Spinal cord injuries are devastating. They can lead to significant lifelong disabilities and tremendous expenses for survivors. At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, our team is standing by to help if you need a Virginia Beach spinal cord injury lawyer. If you have sustained an injury caused by the careless or negligent actions of another individual or entity, we want to make sure that you recover the compensation you are entitled to. We will stand up to aggressive insurance carriers and their legal teams to make sure that you are treated fairly.
Why Choose Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp for a Spinal Cord Injury Claim?
- At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, our team has more than seven decades of combined legal experience, and we are leaders in terms of multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts in Virginia.
- Our team handles every case with a client-focused approach, which means that we will take the time to listen to the goals and needs of every spinal cord injury victim that comes to us for help.
- We handle only personal injury law claims, which means that we understand how the defense will work, and we know how to counter their tactics.
Why You Need a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Spinal cord injury claims can be incredibly challenging when it comes to securing compensation. Often, insurance carriers and at-fault parties fight very hard from having to pay out compensation in these situations. A skilled Virginia Beach spinal cord injury lawyer will stand by your side throughout this process and make sure that you are treated fairly. They can:
- Conduct an independent investigation into the incident to obtain the evidence needed to prove liability.
- Ensure that you are evaluated by trusted medical and spinal cord injury specialists.
- Work with economic and financial experts to properly calculate total expected losses.
- Fully prepare the case for trial if necessary to ensure you are treated fairly.
How Spinal Cord Injuries Happen in Virginia Beach
Spinal cord injuries occur in a wide variety of ways in Virginia Beach and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) indicates that more than 300,000 people are living with spinal cord injuries in the U.S. Since 2015, the most common causes of spinal cord injuries in this country include the following:
- Vehicle accidents (also those involving pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists)
- Falls from various levels
- Acts of violence
- Sports injuries
- Medical or surgical mistakes
Compensation Available for a Spinal Cord Injury
There may be various types of compensation available to Virginia Beach spinal cord injury victims. Our attorneys work diligently to recover both economic and non-economic compensation on behalf of survivors in these cases:
- Economic damages. We also refer to these as special damages for a spinal cord injury claim, and this revolves around calculable losses a victim will incur, such as:
- Medical bills associated with the injury
- Lost income if a victim cannot work
- General household out-of-pocket expenses
- Property damage expenses related to the incident
- Non-economic damages. We also refer to these as general damages for a spinal cord injury claim, and these are harder to calculate than the economic losses mentioned above. Non-economic losses are immeasurable because they do not have bills or receipts to directly quantify the loss. Some of the most common general damages in these cases include:
- Physical pain and suffering sustained by the injury victim
- Emotional and psychological distress
- Loss of quality of life damages
- Loss of consortium for a spouse or family members
How Much Are These Claims Worth?
There is no set amount of money that a spinal cord injury case will bring survivors in these situations. The total amount of compensation will vary depending on the circumstances surrounding each spinal cord injury in Virginia Beach. Various factors can affect how much compensation a survivor receives, including the severity of the injury, the level of paralysis, how much care is needed on an ongoing basis, lost wage calculations, and the level of pain and suffering for the survivor.
The NSCISC says that the first year of medical care for spinal cord injury can range from around $360,000 to more than $1.1 million, depending on the severity of the injury. Every additional year of treatment can reach anywhere from around $50,000 to more than $200,000. These costs only show a partial picture of the total losses a spinal cord injury victim will sustain. We also have to think about travel to and from medical specialists, the cost to modify homes or vehicles to help with mobility, the cost of medical devices and prescription medications, and more.
Our law firm has obtained significant settlements on behalf of those who have sustained severe injuries, including a record $60 million jury verdict for a client who suffered a life-altering catastrophic injury.
Affording a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer in Virginia Beach
At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, our team understands how challenging it can be to afford a personal injury lawyer in these situations. That is why we take Virginia Beach spinal cord injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that our clients will never have to pay any upfront or out-of-pocket costs related to their claims. Our clients will not have to pay any legal fees until after we recover the compensation they are entitled to for their losses.
Contact a Virginia Beach Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Today
If you or somebody you love has sustained a spinal cord injury caused by the negligence of someone else in the Virginia Beach area, reach out to the team at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp for help as soon as possible. Our attorneys have the resources necessary to fully investigate the incident and help you recover the compensation you are entitled to. When you need a Virginia Beach spinal cord injury lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us at (833) 997-1774.