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Those who become paralyzed because of someone else’s negligence may be entitled to compensation under Florida law. Paralyzed individuals and their families can get free legal advice during a consultation with the Delray Beach paralysis lawyer without any obligation to hire the attorney. An experienced catastrophic injury attorney can help you work towards obtaining much-needed compensation for you or your loved one.
The most common cause of paralysis is a stroke, accounting for 29 percent of those paralyzed. Spinal cord injury is at 23 percent and multiple sclerosis at 17 percent, according to Brain and Spinal Cord.org. The group stated that 12,000 spinal cord injury cases are reported every year.
The organization also stated that automotive crashes cause 42.1 percent of spinal cord injuries, with falling ranking second at 26.7 percent, violence 15.1 percent with most of those injuries resulting from gunshot wounds, and 7.6 percent occurring in sporting accidents.
If the case goes to trial, an attorney can aggressively present the evidence and challenge the defense. If necessary, an expert in paralysis will testify about the injury’s technical aspects so a jury understands the depth of harm. If the defendant chooses to settle, a Delray Beach paralysis lawyer can negotiate with insurance companies to achieve all the damages sought.
People living with paralysis are primarily low-income earners, according to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. About 25 percent of these households have incomes of less than $10,000 annually. These are far below the actual costs of living with paralysis.
The Reeve Foundation states that the lifetime expenses, depending upon the type of paralysis, range from $1.57 million to $4.72 million for a person who was injured at age 25. For those who are hurt at age 50, the cost ranges from $1.31 million to $2.59 million.
The Reeve Foundation initiated a study released in 2013 that was performed over three years by a team of 30 experts from 14 US universities and medical centers including those from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The University of New Mexico’s Center for Development and Disability conducted the study.
The results showed that far more people are paralyzed than identified in a similar study in 2009. The more recent study surveyed more than 33,000 households in the US and identified that 40 percent more people are living with some form of paralysis.
Florida law allows financial compensation for an injury and property damage under the state’s comparative negligence doctrine. Negligence is legally defined as someone who commits an act that a reasonable person would not have done that causes someone harm or property damage. A negligent act can also be an omission that a prudent person would not have made.
The law allows for economic and non-economic damages, which a Delray Beach paralysis lawyer can work to achieve for paralyzed individuals. Economic damages include loss of income over a lifetime that could not be earned because of the paralysis, the expenses of medical care and therapeutic treatments and equipment, and the cost of retraining if the person can no longer work in the chosen field.
Non-economic compensation is for pain and suffering, the emotional distress and mental anguish the person suffers from this devastating harm, as well as psychological counseling, loss of consortium, and other damages. If the act was grossly negligent, Florida law allows damages to punish the offender and as a deterrent for others.
If you or a loved one were involved in an accident that resulted in paralysis, please do not hesitate to contact a Delray Beach paralysis lawyer who can examine all aspects of your case, advise you of your legal options, and help you to decide your next steps going forward.
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