In the hours, days, and weeks that follow a spinal cord injury, there are various steps that individuals need to take to help ensure that they recover full compensation for their losses.
Seek Medical Care
It is critical for any spinal cord injury victim to seek medical care as soon as possible after an incident. Often, spinal cord injuries do not seem severe right away, with signs and symptoms often showing up within the days and weeks following the incident. By seeking medical care immediately following a car accident, victims help ensure that they receive quality treatment and that any injuries are properly linked to the incident.
Gather Evidence
Gathering evidence often begins at the scene of the accident, but spinal cord injury victims may not be able to gather much evidence right away. However, if it is possible, individuals should take photographs of the accident scene, including the causes of the incident, vehicle damage, injuries, debris and skid marks, and more. The names and contact information of eyewitnesses should be written down so they can be contacted later on to give their statements to insurance carriers or at trial. An attorney can help gather additional types of evidence in the weeks that follow a crash.
Call an Attorney
Because spinal cord injuries often result in significant long-term expenses, it is very likely that the other parties involved will put up a fight against having to pay out compensation. We strongly encourage you to work with a skilled car accident lawyer in Philadelphia who has experience handling these claims. A lawyer can step in early on and handle the entire claim on your behalf. This will include gathering the evidence needed to prove liability, negotiating with the other parties involved, and fully preparing the case for trial if necessary.
Be Careful Handling Insurance Carriers
Spinal cord injury victims need to be very careful about the types of information they give insurance carriers. In fact, a spinal cord injury victim should refer any insurance carrier to their attorney. All the insurance carriers need to know from a victim is that they were involved in the incident, where the incident occurred, and the names and contact information of others involved. There is no need to settle these claims quickly, particularly for a spinal cord injury that will likely need extensive medical care.
Continue Medical Treatment
Spinal cord injury victims may need a significant time to recover. In some cases, physical therapy and rehabilitation can last for months or even years. Under no circumstances should a spinal cord injury victim discontinue care against the advice of their doctor or surgeon. Individuals need to continue medical treatment until their doctor says they have improved as much as they are going to with medical care. Discontinuing care against medical advice will give the insurance carriers a reason to delay or deny the claim.
Assess Long-Term Issues
It is not uncommon for spinal cord injury victims to suffer from significant long-term setbacks and maybe even lifelong disabilities. These long-term issues must be taken into account when it comes to various aspects of compensation. This includes any long-term medical needs, in-home medical care, lost wages, last earning capacity, and more.