Spine injury lawyers in Georgia

Our Spinal Injury Lawyer Helps Win Compensation

Spinal cord injuries are among the most catastrophic and devasting injuries possible, as they may damage the ability to think, walk and use limbs, speak, take care of everyday needs, and participate in family and social life. Serious spinal injuries can leave you unable to work at a time you are faced with mounting medical and rehabilitation bills; you may need continuing care into the future, and injuries may lead to death.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury that was due to another party’s negligence or fault, a spinal cord injury lawyer in Atlanta can help you get compensation for your losses. While no amount of money can make up for the suffering caused by a severe spinal injury, a financial settlement can help by providing for your financial needs and paying for rehabilitation and care, so you and your family can build a brighter future.

However, getting adequate compensation is never easy. Georgia personal injury laws are complicated and making mistakes can be costly, and insurance companies have high-powered lawyers on their side who will try to get you to settle for the lowest amount possible. Accepting the bare minimum without first speaking with a spinal cord injury attorney will make it difficult for you to obtain adequate care, and what once seemed like a large amount of money can quickly run out. Fortunately, the Atlanta injury attorneys at The Stoddard Firm know the tactics insurers use, the courts and the system, and how to fight to get you just compensation for your injuries.

Our Atlanta Spinal Injury Attorney Works for You

Why Choose Us

Spinal cord injury cases are typically extremely complicated, and hiring the right attorney can make the difference between whether you recover the bare minimum or receive the full amount you need to compensate for the damages you received. Here are some reasons why we feel The Stoddard Firm is your best choice:

• We are experienced. Attorney Matthew Stoddard started his career defending corporate interests, so he knows how corporations and their attorneys operate and is fully prepared to oppose them.  He has represented those harmed by the negligence of others since 2011.
• We get results, such as the $15,950,000 verdict for a young man who lost his eye. You can read our client testimonials to find out more.
• We know how to deal with insurance companies and can often negotiate a fair settlement without having to go to trial.
• We keep our firm small and personal so we can provide great customer service and are available 24/7 for client emergencies.
• We are recognized in our field. Mr. Stoddard gives continuing education seminars for other attorneys, and some of our firm’s high-profile trials have been featured on Courtroom Viewing Network.
• We have the resources of a skilled legal team, investigators, and expert witnesses to go up against a large medical institution or insurance company.
• We offer free initial consultations to get you started.
• We work on a contingency basis, which means you pay us nothing unless we win your case for you.

When you hire The Stoddard Firm, we will get to work for you immediately.  We will:

• Meet with you to discuss how your injuries occurred, and the extent that they affect your life, and determine whether you have a valid case and what a fair settlement might be
• Make sure you receive the proper medical treatment and that all your symptoms are documented
• Investigate the accident to identify the at-fault parties and gather evidence, such as from photos and videos and police and medical reports
• Interview eyewitnesses and first responders
• Hire experts to reconstruct the accident and testify as to fault, as well as experts to testify as to how your injuries affect your life now and will into the future and what your costs are likely to be
• File all required paperwork and make court appearances in a timely manner
• Deal with and negotiate with insurance companies for a fair settlement
• Build your case and take it to trial if necessary.

Damage Awards Our Spinal Injury Lawyers May Win

Your Award Should Cover All Your Damages

In a successful case, our Atlanta back injury attorneys will fight for compensation for both your economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages are for your monetary losses such as:

• Medical, rehabilitation, and continuing care costs
• Wage losses, past and future
• Costs to modify a home or vehicle to accommodate a disability
• Property damage from the accident.

Non-economic damages are for things that don’t have a specific dollar value, but negatively affect your life, such as:

• Pain and suffering
• Permanent disability and disfigurement
• Emotional distress and mental anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life, companionship, and consortium.

In some rare cases where the defendant exhibited gross or willful negligence, you may also receive punitive damages. These serve to punish a defendant and discourage similar behavior in the future.

Damage Award Amounts

There is a wide range of damage amounts that can be awarded for spinal injuries, based on the circumstances of your injuries and the specific case.  Since spinal injuries can be so catastrophic and even cause death, some awards can reach the hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, and juries tend to be sympathetic. Factors that will be considered in determining damage award amounts include:

• the extent, severity, and permanence of your injuries
• whether you need continuing care
• the costs involved
• whether you can go back to work and what your earning potential would have been
• your age and family situation
• whether the injuries led to death
• the skill of your attorney to negotiate with insurance and argue your case in court.

Back Injury Lawyers in Atlanta Prove Negligence

To win your lawsuit, our spinal injury attorneys need to show that another party, the defendant in the case, was negligent and at fault for causing your injuries.  To do this, we would gather evidence, utilize investigators and expert witnesses, and build a case to demonstrate the following elements:

• Duty: The defendant had a duty of care not to cause harm.
• Breach: The defendant breached this duty by acting or failing to act.
• Cause: This wrongful act, neglect, or default caused the accident that led to your injuries.
• Damages: You suffered damages as a result.

Sometimes there are multiple parties who can be held liable; and since they all may have insurance and assets to go toward a settlement, our attorneys would name them all as defendants in the case.

Atlanta Back Injury Lawyers Answer Your Questions

After a serious back injury, it’s natural to have questions and concerns.  While these are best addressed at your free consultation, to get you started, here are some answers to questions our attorneys are often asked:

Are there time limits for filing?

Yes, Georgia has a time limit for filing a lawsuit, which is called a “statute of limitations.” According to the law (section 9-3-33), the deadline is generally two years from the time the injury was suffered. If you miss this deadline, the courts are likely to refuse to hear your case. However, there are exceptions that might change the amount of time allowed, so consult with your Atlanta back injury lawyer to see how this applies to you.

How long will my back injury case take?

The length of time it takes to resolve a back injury case can vary from a few months to a few years. In general, cases that are relatively simple or can be resolved through negotiation take less time than those that go to court or are complicated.  It’s always best to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible, as sometimes waiting to file a claim can affect your ability to get adequate compensation.

Should I speak to insurance companies?

No, the less you say to insurance companies the better.  Insurance companies are out for profit and want to pay out as little as possible. They may use tactics such as getting you to accept a quick settlement for less than your case is worth or trying to get you to admit something that indicates you were at fault for your injuries. Tell the insurance company to speak to your attorney and let The Stoddard Firm back injury lawyers handle all dealings and negotiations with insurance companies.

What if a loved one died from a spinal cord injury?

If a family member has died from a spinal cord injury caused by someone else’s negligence, fault, or reckless action, we can help you pursue a lawsuit for wrongful death. According to Georgia’s Wrongful Death Act, O.C.G.A. § 51-4-2, the surviving spouse or child of the person who died can make a claim for compensation for:

• the person’s pain and suffering and medical expenses leading up to the death
• funeral expenses
• loss of future earnings
• loss of companionship, comfort, and guidance from the deceased.

How much does it cost to hire a spinal cord injury lawyer?

The good news is that it costs nothing up front to hire our Stoddard spinal cord injury lawyers.  We offer free, no-obligation consultations, and there are no fees to you unless and until we win a settlement for you. At that time, costs are taken out of the award.

Back Injury Lawyers Discuss Spinal Cord Injury Effects

The spinal cord, an essential part of the nervous system, allows the brain to communicate with the body. Injuries to the spinal cord frequently cause paralysis and/or severe chronic pain.

Spinal cord injuries can have a tremendous range of severity, from whiplash to complete paralysis. They can occur in a number of different situations including car accidents, workplace accidents, and slip and fall accidents. Back and spinal cord injuries can cause chronic pain and hamper the ability of the patient to complete the basic tasks of daily life, such as lifting or standing for extended periods of time. In other situations, back and spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis requiring the use of wheelchairs and home healthcare nurses. If you sustained a spine injury from a vehicle accident call our Atlanta car accident attorneys today, they can help.

Impact of Georgia Spinal Injuries

The impact of a spinal cord injury on patients and their loved ones can be tremendous and place an enormous amount of stress on both patients and their families. Typically, patients encounter steep financial costs, lost wages, changes in the family dynamics, and emotional angst. Patients must first face their physical recovery. This often physically painful experience is coupled with mounting medical bills, extended hospital stays, intensive treatment, the installation of medical devices in the home, occupational therapy to increase the activities of daily living, and physical therapy and strength training.

Patients may also face a challenging emotional and mental recovery. Catastrophic injuries can be devastating mentally because a patient’s future life plan has suddenly shifted, and the family dynamic is often drastically different. Many patients may find themselves struggling with depression or anxiety following their injury, particularly if the injury severely changed their daily life. Patients may also face conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following extremely traumatic incidents.

It will also be important, when possible, for patients to eventually rejoin the workforce – although often in a different job role. It is common for patients who endure spinal cord injuries to change their career path, and these patients may need to go through training or other education to start a new job. Of course, some patients will be unable to work at all and may need to pursue disability benefits and/or rely on other family members to earn an income.

Patients experiencing catastrophic spinal cord injuries should understand their legal options and work with a legal team that has experience in this field.

Call Our Atlanta Spinal Injury Attorneys for Help

After a catastrophic spinal injury, your primary priority should be recovery to maximum medical improvement. While seeking medical care should be the first step, such care is costly, benefits sometimes run out, and achieving maximum medical improvement is not a complete fix. As a result, you should get legal advice as soon as possible to learn more about whether you have a case and what forms of compensation may be available.

If the injury occurred because of the negligence of others, seeking justice can also help patients cope with a spinal cord injury. By working with legal counsel, patients and their loved ones will know the appropriate steps to take to ensure maximum compensation.

The Stoddard Firm has successfully taken spinal injury cases to trial and knows what to do to fight for optimum benefits for you.