A catastrophic brain or spinal cord injury completely upends a person’s life in ways that are almost impossible to comprehend until you’ve gone through it yourself or watched a loved one struggle with it. We’ve worked with people and families who’ve suffered these devastating injuries for years and I can tell you that the problems are far from just the physical harm. These injuries make everyday life a real struggle, getting around, thinking straight, being independent, maintaining relationships, working and keeping your finances on track are all made much harder. They also make you realize just how much you took for granted the little things you could do until those abilities are cruelly taken away. Wrongful death claims arise when a person dies due to someone else’s negligence or misconduct. Surviving family members may seek compensation for financial losses and emotional suffering. Legal action can help provide financial stability during a difficult time.
There are all sorts of accidents that can lead to brain injuries, like car wrecks, motorcycle accidents, bike crashes, falls, workplace accidents, sports injuries and violence. The severity varies wildly, from minor concussions that clear up in a few weeks to severe traumatic brain injuries that leave lasting damage. Even injuries that might seem small at first can come back to haunt you months later, with lingering effects like headaches that never go away, concentration problems, memory lapses, mood swings, insomnia, and being super sensitive to light and noise. More serious brain injuries can leave you paralyzed, having seizures, losing your ability to speak or use language, and needing constant supervision for the rest of your life. Chronic pain and psychological injuries can significantly affect daily life and employment. These injuries are often overlooked but may require extensive treatment. Compensation may be available to cover therapy, medical costs, and lost income.
Spinal cord injuries are probably some of the worst things that can happen to a person. The spinal cord acts as a highway for messages to travel between the brain and the rest of the body. Damage to any part of it can really take a toll, making it hard to move, feel or do everyday tasks below the point of injury. When the spinal cord is completely wrecked, all function below the injury site is gone for good. If it’s only partially damaged, you might still have some use in those areas. People with high cervical injuries tend to lose the use of their arms and legs and have to rely on a ventilator just to breathe. Lower injuries might not affect the arms as badly, but could still leave the legs and trunk paralyzed. On top of all that, spinal cord injuries can also leave people with chronic discomfort, pressure sores, lung infections, blood clots, autonomic dysreflexia and a much higher risk of other serious health problems.
Families that are totally unprepared for this kind of disaster may end up with a huge financial blow from brain and spinal cord injuries. The first hospital stay and emergency medical care can run you hundreds of thousands of dollars. Then there’s the cost of inpatient recovery programs that can drag on for weeks or even months, and that’s just thousands a day. The medical treatment, therapies, drugs, and equipment that are needed aren’t going anywhere, they just keep on coming for years on end. A lot of people need to make some pretty major changes to their homes, like wheelchair ramps, bathrooms that are easy to get to, or even entire renovations. Assistive technology, like specialized wheelchairs, communication devices, and all that other high tech stuff, isn’t cheap and it needs to be replaced from time to time. And then there’s attendant care which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for someone who can’t even take care of themselves, and it can drag on for decades.
At Singer Katz, we specialise in getting our clients who’ve been seriously hurt through the legal wringer and getting them the cash they need to get on with their lives. We know that no settlement or verdict is ever going to undo the damage that’s been done or bring back what’s been lost, but getting some fair financial compensation can make a difference by helping to pay off medical bills, replacing lost income, paying for the care and equipment they need, and giving them some peace of mind about the future. We’re in this to hold those who’ve been careless accountable and fight for every single penny our clients are owed.
To win a brain and spinal cord damage lawsuit, you need to do a lot of digging and gather some strong expert testimony. We work with medical experts who can explain to judges and juries what these kinds of injuries are like and how bad they can be. We also call in rehabilitation professionals to show what rehabilitation looks like and what kind of problems our clients are still going to be facing. Life care planners help figure out how much it’s going to cost to keep our clients healthy, mobile, and well cared for over the course of their lives. And vocational specialists look at things like how much our clients could have earned if they hadn’t lost their job and how many other career options they’ve lost out on. Economic specialists put all these numbers together to show just how much money our clients have really lost. This approach from all these different fields means we can build the strongest possible case for the most money.
Insurance companies know that these kinds of injury lawsuits can be real money spinners for them, which is why they often put up a fight. They might dispute who was to blame for the accident, whether the injuries are as bad as our clients say they are, whether pre-existing conditions made things worse, or try and strong-arm our clients into accepting some low-ball settlement before they really understand what their long term needs are going to be. But if our clients have a good lawyer on their side, they don’t have to deal with this kind of hassle and can be confident that someone is fighting hard on their behalf, not just to make the insurance company some more money.
Timing is everything when it comes to a severe injury. Evidence from accidents can start to vanish in a hurry, video footage can get deleted, witnesses get tougher to find, and people’s memories start to fade over time. There are statutes of limitations that set limits on how long you have to file a lawsuit. If you miss those deadlines, that’s usually the end of it, you’ll be out of luck when it comes to seeking compensation. The sooner you get in touch with us after your accident, the better we can protect your evidence and build the strongest case possible for you.
We understand that when you’re dealing with a terrible injury and everything it’s changed in your life, the last thing on your mind is legal stuff. You’ve got to put all your energy and attention into going to the doctor, going to therapy, getting used to your new situation, dealing with pain, and just getting through each day. So we take care of the legal bits of your case for you so you don’t have to. We deal with insurance companies, gather up the necessary paperwork, talk to experts, meet all the deadlines, and fight your corner while you focus on getting better and adjusting.
A lot of people are worried about how much it costs to hire a lawyer when they’re already drowning in medical bills and lost income. The good news is you don’t have to pay a penny upfront, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means we only get paid if we win your case and get you some cash. This deal makes it easy for people to get good legal help without having to worry about money, and it means our interests are totally in line with yours.
We’ve earned our reputation in North Bay for really caring about the people we represent and working hard for clients who’ve been hurt in ways that have changed their lives forever. We know just how much of a disaster brain and spinal cord injuries can be for people and their families, and we treat each case with the care, compassion and dedication it deserves. We want to get our clients the most money possible, but we also want to treat them with the respect and understanding they need during this tough time in their lives.
At Singer Katz, we believe that anyone who’s suffered a serious injury at the hands of someone else’s negligence should have the backing of a very capable lawyer and the chance to get the compensation they need to put their life back on track as much as it’s possible to. If you or someone close to you has sustained a serious head or spinal injury in the North Bay area, it would be great if you would reach out to us. We’ll listen to your story, do our best to answer your questions, explain exactly what your legal rights are and what options you have available, and give you a clear idea of what lies ahead in the coming months, it can be a really tough time, and it’s good to have some clarity.
