When a terrible brain or spinal injury happens, all of a sudden everything is turned upside down, in a way that’s hard for people to get their heads around, really, until they’re in the exact same boat or see someone they love going through it. We’ve been working with families and individuals who’ve been through this for years now, and one thing is for sure, these injuries don’t just affect the body, they wreak havoc on every part of your life. It’s not just the physical injury that’s a problem, it’s the emotional trauma, the cognitive problems, the financial stress, the loss of independence, and the worry about what the future holds, all of these things can make the road to recovery feel like an insurmountable mountain to climb. Dog bites and attacks can cause serious physical and emotional trauma. Victims may require medical treatment, including stitches or surgery. Legal action can help recover compensation for injuries and related expenses.
You might be surprised at just how often brain injuries can occur. They can happen on a daily basis, whether it’s a bad car or motorbike accident, someone running into you while you’re out walking, a fall at work that really lands you badly, an accident on a building site, slipping on a patch of ice, a bike accident, a sports injury, or indeed a violent assault. The brain pretty much controls everything we do and makes us who we are. So when it gets damaged, the consequences are pretty grim. The impact of the injury depends on where the damage is and how badly you were hurt, but you can be pretty sure you’ll be dealing with a mix of physical, cognitive and emotional changes that will change how you look at the world from now on. Problems like chronic headaches, dizziness, balance issues, visual or hearing problems, clumsiness, weakness, paralysis, seizures or just constant exhaustion that makes even simple things feel like a marathon can all be symptoms. You might also struggle with remembering things, paying attention, processing information quickly, speaking, making decisions, reasoning or solving problems, all of which are pretty essential for getting on with work and everyday life. People who’ve been in an accident like this can also go through some pretty intense emotional and behavioral changes, like depression, anxiety, mood swings, irritability, impulsiveness, you name it. These changes can make life pretty unbearable for the people around you, and it can be hard for them to wrap their heads around what’s happened to the person they loved before the accident. Motor vehicle accidents can lead to serious injuries, lost income, and ongoing medical care. If you were injured in a car, truck, or motorcycle crash, you may be entitled to compensation. Legal guidance can help you understand your rights and pursue a fair settlement.
Spinal cord injuries are among the worst kind of trauma because of the permanent paralysis and loss of autonomy they can bring. The spinal cord is basically the main highway for the brain to send messages to the rest of the body, telling it all the important things like how to move, feel sensations and keep all the systems ticking along like breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and digestion. When that gets compromised, even through a break, a misaligned vertebra or some damage down the line, communication just breaks down and you can lose some or all of your function below that point. Complete spinal cord injuries wipe out all motor and sensory abilities below the injury site altogether, while an incomplete one might leave you with some ability to move and feel things. Where the injury is located pretty much determines which bits of the body are affected. So if you get hurt high up in the neck, you might end up needing a machine to breathe because you’ve lost all use of your limbs. Get hurt lower in the back or the chest, and it’s a bit better, but you might still be looking at a lifetime of paralysis. These injuries do more than just leave you unable to move, though, they can bring with them chronic pain, muscle spasms, loss of bladder or bowel control, sexual problems, pressure ulcers, breathing and heart problems, as well as a much higher risk of infections and other very serious secondary health problems.
Families who get blindsided by a catastrophe like this often are completely overwhelmed by the financial weight of those brain and spinal cord injuries. In the first few weeks alone, emergency medical services, ambulance rides, trauma care, diagnostic imaging, surgery and intensive care, can run families into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. And then there’s the inpatient rehab clinics which offer super intense therapy from a bunch of different pros all working towards one goal, maximizing the injured person’s recovery. But here’s the thing, these places can cost thousands and thousands per day and their stays can last for weeks on end, if not even months. And don’t even get started on the long term costs of outpatient therapy, regular doctor visits, prescription medications and medical equipment. It’s like this stuff just keeps piling up, specially adapted wheelchairs, fancy communication devices, hospital beds, patient lifts, and the thing is you’ve got to replace it all from time to time. Sometimes homes need major overhauls to make them accessible, ramps, wide doors, bathrooms that are easy to get to. If you can’t make those changes, you may need to move to some other housing that’s already set up that way. And if someone can’t do the basics on their own, they need personal caregivers, 24 hour care can be a massive expense for a long time, years even decades. And of course if someone is no longer able to work because of the injury then it just adds to the financial strain. Most people can’t just go back to their old job or even find a new one that pays anything like enough.
At Singer Katz, we mainly help people who’ve gotten hurt in the head or spinal cord to get the support they need to cover both short term and long term care. No settlement or jury verdict can undo the damage that’s been done, but getting the right help can make a huge difference, being able to get good medical care, getting therapy that actually works, getting the equipment and changes needed, and getting help with day to day living. That’s the kind of thing that can really make a difference in people’s lives. We promise to put together the strongest case possible and fight for the most money we can get.
The thing is, to get compensation for a catastrophic injury, you need to put together a rock solid case with a lot of evidence and solid expert testimony. We work with doctors who can break down exactly how the injury happened, what treatment they got, how they’re doing now, and what the future holds for them. We work with life care planners who know exactly how much all that future medical care, equipment, prescriptions, home improvements and care costs will run. We get experts in vocational rehab to assess the losses you’ve incurred and we get an economist to put all that together and give us a figure for the total damages. This kind of approach gives us a really comprehensive understanding of the impact this injury has had on our client’s life and lets us go after the right amount of compensation.
Insurance companies know that these cases can result in multi million dollar settlements or verdicts, that’s why they fight them so hard. They can say it’s not their fault, or argue that the injury wasn’t as bad as they say it was, or even claim that the person was already in poor health which made the accident even worse. And of course, they love to make lowball settlement offers, they might seem big at first but they still won’t cover all the costs you’ll need to pay in the long run. Having a lawyer on your side stops you from taking one of those bad settlements and makes sure you’ve got someone with experience fighting for you.
Time is of the essence in cases like these, physical evidence from accident sites can disappear, witnesses get harder to track down, memories start to fade and the law has its own deadlines, statutes of limitations, that limit how long you have to file a case. If you miss those deadlines you generally lose your right to get any money back. That’s why it’s so crucial to get in touch with us as soon as possible after a brain or spinal cord injury.
To be honest, dealing with the legal side of things can be pretty overwhelming when you’re already dealing with the aftermath of a serious injury. Taking care of your health, getting through rehab, dealing with all the problems that are suddenly looming over you, trying to get used to your new limitations, it all takes up a huge amount of time and energy. That’s where we come in, we take care of the legal side of things so you can focus on getting your life back on track. We deal with insurance companies, investigate accidents, gather evidence, talk to specialists, work out settlements and if it comes to it take cases to court. You shouldn’t have to go through all this alone.
People who get hurt shouldn’t have to stress about breaking the bank to get some top-notch legal support. We operate on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing upfront, and we only get paid if we manage to win your case and get you the compensation you deserve. This way, anyone can get sound, experienced advice, regardless of their financial situation. And on top of that, our success is pretty much tied to your success.
We’ve built a name in Sarnia for being down to earth, having specialists on hand, and really throwing our weight behind clients who’ve been knocked from their feet by the kinds of injuries that just aren’t meant to happen. We know just how much of a nightmare brain and spinal cord injuries can be for victims and their families, so each case gets the care and attention it needs. We’re on a mission to get our clients as much money as we can, all while treating them with the respect, patience and genuine compassion they’re going to need to get through this absolutely grueling time in their lives.
Here at Singer Katz, we believe that people who’ve been seriously hurt through someone else’s negligence deserve top-notch legal backing and a fighting chance to get the help they need to rebuild and restore their lives. If you or someone you care about has had a brain or spinal cord injury in Sarnia, we’d love to hear from you. Whenever things are at their darkest, we’re here to listen to your story, answer your questions, lay out your legal options, and help you get a handle on what’s ahead.
