When someone suffers a nasty brain or spinal cord injury, it can fundamentally change the entire trajectory of their life. We’ve worked directly with people who have been through this and we know that the impact goes far beyond just a physical impairment. For the person hurt, they may struggle to maintain their independence, clear their head, deal with chronic pain, mood swings and just trying to figure out who they are and what they want to do with their life. The family members on the other hand are suddenly saddled with responsibilities they never bargained for, caring for a loved one, coping with financial stress they didn’t plan on, and grieving the future they had envisioned for themselves and their loved one. 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.

Brain injuries happen all too frequently in everyday life, whether it’s a car or motorbike crash, a bad fall at work, an accident on a construction site, getting hit by a car or any other type of assault. Let’s face it, the brain is in charge of everything we do and makes us who we are as people, so damage to it can be just as bad. Some of the physical symptoms people experience are paralysis, trouble with coordination and balance, frequent headaches, dizziness, issues with vision or hearing, and all the time feeling knackered. Then there are the cognitive effects, memory loss, problems with making good decisions and picking your words right, and just generally slowing down on the thinking front as well as having a reduced capacity to pick up new things or work through problems. Of course changes in behaviour and mood are just as common, depression, anxiety, irritability, impulsiveness and mood swings, or in some cases, sudden changes in personality that make it tough for everyone around them to get used to someone who now seems like a completely different person. 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.

Injuries to the spinal cord are some of the most life-changing injuries that can happen to anyone. The spinal cord is basically the main line of communication between the brain and the rest of the body, sending the signals that control everything from movement to feeling to our autonomic activities like breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and digestion. But if this channel breaks, is dislocated, or gets squished by the vertebrae that are meant to protect it, communication gets interrupted and that can result in partial or complete loss of function below the injury site. In the worst case scenario, a complete spinal cord injury will take away all motor and sensory abilities below the injury, but with an incomplete injury, they may be left with some abilities still intact. Cervical injuries high up in the neck can be particularly nasty, damaging all four limbs and breathing, and might even mean they need to rely on a ventilator for the rest of their life. Most of the time thoracic injuries are a bit more limited in their impact, only really affecting the trunk and legs, but not usually the arms. Injuries to the lumbar spine are a bit different too, they might not have as big an impact on the upper body, but still can leave the lower body feeling pretty weak. Either way, these injuries can bring on a whole host of other major problems, aside from paralysis, like persistent pain, muscle spasms, pressure sores, urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, blood clots, and heart problems.

Brain and spinal cord injuries unfortunately come with a lifetime financial burden that just gets worse and worse. Those first few days and weeks of emergency medical services, transportation, trauma care, surgery, and intensive care, can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. And then there’s the inpatient rehabilitation that can help people recover as much as they can, but it’s thousands of dollars a day, for months on end. And don’t even get started on ongoing outpatient therapy, regular doctor’s visits, prescription drugs, and all the medical supplies that just keep on coming. Let’s not forget the specialized equipment that people need, wheelchairs, hospital beds, patient lifts, communication devices, and all that other stuff that costs an arm and a leg and needs to be replaced every so often. And then there’s the home modifications, sometimes people need to move to a whole new place that’s all set up to be accessible. And in some cases, they need professional attendant care, which can cost over $100,000 a year and go on for decades. And lost income? That’s just the cherry on top, most people with catastrophic injuries can’t just go back to work, and finding a new job is no easy feat.

Here at Singer Katz, our focus is on helping people who’ve suffered brain and spinal cord injuries get the money they need and deserve. Now, we all know that no amount of money can just make everything okay again, but having enough to cover the basics can make a huge difference, it means people can get the medical care they need, the right equipment, home modifications, and professional care, and not have to worry about making ends meet all the time. That’s what we’re here to do, to fight hard for the most money we possibly can to cover all the losses, past, present, and future, as well as income they’ve lost out on, and the pain and suffering they’ve endured.

Getting compensation in a catastrophic injury case is no easy feat, it takes a lot of evidence and expert testimony to build a strong case. We work with medical experts who can tell us what really happened, what treatment they got, how they’re doing now, and what the future holds for them. Life care planners who really know their stuff can figure out how much future treatment, equipment, prescriptions, and care is going to cost over the course of a person’s lifetime. Vocational rehab pros can help us figure out the loss of income from the injury. And economists put all of that together to give us an idea of the total amount of money they’re owed.

Insurance companies know these cases can end up being worth millions, so they fight them tooth and nail. They might argue about who was at fault, how bad the injuries are, or whether the person would have gotten better on their own. And they often make settlement offers that sound good, but end up being way short of what people really need.

But time is definitely of the essence in these cases, there are time limits for initiating a lawsuit, and if you miss those deadlines, you’re out of luck. Plus, practical things like evidence disappearing, witnesses moving away, and paperwork getting harder to find all make it harder to build a strong case over time. Getting in touch with a good lawyer right away can really make a big difference.

We know dealing with all this is the last thing on people’s minds when they’re trying to deal with their injuries and all the other stuff that comes with it. But that’s what we’re here for, to ease the burden so people can focus on what really matters.

We’ll handle all the discussions with the insurance company, figure out what happened, get all the medical records and other evidence, consult with specialists, and negotiate a settlement if possible. And if it comes to it, we’ll take your case to court. So you can just focus on getting your life back together and recovering from all this.

And don’t worry about the cost, we work on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t pay a thing unless we win you some money. That way, everyone can get the qualified legal advice they need, regardless of their current situation. And at Singer Katz, our success is directly tied to yours.

Here in Oshawa, our reputation’s been built on having a heart, really deep experience with specialists, and a passionate drive to stand up for folks who have had their lives turned upside down by serious injuries. We get that the impact of brain and spinal cord injuries on people and their families can be absolutely devastating, on their bodies, their emotions, and their bank accounts too. So we handle every single case with the care and attention to detail that these situations desperately need. We go all in to get the maximum compensation possible, but we also make sure our clients get treated with the respect, patience and genuine empathy they need during the darkest time of their lives.

At Singer Katz, our belief is that people who’ve been left severely injured because someone else just wasn’t careful enough deserve top-notch legal help, and access to the resources that might just help them rebuild their lives in some small way. If you or someone you love has had a brain or spinal cord injury in Oshawa, we’re asking you to come and talk to us. We’ll listen to your story, answer all your questions, explain your rights and options in a way that makes sense, and just do our best to help you make sense of what lies ahead during this awful time.