Five Ways to Prove Your Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries can be traumatic and life-changing. When an accident that wasn’t your fault causes a spinal cord injury, you may think proving your case will be easy. After all, in serious spinal cord injury cases, the evidence of impairment can seem glaringly obvious. Unfortunately, proving that in a court of law can be much more challenging than it seems.
At Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers, we know that a spinal cord injury can change the course of your life. During this, one of the most vulnerable times in your life, you may feel immense pressure to prove your claim. What does it take to show that someone else’s negligence played a part in your accident, and you deserve compensation? Consider these five ways to bolster your spinal cord injury case.
What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
Spinal cord injuries happen when the bundle of nerves protected by the spine becomes damaged. The spinal cord carries messages back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body. When the spinal cord is damaged, it can result in a full or partial loss of motor control and sensation. If these nerves are significantly damaged or the spinal cord is severed, paralysis can result. Victims can lose control of movement in their arms, legs, and a wide range of bodily functions such as breathing, regulating body temperature, and controlling bowel and bladder movements.
Establishing Negligence
Proving a spinal cord injury claim can be challenging. The first key to proving your case is establishing negligence. Generally, victims have the right to file a claim or lawsuit for compensation when a negligent party is responsible for the accident which caused their injuries. Negligence means that a party had a duty to act reasonably and responsibly, but that they failed to uphold this duty. As a result, their negligence caused an accident, and that accident caused a serious injury.
Consider a car accident. All motorists are expected to operate their vehicles safely. If a driver fails to operate their vehicle safely and the result is an accident that leaves a victim paralyzed, that driver may be held accountable for their actions.
Medical Documentation
Medical records and documentation after an accident can go a long way toward supporting your spinal cord injury claim. Accident victims must keep all scheduled appointments with their medical care providers and follow all instructions provided to them. Rehabilitation can be painful and grueling. There are times you may feel like giving up. Don’t. Medical professionals only have your best interests at heart, and the documentation they can provide may be vital to your case.
Witness Statements
The testimony of neutral, third-party witnesses can provide an unbiased glimpse into how an accident happened and help you prove your case. If a witness sees you walking down the road and watches a speeding truck hit you, and you suddenly lost the use of your legs, this story paints a clear picture of the circumstances of an accident.
Photographs and Video Evidence
Eye-in-the-sky cameras can be both a pitfall and a perk. In the case of a spinal cord accident claim, photographs and videos of the incident can help prove your case. Traffic cameras, surveillance cameras, cell phone videos, and accident photos may help you establish liability and prove your case.
Obtaining this evidence to prove your case can be as easy as sending yourself the pictures you took of the accident scene, or as difficult as convincing a business to part with their surveillance footage. An attorney can help you gather photos and videos from witnesses, businesses, and even government agencies.
Other Physical Evidence
There is a wealth of other physical evidence that may be crucial to help you prove your spinal cord injury case as well. This evidence may take the form of police reports, damage reports, workplace documentation, and black box data. Receipts, bills, and other documentation may also help bolster your claim.
Accident reconstruction data is another form of evidence that may prove useful in establishing negligence and proving your case. An experienced spinal cord injury attorney can review your situation and then pursue the evidence critical to help prove your case.
Consult a Knowledgeable Spinal Cord Injury Attorney
If you are dealing with a spinal cord injury, the last thing you want to worry about is proving to an insurer or jury that you are injured and someone else is to blame. The Dallas personal injury lawyers of Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers want you to focus on your physical and mental health. That is why we focus our efforts on finding and presenting evidence that will help reinforce your spinal cord injury case.
If your spinal cord injury was the result of an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, contact the team of Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers today. We want to help you recover the compensation you deserve for your injuries. For a free, no-obligation legal consultation, call us today at [phone-number].