Choosing the Right Lawyer for Your Spinal Cord Injury Claim

• February 10, 2025
• Attorney David Mann
• Personal Injury

Spinal cord injuries can be mildly discomforting or extremely painful.  These injuries occur when there is damage to the spinal cord itself or to the bones that surround it.  If you have had a major spinal cord injury, you understand the long recovery process where you may miss work and have high medical bills.  Obtaining the right legal representation is an important part of getting compensation for your injuries, either through workers’ compensation or a personal injury claim.  In this blog post, we will discuss choosing the right lawyer for your spinal cord injury.

Why a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer is Essential

Hiring the right lawyer for your spinal cord injury claim is very important if you want to be made financially and emotionally whole.  While money won’t fix your injuries, it will be less stressful if you don’t have to worry about paying your influx of bills.  You should not attempt to file a claim on your own.  A spinal cord injury lawyer knows how much your claim will be worth and will fight against insurance companies on your behalf.

Specifically, a spinal cord injury lawyer will help you by:

• Understanding your injuries and coming up with an estimated amount for possible compensation
• Analyzing medical and police reports from the scene of the accident
• Interviewing eyewitnesses to the accident
• Negotiating with insurance companies to come up with a fair settlement for your spinal cord injuries
• Filing a lawsuit in court if a fair settlement can’t be reached
• Taking your case to trial.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Lawyer

Choosing the best lawyer for your injuries can be a daunting but important task.  There are certain criteria to look for when deciding what type of lawyer to hire for your spinal cord injury.  Some of the most important factors are:

• Expertise and Experience – This is one of the most important factors when choosing an attorney.  Personal injury law can be complex, and you want one who has the experience in handling personal injury law and the in-depth knowledge needed to handle your spinal cord injury claim.
• Reviews and Testimonials – A personal injury lawyer is only as good as his effectiveness in satisfying clients.  Thus, reading reviews about your prospective attorney is essential to see if they are a good fit.  Also, speaking with past clients, especially those you trust, can go a long way in choosing the right attorney for you.
• Compatibility and Chemistry – You want a legal partner you are compatible with.  Personal injury attorneys and clients should work well together for the common goal of compensation for injuries.  In order to claim victory, there needs to be chemistry.  If not, the attorney/client relationship will suffer.
• Communication and Availability – Successful personal injury attorneys are in constant communication with their clients about the status of the claim.  This shows that the attorney is sensitive to the needs of injured clients so they won’t think the attorney has forgotten about their claim or has dropped the ball.

Questions to Ask Potential Lawyers

You will have many questions about your specific case when hiring a personal injury lawyer.  However, before you sign up with one, you should come prepared with questions about the law firm itself.  The answers to these questions will help you decide whether to hire them.  Some important questions to ask are:

• How much do you charge for your services? – Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis, which means they get paid only if you get compensated.  Your attorney takes a percentage of the total amount as a fee.  You may also want to ask the percentage amount of the total compensation will be given to your lawyer.
• Have you worked on cases like mine before? – You should hire a lawyer who previously handled spinal cord cases like yours.  Not all personal injury cases are alike.
• Can you show me references from past clients? – Your personal injury attorney should have written statements from past clients at the ready.  You should be able to contact them and discuss their thoughts about working with this particular attorney.
• How many cases are you currently handling? – Your spinal cord injury attorney should be available to you whenever you have a question.   If your attorney has too many clients on his caseload, getting facetime could be difficult, thus frustrating.

There are many more questions you should be asking your personal injury attorney before you sign on the dotted line.  Bring those questions with you to your initial consultation and take notes.  The answers to these questions will help you make an informed opinion.

Steps to Take After a Spinal Cord Injury

After a spinal cord injury. it is important to follow these steps in order to protect your rights as well as your health:

• Get medical attention right away – Call an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency room to receive medical care.
• Contact the police – Provide a detailed report to the police about the circumstances following the accident.
• Document the scene – If possible, take pictures and videos of the accident scene, your injuries, and the environment surrounding the scene.
• Gather witness contact information – Eyewitnesses can be an important part of your personal injury claim. Make sure you collect their name, email address, and phone number.
• Find an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer – Speak to the right lawyer for your case and file a personal injury claim.

Contact the Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers at the Mann Law Firm Today

The Mann Law Firm has been helping clients with spinal cord injuries for over 40 years. David Mann has experience working as in-house defense counsel for a large insurance company, so he knows the tactics they use to pay out as little as possible in compensation.  At the Mann Law Firm, you always come first.  Give us a call at (478) 742-3381 for a free initial consultation.