Reiner, Slaughter, & Frankel, LLP: Help for Chico Spinal Cord Injury Victims
At Reiner, Slaughter, & Frankel, LLP, we have over 40 years of experience handling personal injury claims. We have won more than $600 million in compensation for our clients and won over 98 percent of the cases we take to trial. Our team of experienced personal injury lawyers has the skills you need to aggressively manage your spinal cord injury claim, increasing the odds that you will recover the full compensation you deserve.
Every Case Is Personal
At Reiner, Slaughter, & Frankel, LLP, we live and work in Chico and have personal connections throughout the area. Our clients are our neighbors, and we feel a personal sense of connection and duty to each of them. We provide our clients with personalized care and support as they go through the claim process.
We Have a Reputation for Handling High-stakes Cases
Reiner, Slaughter, & Frankel has a reputation throughout California for handling high-stakes claims. Spinal cord injury claims can turn complicated because they involve substantial injury, financial losses, and life changes and losses. We strive to help every client receive the comprehensive support they need to get just results for those injuries.
We Make the Legal Support You Need Affordable
Dealing with a spinal cord injury proves more than expensive enough. You do not need to worry about the cost of legal support on top of it. At Reiner, Slaughter, & Frankel, LLP, we start with a free consultation to help us better understand what led to your accident and offer you insight into the compensation you have the right to claim. Then, we accept cases on a contingent fee basis: our clients do not pay until we win.
Did you suffer a spinal cord injury in Chico? Let Reiner, Slaughter, & Frankel fight for you. Contact us for your free consultation.
Compensation for Spinal Cord Injuries in Chico
Spinal cord injuries can prove incredibly expensive. Not only do you have high medical bills, but your spinal cord injury may also make it impossible for you to work right after your accident or long-term. At Reiner, Slaughter, & Frankel, LLP, we cannot guarantee the compensation you will recover, but we can help walk you through the damages you have the right to include in your claim.
Medical Costs
Spinal cord injury care costs can vary dramatically. If you have an injury high on the spinal cord, you may spend more than $1 million in the first year after your accident alone.
Furthermore, you can expect ongoing medical expenses related to your injury for the rest of your life. You may spend extensive time in a rehabilitation facility and need ongoing care, including occupational therapy designed to help you cope with the limitations created by your spinal cord injury. After you return home, you may also need ongoing care, including in-home support or an in-home caregiver.
Lost Income
During the recovery period after a spinal cord injury, you may lose your ability to generate income. You may need to focus on your recovery months after your accident rather than trying to hold down a job. Your employer may also require you to fully recover before you can return to work, even in cases where you could complete your normal job duties during recovery.
Talk to your lawyer about the time you have had to miss at work because of your injuries, including how many hours of vacation time you had to use to provide some source of income during the recovery process.
Lost Earning Potential
A spinal cord injury can sometimes permanently prevent you from returning to your former profession. If you used to work in a warehouse, in construction, or a highly physical job, your injury may prevent you from going back to work. High tetraplegia can make it very difficult for you to return to any work. Talk to your lawyer about whether you have missed out on earning potential and how to include it in your spinal cord injury claim.
Pain and Suffering
A spinal cord injury can permanently change the course of your life. Not only can it cause considerable ongoing pain, but it may also shorten your life expectancy and leave you with ongoing medical challenges. A spinal cord injury can also challenge independence and change your relationship with friends and loved ones. Talk to your lawyer about the suffering caused by your spinal cord injury so that you can include those non-financial elements in your claim.
The Basics of Chico Spinal Cord Injuries
Following a spinal cord injury, you have up to two years from the accident date before the statute of limitations in California expires. You should, however, contact a lawyer as soon as possible after your accident since if you allow too much time to pass, you can make obtaining the full compensation you deserve more difficult. Our Chico spinal cord injury lawyers can start fighting for you as soon as you hire us.
How Spinal Cord Injuries Occur in Chico?
More than 20,000 people with paralysis from spinal cord injuries live in California.
Those individuals may suffer spinal cord injuries in several ways.
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- Car accidents. Due to the force involved in many car accidents, severe damage to the spinal cord can occur.
- Falls. Construction remains one of the most dangerous professions in California, with around 90 fatalities each year. Many more workers suffer injuries, including spinal cord injuries, in falls each year.
- Industrial accidents. Accidents in industrial settings can increase the risk of a fall.
- Medical errors.
- Acts of violence, including gunshot wounds.
When you suffer a spinal cord injury due to the negligence of another party, including negligent security at a venue, you have the right to file a claim that will help you pursue compensation for those injuries.
Fighting the Insurance Company After a Spinal Cord Injury in Chico
After your spinal cord injury, you will often deal with the insurance company that covers the liable party to pursue compensation for your injuries. Unfortunately, insurance companies do not make that process easy. They may use some tactics designed to take advantage of you or to pressure you into accepting a lower settlement offer than you deserve.
You may:
- Receive pressure to accept a settlement offer fast rather than taking the time to look it over with your attorney.
- Have your claim denied, especially in cases where the insurance company can deny liability for the accident.
- Have the extent of your injuries ignored. Frequently, insurance companies downplay the damages you suffered in the accident, including the long-term need for ongoing medical care.
At Reiner, Slaughter, & Frankel, LLP, we have the resources necessary to help you fight the insurance company and recover the compensation you deserve.
What to Do After Your Spinal Cord Injury in Chico?
If you suffered a spinal cord injury:
- Follow your care provider’s instructions. Do not put off needed medical examination or procedures. Avoid activities that could cause further injury.
- Keep up with your medical costs, including all copay and deductible amounts you have to pay.
- Get in touch with a lawyer as soon after your accident as possible. While you may need to focus on medical care for a while, do not delay contacting a lawyer.
The sooner you contact a lawyer, the sooner a lawyer can begin fighting on your behalf. Sealing with a spinal cord injury can cost millions of dollars, so consider the need for compensation.
Chico Spinal Cord Injury FAQs
Who Has to Pay My Medical Bills After a Chico Spinal Cord Injury?
Enloe Medical Center and Fountain Medical Plaza offer viable options for medical treatment, but getting the care you need may not come cheap.
When you find yourself with high medical bills after your spinal cord injury, you may wonder who has to pay for them. As the injured party, you will need to make arrangements to pay your medical bills.
Many care providers will work with you to reduce your medical costs, so make sure you ask about those options. Furthermore, use your health insurance, which may pay for critical short-term medical treatments and long-term medical needs.
If you file a personal injury claim for your spinal cord injury, you can recover compensation for your losses.
A spinal cord injury claim will not require the liable party to pay your medical bills directly. Still, it will offer you much-needed funds that you can use to cover the cost of damages related to your spinal cord injury, including your medical bills.
Should I Accept a Settlement Offer From the Insurance Company After My Chico Spinal Cord Injury?
Only accept a settlement offer after talking to an attorney who can give you a better idea of who bears liability for your spinal cord injury and what compensation you should expect. A lawyer can review the conditions that led to your accident and the damages you sustained, including financial and non-financial damages, and provide more information about reasonable compensation for those losses.
Insurance companies often try to start with a very low settlement offer and may pressure you to accept that offer. By consulting a lawyer before you accept a settlement offer, you can better make sure that the offer fits your needs.
How Long Can I Expect to Settle a Chico Spinal Cord Injury Claim After My Accident?
You can expect it to take months after your accident to resolve your Chico spinal cord injury claim. First, your lawyer and the insurance company will need time to fully investigate the conditions that led to the accident and the extent of your injuries. Your lawyer may also recommend that you wait until you have had several months to recover before moving forward with a spinal cord injury claim.
Spinal cord injuries can prove tricky. You can suffer unexpected setbacks along the way. Furthermore, your doctors may not have enough information right after your accident to predict how much you will recover, including how much mobility you will regain over time.
Once you have reached a reasonable point in your recovery and the insurance company has had time to investigate, you may need time to negotiate a fair settlement. Insurance companies often negotiate aggressively to reduce the compensation they have to pay out, especially after severe injuries like spinal cord injuries. Working with a Chico spinal cord injury lawyer can streamline the process and increase the odds that you will recover the compensation you deserve.
Get the Support You Need After a Chico Spinal Cord Injury
When you suffer a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence, you need a personal injury attorney in Chico to help you fight for fair, just compensation. Contact Reiner, Slaughter, & Frankel, LLP at (530) 891-1909 to learn more about your rights.
