Suing for Paralysis and Spinal Cord Injuries: What You Should Know
A catastrophic injury can set you back for many years if not the rest of your life. This is especially true when it comes to neck, back, and spinal cord injuries. Many people who’ve experienced damage to their spinal cord have had to change their lives in order to address the realities of their injuries.
The Brooklyn-based personal injury lawyers at Zucker & Regev, P.C. have assisted many New Yorkers in their recovery from debilitating accidents. Below are a few things you should know about filing a lawsuit over spinal cord damage.
How a Spinal Injury Can Affect Your Life
There are four major changes that spinal cord injury survivors experience following their accident:
- Reduced Mobility/Physical Disability - Injuries to the spinal cord are usually incurable and can cause paralysis in different parts of the body. Whether you are a paraplegic or a quadriplegic, you will require the use of a wheelchair every day for the rest of your life.
- Ability to Earn a Wage - Because of changes to your mobility and the use of your limbs, a spinal cord injury may necessitate a complete change in your career. This may impact your wages and overall earning potential as well.
- Quality of Life - While paraplegic and quadriplegic people can lead fulfilling and enjoyable lives, many spinal cord injury survivors note that there is a notable change in their overall quality of life caused by the accident.
- Mental Health Repercussions - Catastrophic injuries and changes to one’s physical independence can have unfortunate effects on mental health. Counseling, therapy, and medication may be required to help process the new challenges in life.
Liability for a Spinal Cord Injury
The liable party in a spinal cord injury is the person whose negligence caused the harm. This covers a wide range of people and parties, including reckless drivers who cause serious car crashes and negligent surgeons who injure a patient during a procedure.
Pure Comparative Negligence in New York
The state of New York operates on the principle of pure comparative negligence in civil cases. This basically means that you can still collect legal damages even if you are partly responsible for the incident that caused your injury. Your percentage of liability will be deducted from legal damages that are awarded in court.
Statute of Limitations for Filing an Injury Lawsuit
In the state of New York, the statute of limitations can vary depending on the incident that caused the spinal cord injury.
For injuries related to medical malpractice and negligence, you have two and a half years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit. For assaults that cause spinal cord injuries, you have just one year from the date of the incident. For most other kinds of injury accidents, you have three years from the date of the incident.
It’s Best to Act Sooner Rather Than Later
Do not delay in contacting the Brooklyn personal injury lawyers at Zucker & Regev. We can get your case moving and make sure you get restitution for injuries, medical treatments, physical rehabilitation, and lost earnings.
Learn More About Your Legal Options
If you or someone you care about has suffered a serious injury to their neck, back, or spine, contact our law firm in Brooklyn. The team at Zucker & Regev will help you seek restitution from the negligent party.