What is a workers’ compensation claim?

Workers’ compensation is government-mandated injury insurance for employees, overseen by the state. It enables injured workers to recover medical care and other benefits without bringing lawsuits against their employers. Employers may pay for workers’ compensation insurance for their employees, or they may be self-insured and handle workers’ compensation claims directly.

What is a personal injury case?

Through an injury claim or civil litigation, an injured person may pursue compensation with evidence that someone or some organization has caused an accident that injured them through negligence.

What is a third-party liability claim?

A third-party liability claim against a negligent person or organization that is not an injured person’s employer is separate from a workers’ compensation claim. An injured worker may find relief after an on-the-job accident or occupational illness through both types of legal actions.

When someone commits wrongdoing or fails to take reasonable precautions to protect the well-being of others, these actions or omissions are called negligence.

A person, business or government agency that is held to be obligated or responsible for compensating someone for injuries and losses is said to be liable.

What are ‘damages’ in a personal injury or premises liability case?

The legal remedy for negligence – usually money that someone may need to pay to cover a plaintiff’s injuries or losses – is often called “damages.” In addition, punitive damages may serve as punishment for negligence.

What is premises liability?

A property owner or manager is considered responsible for the well-being of people who work in, live in or visit their buildings or land. Through a premises liability claim or lawsuit, a store owner or parking lot manager may be liable to compensate customers for on-site injuries.

What is a maritime injury?

Typically, a maritime injury in the United States is one that hurts a worker or passenger on a vessel in U.S. navigable waters. Shore-based accidents may also pertain to the maritime industry.

How are maritime injuries covered?

A maritime accident may be compensable through federal Jones Act claims and other state and federal laws governing vessels on navigable waters, such as rivers and ocean waters.

What is a soft-tissue injury?

A sprained ankle, a herniated disk and neck strains caused by torn muscles or tendons are all examples of soft-tissue injuries.

What is a catastrophic injury?

A life-altering spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury (TBI) or amputation that may require disability accommodations and personal care for the rest of the injured person’s lifetime is considered to be catastrophic.

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What are the long-term costs of a spinal cord injury?

On Behalf of The Truitt Law Firm, LLC | Sep 30, 2020 | Accidents & Catastrophic Injuries

female patient in physical therapy for spinal injury

A serious motor vehicle accident can easily lead to catastrophic injuries, including spinal cord injuries. A spinal cord injury victim in Covington may simply want to focus on recovery, but it is likely their life will never be the same, both physically and unfortunately financially. In addition to the initial hundreds of thousands in medical expenses they will spend in first year of their injury, there are expenses they will have to cope with throughout their life.

How much will spinal cord injury victims spend annually?

How much a spinal cord injury victim will spend in care after the first year of the injury depends on the type of injury they suffered.

A person with a high tetraplegia injury will spend approximately $184,000 in care each year after the first year following the accident.
Those with a low tetraplegia injury will spend approximately $113,000 in care each year after the first year following the accident.
A person with paraplegia will spend approximately $69,000 in care each year after the first year following the accident.
Finally, those with incomplete motor function will spend approximately $42,000 after the first year following the accident.

What are some other costs associated with spinal cord injuries?

Medical and care expenses are not the only expenses a spinal cord injury victim will face. Spinal cord injury survivors may be unable to work for a year or more, if they are able to return to the workplace at all. This leads to lost wages and the loss of earning potential. For some people, the loss in earning potential over the course of their lifetime can reach $1 million or more, even if a person was not a high-income earner.

Coping with the expenses of a spinal cord injury

Those suffering from a spinal cord injury in a car crash that was not their fault deserve to focus on recovery without having to worry about their finances. However, as medical bills build up and with no way to pay them, money worries will soon come to the forefront. For this reason, many spinal cord injury victims choose to take legal action against the person responsible for their injuries. A personal injury claim can provide a person with the compensation they need to move forward, as well as hold the responsible party accountable.