Accidents happen every day. Whether you’re walking through a grocery store or driving to work, someone’s poor decisions could cause you to suffer an injury. When that injury is a spinal cord injury, your whole world can change overnight.
In the aftermath of a spinal cord injury, you’re struggling with extensive medical treatments and grappling with the reality of your medical condition. At the same time, you’re likely facing an endless line of expensive medical bills. You shouldn’t have to cover your expenses and losses out of your own pocket. The legal team at the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd. will help you hold the negligent party accountable for their actions and secure the full compensation you need and deserve.
We’ll handle all of the legal details for you, so you can focus on your recovery. The experienced, award-winning Warwick spinal cord attorneys at the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd. have helped numerous clients in your situation, and we’ll help you, too. Call us today at (401) 751-8855 to schedule your free consultation and learn about your legal options.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
At the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd., we’ve handled a range of personal injury cases involving spinal cord injuries. Whether the damage is minor or severe, we’ll help you recover and move forward with your life.
Following are some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries:
- Bicycle accidents
- Boating accidents
- Car accidents
- Dangerous products
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice
- Motorcycle accidents
- Nursing home abuse
- Slip and falls
- Truck accidents
- Workplace accidents
Pursuing Compensation for Your Damages
If you discover someone else’s negligent actions caused your spinal cord injury, you can seek financial compensation from an insurance claim or lawsuit. Negligence is the legal theory that one party failed to exercise a reasonable duty of care and prevent another person from harm.
There are five elements of negligence you must prove existed at the time you sustained the injury to win your case:
- Duty: The at-fault party owed you a duty of care to prevent your injuries;
- Breach of duty: The at-fault party breached their duty;
- Cause in fact: If it weren’t for their actions or inaction, you wouldn’t have suffered bodily harm;
- Proximate cause: Their breach of duty was the direct cause of your injury; and
- Damages: You incurred damages.
Damages fall under two main categories: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are all costs associated with an accident or injury, while non-economic damages refer to the physical and emotional suffering endured. Damages may include the following:
- Medical bills
- Car repair or replacement costs
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Emotional distress
- Loss of affection or companionship
The Insurance Company Might Not Play Fair
Insurance companies typically try to find reasons not to pay out a claim. They want to save money whenever possible. The biggest mistake people make is to trust the insurance adjuster handling their claim. You need to approach the situation carefully. Be sure you don’t say or do anything that could ruin your chance of recovering the maximum available settlement.
Do
- Hire a Warwick spinal cord injury attorney to assist you with your case.
- Maintain records of everything associated with your injury, such as medical records.
- Follow up with your doctors until you recover, or they release you from their care.
- Keep track of the days and times you’re unable to work due to your injury.
- Speak to anyone who witnessed how you got hurt and write down their names and phone numbers.
Don’t
- Don’t communicate with the insurance company. We’ll handle that for you.
- Don’t sign any forms without your Warwick spinal cord injury attorney reviewing them first.
- Don’t admit any degree of fault for what happened to you.
- Don’t get rid of potential evidence, such as torn clothing or damaged personal property.
- Don’t provide a recorded statement to the insurance company.
The Problem With Pure Comparative Negligence
Rhode Island follows a pure comparative negligence rule, which reduces an injured party’s total damages based on their percentage of fault. Let’s say you incurred $100,000 in damages after sustaining spinal cord injuries in a car accident. If the other driver was 100% at fault, you could pursue the full $100,000 in compensation. However, if the insurance company discovers you share 20% of the blame, the highest payment you could recover would be $80,000.
This rule shows the importance of not admitting shared fault after any accident. When providing details about the accident, keep the information factual and brief. You don’t want to accidentally say something that could be used against you.
How to Handle a Lawsuit
You can file a civil lawsuit against the person who caused your spinal cord injury. There’s a strict deadline you’ll need to follow called a statute of limitations. The statute of limitations for personal injury cases in Rhode Island is three years. That means you have three years from the injury date to sue the other party for compensation.
Besides seeking economic and non-economic damages, there’s a third type you can attempt to recover in a lawsuit. Punitive damages aren’t a form of compensation for all losses suffered, but a way to punish the liable individual. To recover this type of damage, you must provide the jury with sufficient proof that the other party acted with ill will, malice, recklessness, or indifference towards another person’s life, rights, or safety.
Why Choose Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd.
Our Warwick spinal cord injury attorneys have the experience, resources, and skills to win the maximum compensation for our clients. We have a legal team that will work hard to resolve your case efficiently so you can move forward. We know how hard this experience has been. You can depend on us to be there from the beginning to the end of your case.
We take cases on contingency, so you don’t have to worry about upfront fees or costs. We don’t get paid unless you get paid. We also offer free consultations. If you need legal advice and guidance during this traumatic time in your life, we’ll be happy to meet with you to talk about your injuries.
At the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd., we understand the importance of reliable services. Our Warwick spinal cord injury attorneys are available 24/7, so you can reach us any time, day or night. If you sustained injuries to your spinal cord and want to find out the next steps you can take, call us at (401) 751-8855 today.
