Auto Accidents and Paralysis: Ensuring Your Future Through Just Compensation
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injury, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), causing about 45 percent of cases. Paralysis is often the sad result of these spinal injuries, and dramatically alters the rest of a person’s life.
If you suffer from paralysis (paraplegia or quadriplegia) as a result of an auto accident, a personal injury lawsuit can help you recover just compensation if another driver or a defective vehicle led to your injuries.
The auto accident attorneys at Younker Hyde Macfarlane, PLLC in Salt Lake City, a nationally renowned law firm, include distinguished paralysis attorneys. The personal injury group is led by Norm Younker, who previously served as a defense attorney working on behalf of hospitals, doctors, nurses, and other parties in medical malpractice claims. He now works exclusively on behalf of the injured, but his past experience gives him a unique insight that proves advantageous to his clients.
Establishing Liability
In order to recover damages, attorneys must first establish liability, or who was at fault. Another driver may be at fault or, in some cases, vehicle defects may have exacerbated injuries, such as a roof or safety device that failed to work.
Our auto accident attorneys have a network of experts in the fields of medicine, forensics, and accident reconstruction that establish contributing factors and causes in auto accidents involving spinal cord injuries. With more than 1,000 expert witnesses throughout the country, our Salt Lake office has the resources for any case.
Because of the lifelong devastation spinal injuries cause, it’s important to work with attorneys experienced in paralysis cases who understand the full scope of the expenses, now and throughout the person’s lifetime. Younker Hyde Macfarlane, PLLC uses life care planners, economists, and other outside experts to determine lifetime needs, looking at issues such as:
- Occupational therapy.
- Physical therapy.
- Retrofitting your home.
- Retrofitting your motor vehicle.
- The impact of lost wages, now and in the future.
- The impact on family and loved ones, particularly those who may be providing care.
Important Considerations
There is a statute of limitations for filing a claim in a personal injury lawsuit. This means that if you do not file a claim on time, you permanently forfeit your right to seek compensation for your injuries. You should also understand that it takes time to prepare a claim. If you wait until the last moment, there may not be enough time to prepare the case and paperwork before the deadline.
If you are unsure about hiring an attorney, we recommend scheduling a consultation to discuss your case so that you can make an informed decision. Personal injury lawsuits are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means we will not accept compensation for legal services until you obtain compensation for your injuries.
Younker Hyde Macfarlane, PLLC has been in Salt Lake City for more than 90 years, serving clients throughout Utah. Our reputation is built on an outstanding record of verdicts and settlements and a willingness to tackle complex cases that other firms decline. In fact, nearly three-quarters of our clients are referred to us by other firms.
If you or a loved one has been paralyzed through someone else’s negligence in an auto accident, we suggest you seek legal advice to recoup damages and protect your financial future.
Please contact our offices to learn more.
