value your claim so you recover damages that will cover the full cost of your injury.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Case After a Catastrophic Injury

Suffering an SCI is a terrifying experience. You likely don’t know where to turn or what to do next, but there are a few things you or a loved one can do.

Get Medical Care

This is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself. If you feel any discomfort at all (and you did not receive care at the scene of your accident), you need to go to the emergency room. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may need care at UF Health Shands Trauma Center or HCA Florida Gainesville Emergency.

Watch What You Say to the Insurance Company

Don’t assume that the insurance company will wait until you have recovered or begun treatment to speak with you. You will likely receive a call from the insurance adjuster soon after your injury, asking for your side of the story. They will seem friendly and willing to help, but this is often a trap. They are hoping that you will say something that jeopardizes your right to compensation. This could be something as simple as saying, “I’m sorry” when the accident is mentioned or “I’m OK” when asked how you are feeling.

You are likely also in pain and scared for the future, which could make you more likely to say something without thinking. We recommend that you give the basics of what happened, decline to give a recorded statement, and then direct any questions they have to your injury team.

Don’t Accept a Settlement Without Running it by Your Attorney First

The insurance company doesn’t want to cover your losses, especially with an injury as severe as spinal cord damage. This means that you might receive a quick settlement offer soon after your accident. The insurer may be attempting to get you to accept a settlement before you know how serious your injuries are. This could leave you paying tens or even hundreds of thousands out of pocket.

Run all offers by us; we can let you know if they cover your losses.

Our Gainesville Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys in Gainesville Help Accident Victims

If you or someone you love suffered a spinal cord injury due to the negligent actions of another person, you want experienced legal representation. At Meldon Law, our Gainesville spinal cord injury attorney will aggressively pursue your claim and hold liable parties accountable for paying the fair settlement you deserve. Call us today or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.