A Quick Overview of Paraplegia

Per the Mayo Clinic, paraplegia is paralysis from a spinal cord injury. If you have paraplegia, the paralysis affects all or some of your trunk, pelvic organs, and legs. Quadriplegia, also called tetraplegia, affects those parts of the body, plus your arms and hands.

Some people with spinal cord injuries have some motor or sensory function below the level of spinal cord damage. Doctors call this situation incomplete paralysis. Complete paralysis, on the other hand, is when all motor and sensory functions are gone below the level of the injury to the spinal cord.

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Recoverable Damages in Lafayette Paraplegia Accidents

Every injury case is different, even from one paraplegia case to another. For example, the medical bills and other factors can vary that determine what types of monetary damages you might recover.

After establishing the at-fault party’s liability, people typically seek to recover their medical expenses, lost earnings, and other economic losses like wheelchairs, adaptive vehicles, home renovations, and other costs because of their paraplegia accident. They can also request intangible losses, such as disfigurement, amputation, pain and suffering, and the loss of enjoyment of life.

Our paraplegia attorney in Lafayette, LA, can talk with you about the possibility of additional categories of monetary damages that could apply in your case. They can also advise you of the compensation you could recover.

Contingency Fees Demystified

Some people hesitate to call a lawyer to help them with their injury cases because they do not understand how legal fee payments work. We handle Lafayette paraplegia personal injury cases on a contingency fee arrangement. Reach out to a Lafayette Catastrophic Injury Lawyer to discuss your situation.

With this payment plan, you do not have to pay a deposit toward your legal fees. No matter how hard we work on your case, our legal fees will be a percentage of the settlement proceeds or court award. If you do not win, you do not pay us attorney’s fees.

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Pitfalls to Avoid After Suffering a Paraplegia Injury in Lafayette, LA

Even with such a life-altering injury as paraplegia from an accident in Lafayette, getting the compensation you deserve from the at-fault party is not guaranteed. Many things can happen that diminish the amount of your financial recovery. We want to help you avoid that situation.

Here are some of the pitfalls you should avoid when you have a pending Lafayette paraplegia claim:

  • Settling your claim before completing your medical treatment. Until you complete your medical treatment and get released by your doctor, you do not know if you will have an ongoing impairment that might be permanent. After you settle your paraplegia injury claim, your case is over. Even if you need additional treatment like surgery, you cannot pursue additional money from the defendant or insurer from this accident.
  • Accepting a lowball offer. Unless you work in the liability insurance industry and have access to the jury verdict information that insurance companies and personal injury attorneys use, you will be taking a wild guess about how much your case is worth. You should expect the first offer the claims adjuster makes to be far below your case’s value. A paraplegia injury attorney can guide you toward a fair settlement offer amount.
  • Not understanding how waivers or releases work in settlements. When you settle your claim, you must sign some paperwork before they give you your check. One of these documents is a waiver or release, in which you give up the right to go after the defendant for any more money for this accident. That one will represent your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, long-term impairment, and everything else.
  • Thinking that the insurance company will pay you a fair amount for your injury claim. The insurer’s adjuster might be friendly, but their job is not to pay you the full value of your injury claim. Their job is to get your claim off their books for as little money as possible, even if it means blaming you for the accident that left you with paraplegia.

When you work with a Lafayette paraplegia injury attorney, we can protect you from some of the tactics injured people encounter when dealing with insurance companies.

Louisiana’s Statute of Limitations Set Filing Deadlines for Lafayette Paraplegia Cases

Even with a devastating wound that causes paraplegia in Lafayette, Louisiana, our state generally gives you only two years to file a lawsuit for your injuries in CC 3493.1 and two years under CC Art. 2315.2 to file a wrongful death lawsuit if your loved one died from their wounds.

After the filing deadline expires, you cannot pursue a claim or a lawsuit for compensation against the negligent party who caused these life-changing injuries. Get in touch with us today so that our Lafayette paraplegia lawyer can review your case and start working for you.

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Working with Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers was an incredible experience from beginning to end. Jeanne and Kaitlyn were absolutely amazing - profession...

Working with Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers was an incredible experience from beginning to end. Jeanne and Kaitlyn were absolutely amazing - professional and always on top of everything. They kept me informed throughout the entire process and made sure I understood every step along the way. My case was resolved better than expected. I can’t thank them enough.

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New Orleans

Courtney Marsh has a positive attitude and great attention to detail in her work!

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Rhonda C.

Jourdan is an outstanding paralegal! She is knowledgeable, organized, and truly cares about the clients she works with. Every interaction I’ve h...

Jourdan is an outstanding paralegal! She is knowledgeable, organized, and truly cares about the clients she works with. Every interaction I’ve had with her has been positive — she takes the time to explain things clearly and makes the process much less stressful. Laborde Earles Law Firm is lucky to have someone like Jourdan on their team. I would highly recommend both Jourdan and the firm to anyone looking for trustworthy and reliable legal support.

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Matt Picard

New Orleans

Each time I interact with a member of the Laborde Earls team I am always extremely satisfied with the service provided. I had the pleasure of speaking...

Each time I interact with a member of the Laborde Earls team I am always extremely satisfied with the service provided. I had the pleasure of speaking with Mrs. Marsh today. She was extremely knowledgeable in addition to being patient and empathetic. She was able to provide me with the necessary resources and provided me with encouragement throughout the process. I definitely recommend Laborde Earls! Ask for Courtney!

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Megan C.

I just want to say that Kelby is a wonderful Attorney and will do what ever it takes to make sure you are taking care of. And his Team of Paralegal's,...

I just want to say that Kelby is a wonderful Attorney and will do what ever it takes to make sure you are taking care of. And his Team of Paralegal's, Amber, Toni, Debbie, Alana & Erica are absolutely amazing. You couldn't have ask for better. And to Rachael, she was so sweet the other day when I needed some information about when my advance was going to be ready. Thank you Laborde Earle's Law Firm for always being the Best.

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Lauren O'Quinn

New Orleans

Over the past 3 years I have encountered one of the best Law Firms in Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers which have been handling my Lejeune Contaminated T...

Over the past 3 years I have encountered one of the best Law Firms in Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers which have been handling my Lejeune Contaminated Toxic Water Claim. Mr. John Chaillot has been instrumental in advising me on documentation, timelines, and all matters pertaining to my case. A true professional and appreciated. Thank you.

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Stephan C.

They have good to keep me updated on the case but so far the settlement has not been reached.

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Lisa S.

Elizabeth Lachney was super helpful in explaining a lot of things i didnt understand about my case. Very respectful and seemed so welling to help me! ...

Elizabeth Lachney was super helpful in explaining a lot of things i didnt understand about my case. Very respectful and seemed so welling to help me! She is the best, I 1000% recommend her if you have any questions!

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skylar bachman

New Iberia

Each time I interact with a member of the Laborde Earls team I am always extremely satisfied with the service provided. I had the pleasure of speaking...

Each time I interact with a member of the Laborde Earls team I am always extremely satisfied with the service provided. I had the pleasure of speaking with Mrs. Marsh today. She was extremely knowledgeable in addition to being patient and empathetic. She was able to provide me with the necessary resources and provided me with encouragement throughout the process. I definitely recommend Laborde Earls! Ask for Courtney!

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Megan Couvillon

Alexandria

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Call Us Today – Our Lafayette Paraplegia Lawyers Can Help

We founded Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers to help people who suffered harm due to others’ negligence. We collectively have more than 350 years of personal injury experience, so no matter how unique your Lafayette paraplegia injury case might be, we have the experience of other cases to guide us as we handle it.

Come find out why people call us “Louisiana Attorneys That Care.” We treat our clients like family and work together like a big team. You can contact us today for a free initial consultation on your case. We are ready to talk to you today.

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