Whether it stems from spinal cord trauma, a severe brain injury, nerve damage caused by a burn or penetrating injury, or any other cause, permanent paralysis is one of the worst outcomes any type of accident can have. If you were hurt seriously because another person acted in a reckless or careless way, you have grounds to take legal action against them and demand that they pay for your financial, physical, and personal losses.
As any seasoned catastrophic injury attorney can tell you, getting a favorable result from this sort of civil claim is easier said than done. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance of a positive outcome, you should seek help from a Pennsauken paralysis injury lawyer who’s well-known for winning similar cases.
Holding Someone Else Liable for a Paralyzing Injury
No matter what type of injury you’ve suffered or how severely it’s going to alter the course of your life, successfully suing someone else over an accident requires proving they caused that accident, which typically means proving they were legally negligent. People owe duties of care to other people in various situations—such as the duty drivers have to follow traffic laws and stay focused on the road while driving. Someone who directly causes another person to get hurt by breaching their duty is negligent under New Jersey civil law and liable for losses stemming from that injury.
For paralyzing injuries in particular, it’s vital to take a long-term view of compensable damages since the injury will likely have lifelong consequences, which may mean seeking compensation for things like:
- Years’ worth of physical pain and psychological suffering
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Expected future medical expenses, including costs of assistive equipment like wheelchairs
- Lost working and earning ability
- Disability-related costs for things like home and vehicle modifications
Guidance from a skilled Pennsauken paralysis injury attorney can be vital to identifying and assigning a fair financial value to the specific losses you’ll have to deal with because of your unique injury.
Getting Past Legal Obstacles During a Paralysis Injury Claim
Legal counsel can also help you navigate around the various procedural pitfalls that might otherwise keep you from getting a good outcome from your lawsuit or settlement proposal. For example, our attorneys can make sure your case is filed within the time limit set by the statute of limitations for personal injury claims, which is typically two years after your injury first occurred.
If necessary, a paralysis accident lawyer in Pennsauken can also help you fight allegations of comparative fault—in other words, accusations that you contributed to causing your own injury through your own negligent behavior. If a court agrees with an allegation like this and assigns you a percentage of comparative fault for your injury, you may miss out on some or even all the compensation you’d otherwise have been entitled to receive.
Talk to a Pennsauken Paralysis Injury Attorney Today
This is just a broad overview of how civil claims built around paralyzing injuries tend to work and what roadblocks you might run into during the case process. Your specific injury is unique, which makes it even more important to have help from attorneys who have fought and won many times on behalf of regular people like you.
A Pennsauken paralysis injury lawyer can discuss your options with you in more detail during a private initial meeting. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to learn more about your potential claim.