How the Law Office of Matthew A. Lathrop Could Help You Protect Your Rights After a Nebraska Car Crash Spinal Cord Injury
Car accidents can cause any number of injuries, but few have the same potential to inflict pain, suffering, and disability as those to the spinal cord.
Although the costs of care are often immense, you don’t have to take on the financial burden of an accident that wasn’t your fault. The Law Office of Matthew A. Lathrop could help you obtain compensation for a life-altering spinal cord injury, fighting for your right to reclaim your independence and begin rebuilding your life.
Car Accidents and Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can involve damage to the bones of the spine or their underlying nerves. Some car accident-related spinal cord injuries include:
Herniated Discs
A herniated disc is an injury to your spinal discs, the rubber-like cushions that sit between each of the spine’s bones. Each disc has a tough exterior—the annulus—which surrounds a softer nucleus. Herniated discs occur when the spine is damaged and part of the nucleus leaks or is otherwise pushed through the annulus.
Car accidents can cause herniated discs if the force of collision puts too much pressure on the spinal column. Herniated discs are usually treatable, but their symptoms can be very unpleasant, ranging from full-body numbness to sharp, shooting pain.
Spinal Fractures
A spinal fracture is any dislocation to or break within the backbone. Violent motor vehicle collisions and other forms of high-velocity trauma usually cause these injuries.
The symptoms of a spinal fracture depend on the location of the injury and its severity. Some people with spinal fractures only experience mild tingling, while others may not be able to perform basic tasks without assistance.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a condition that is caused by instability within the spinal column. It can cause the vertebral bones to move more than they should, sometimes pinching nerves and prompting pain in the lower back or legs.
The Costs of Living with a Serious Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries can affect people’s lives in very different ways.
For car accident victims who have suffered severe injuries, though, the physical and financial costs of recovery can be enormous. Aside from having to pay significant amounts of money for emergency medical care, victims could incur other expenses, including:
- Long-term care
- Specialized surgery
- Physical rehabilitation
- The costs of purchasing a wheelchair or making home modifications
- Temporary or permanent reduction in income and earning potential
The costs of a spinal cord recovery can accumulate quickly and unexpectedly, making it difficult for victims to balance the demands of day-to-day life with their physical recovery. However, you may not need to pay out-of-pocket for an accident that was not your fault.
Car Accident Spinal Cord Injury Compensation
In Nebraska, car crash survivors have a legal right to file a claim for compensation against the person or party who caused their injuries. Depending on the causes of your accident and the nature of your spinal cord injuries, you could receive damages including, but not limited to, the following:
- Your existing medical expenses
- Anticipated care needs
- Physical rehabilitation
- Lost income from work
- Diminished earning potential
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment
- Disfigurement
- Paralysis
Although Nebraska does not currently cap damages in most car accident claims, filing and fighting a personal injury lawsuit isn’t always easy. Even if you have evidence proving that the other driver made a mistake, car insurance companies sometimes employ deceptive strategies to protect their profits and minimize their financial liability.
How to Protect Your Fair Car Accident Recovery
You do not have to accept excuses in place of a fair settlement. The Law Office of Matthew A. Lathrop could help you protect your recovery by:
Investigating the Causes of Your Crash
Every car accident claim, whether resolved outside of court or at trial, revolves around causation. Our team could help you determine the exact causes of your accident, ensuring that everyone whose negligence contributed to your injuries is held accountable for their misconduct.
Analyzing Evidence to Determine Fault
Evidence plays a critical role in personal injury lawsuits. Even if you didn’t have a chance to take pictures of the crash site, we can help you obtain relevant evidence such as:
- Physical evidence from the crash site
- Medical records to show how a collision caused specific injuries
- Surveillance camera footage
- The at-fault driver’s communications logs and vehicle “black box” data
We may also consult expert witnesses to reconstruct the accident.
Protecting Your Claim from the Insurance Company
Insurance companies don’t always respect accident victims’ rights. Instead of offering the compensation you need to begin rebuilding your life, they might:
- Ask you to provide a recorded statement without an attorney present, using any omission or oversight as an excuse to accuse you of negligence.
- Demand access to your medical records, searching for ways to attribute crash-related injuries to preexisting conditions.
- Refuse to negotiate, hoping you’ll eventually give up and accept a bad settlement.
The Law Office of Matthew A. Lathrop has spent years helping survivors fend off insurance companies—we don’t let adjusters bully our clients, and could ensure that your recovery stays safe from agencies more concerned with profits than your well-being.
Negotiating a Fair Settlement
Matthew A. Lathrop has spent nearly 20 years taking on reckless drivers, negligent trucking companies, and tight-fisted insurance companies. We know what it takes to overcome even the strongest defense. While every case is unique, we invite you to browse our past results to learn more about how we resolve car accident claims.
