Englewood Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Spinal cord injuries are true calamities—they can affect every aspect of a person’s life and have a grave impact on the victim’s family. Many common mishaps such as car accidents, diving accidents, broken tree limbs, even simple falls, can result in spinal cord injuries. Yet very few families are adequately prepared for the consequences.
If you are dealing with the aftermath of a spinal cord injury, it would be wise to retain the services of a trusted injury attorney. An Englewood spinal cord injury lawyer could find and preserve evidence about the accident, investigate to identify potentially negligent parties, and help document all the effects of the injury on the victim and the family.
Damages Available in a Spinal Cord Injury Claim
The expense of life after a spinal cord injury is enormous. Luckily, any negligent party—whether a person, a premises owner, a manufacturer, a doctor, a government, or some combination of these—may be liable for damages if they had some responsibility for the accident that caused the injury.
An injured person can seek damages to cover the expenses of treating and living with the injury, and for their non-tangible losses. In Colorado, a court might award compensatory damages for:
- Medical costs, including copayments, prescriptions, hospitalizations, rehabilitation services and the cost of any ongoing treatments or care that the injured person requires
- Payment for family members’ service as caregivers
- Wheelchairs, walkers, prosthesis, and other necessary equipment
- Accommodations like making a home wheelchair accessible, or purchase of a vehicle modified for a disabled driver
- Lost employment income, as well as lost capacity to earn in the future
- Costs of treating the emotional and psychological impact of the accident
- Damages for pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life
- Payments to family members for loss of consortium—the ability to fully enjoy family life with the injured person
In Colorado, an injured person may receive the full amount of their “economic” damages—those expenses that have a fixed value, like home renovation costs or copayments for doctor visits. But the law places a cap on the amount a plaintiff can receive for pain and suffering, or loss of enjoyment of life. However, the law allows a plaintiff to present evidence that the capped amount is insufficient, and a passionate spinal cord injury attorney might be able to persuade a court to make a more generous award for non-economic damages.
Exemplary Damages in Englewood Spine Injury Claims
Sometimes the negligence that led to an injury is particularly egregious. Colorado law, at C.R.S. §13-21-102 , allows a judge or jury to award exemplary damages, sometimes called punitive damages, if the defendant intended to harm the plaintiff or if the defendant’s conduct was fraudulent, malicious, or reckless.
According to this law, punitive damages cannot exceed the actual damages the plaintiff receives. However, the law allows a judge to increase the amount of punitive damages to three times the amount of actual damages if the conduct has not stopped, or if the defendant’s behavior since the accident aggravated the plaintiff’s losses. With the help of an Englewood attorney, a spinal cord injury victim might be able to show that they deserve exemplary damages from the defense
Contact an Englewood Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Today
Calling a lawyer may not seem like a priority in the immediate aftermath of a spinal cord injury. However, getting help right away could make a big difference in the long run.
Let a seasoned legal professional determine potentially liable parties and help you assess the true value of the losses to you and your family. Contact an Englewood spinal cord injury lawyer to make an appointment for a case review.
