Free Consultation
St. Petersburg Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
Helping injured parties seek justice and compensation for devastating injuries
Spinal cord injuries are some of the most severe injuries a person can experience after an accident. They tend to carry lifelong consequences, affecting all aspects of a person’s life. If someone else’s negligent behavior or intentional actions caused this injury, you may have the ability to recover compensation either through an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit.
Proving these claims and calculating your true losses is complicated, but a lawyer can help. Our team of spinal cord injury attorneys in St. Petersburg has years of experience handling these cases and will do everything we can to help you get the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Free Consultation
How we can help you
- What is a spinal cord injury?
- Why choose our St. Petersburg spine injury lawyers?
- Common causes of spinal cord injuries in St. Petersburg
- Who can be held liable for a spinal cord injury?
- Statute of limitations in Florida spinal cord injury cases
- Modified comparative negligence
- How do we prove your spinal cord injury case?
- Do you have a local St. Petersburg spinal cord injury attorney I can talk to?
What is a spinal cord injury?
A spinal cord injury happens when trauma, pressure, or disease harms the thick bundle of nerves running from your brain down your back. This can block or damage the way nerves carry signals, sometimes leading to loss of movement, sensation, or control of life’s most basic bodily functions.
Common symptoms of spinal cord injuries
Symptoms can look dramatically different depending on how and where the spinal cord is harmed. They may include:
- Loss of feeling or movement in the arms, torso, or legs
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness below the injury
- Intense pain, pressure, or burning
- Difficulty controlling bladder or bowel
- Sudden trouble with walking, balance, or coordination
- Odd muscle spasms or reflexes
Recognizing these symptoms early and getting prompt care gives injury victims a better chance at meaningful recovery. If any of these occur following an accident, seek emergency medical attention.
Why choose our St. Petersburg spine injury lawyers?
If you’ve been injured by another person’s negligence and are experiencing spinal cord injuries, it’s important to work with a lawyer who can help you obtain the compensation you need for your recovery. Here’s why our team is such a great option:
Decades of experience
We have more than 35 years of legal experience handling all types of personal injury claims, including spinal cord injuries. We’ve just about seen it all, from car accident cases to slip and fall and wrongful death cases.
Proven results in catastrophic injury cases
Throughout our careers, we’ve recovered more than $250 million for clients suffering from serious injuries caused by another person’s negligent behavior. We know what it takes to build strong cases and fight for you when you’re facing one of the most difficult situations of your life.
Direct access to your attorney
Our team of St. Petersburg spine injury attorneys understands how difficult this time is for you and your family. When you need to reach your attorney, we’re available and here to answer any questions or concerns you might have. We don’t pass you off to paralegals or send you to voicemail. We always keep you updated and are accessible to you.
Network of medical experts and life-care planners
Spinal cord injuries are often severe, changing every aspect of a person’s life. This means the damages you’re entitled to could be significant. We work with medical experts and life care planners to calculate your true losses, ensuring we demand what you’re rightfully owed.
No fees unless we recover compensation
Many people who suffer severe injuries are worried about legal fees. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about paying anything up front. We never charge attorney fees unless we win your case, and you never owe us anything out of your own pocket. No matter what your financial situation is, we can help you.
Common causes of spinal cord injuries in St. Petersburg
Motor vehicle crashes, especially in busy areas like I-275, 34th Street N, and 22nd Ave N, are the top cause of spinal cord injuries in St. Petersburg. This can include:
- Car crashes
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle collisions
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
- Rideshare accidents
Falls are also a frequent danger, including:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Falls at construction sites
- Unsafe property conditions
- Neglect in nursing homes
Acts of violence, such as assaults or gunshot wounds, and inadequate security also put residents at risk for spinal trauma.
In some cases, medical negligence is to blame. Some examples could be:
- Surgical mistakes
- Pharmacy errors
- Anesthesia errors
- Delays in diagnosis or treatment
Finally, defective products play a role in certain serious injuries:
- Vehicle defects
- Unsafe helmets or protective gear
- Faulty medical equipment
Each of these causes has unique legal aspects, so a local St. Petersburg attorney may be necessary to help you identify all sources of responsibility in your specific situation.
Who can be held liable for a spinal cord injury?
Determining who is legally and financially responsible after a spinal cord injury is key to getting full compensation. Liability varies depending on how the injury happened, and several parties could ultimately share in the fault.
Negligent drivers
When spinal cord injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents, drivers who acted carelessly, such as texting, using a cellphone, driving under the influence, or speeding, can be held legally responsible for the losses you experience. Proving a driver’s fault may involve police reports, cellphone records, witness statements, or surveillance footage. If your injuries do not meet Florida’s serious injury threshold, you may be limited in recovering non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, but you may still pursue certain economic damages beyond PIP limits.
Employers (vicarious liability)
If a delivery, truck, or commercial vehicle driver causes an injury while on the clock, their employer, like a major delivery company or trucking firm, may also be responsible for the victim’s damages.
Property owners
A property owner can be liable if a person suffers a spinal cord injury due to a hazardous condition on their property, such as broken stairs, wet floors, or spills that aren’t cleaned up.
Statute of limitations in Florida spinal cord injury cases
Florida’s statute of limitations for negligence cases, including spinal cord injury claims, has changed from the previous four-year deadline to just two years for incidents occurring after March 24, 2023. This makes it crucial for victims and families to act quickly after an accident, as missing this two-year deadline will most often result in losing the ability to recover any compensation at all.
Modified comparative negligence
Florida used to use a pure comparative negligence system, allowing injury victims to recover damages even if they were mostly at fault, subject to a reduction for their share of blame. For incidents after March 24, 2023, the law has shifted to a modified comparative negligence rule.
If you are found more than 50% at fault for your own injury, you cannot recover any compensation. If you are assigned 50% fault or less, you can still recover damages, but the amount is reduced according to your level of responsibility.
This makes it critical to work with a St. Petersburg spine injury lawyer who can fight back against insurers who argue that you were mostly to blame for the accident.
How do we prove your spinal cord injury case?
To win a spinal cord injury case in Florida, you must show that all elements of negligence are met, and each relies on a thorough investigation. Our St. Petersburg spinal cord injury attorneys build your claim methodically, using the right evidence and specialists at every step so nothing is overlooked.
Duty
The first thing we need to do is prove that the defendant owed you a duty of care. This means they had a requirement to act as a reasonable person would in order to keep you safe. This could prove that a person was required to drive safely, a doctor had to follow accepted care standards, or that a property owner was required to keep their property safe. This is generally the easiest step to prove.
Breach
Next, we gather clear evidence that this duty was violated. This might include police or incident reports, photos of the damaged vehicle or the scene, internal company logs/documents, eyewitness accounts, or findings from accident reconstruction experts. For medical claims, we work with medical experts to identify specific mistakes and precisely where appropriate standards of care were broken.
Causation
Our attorneys also need to prove that the violation actually caused the accident. If someone was negligent and breached their duty of care, you can only recover compensation if that’s what actually led to your accident.
Damages
Last, to recover anything, actual damages must be proven. This usually includes medical bills, rehab costs, lost wages, and sometimes pain and suffering.
Working with an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer St. Petersburg residents count on is an effective way to prove these elements and recover compensation for your injuries.
Do you have a local St. Petersburg spinal cord injury attorney I can talk to?
Yes. We have experienced local St. Petersburg spinal cord injury attorneys available, no matter what your situation is. We handle all types of injury claims and offer free consultations to anyone who is considering an insurance claim or a lawsuit. Reach out to our team to schedule your free consultation. We are located at 8351 Blind Pass Road, Unit C, St. Pete Beach, FL 33706.
Contact MattLaw Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a St. Petersburg spinal cord injury lawyer
If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury in St. Petersburg, don’t try to handle the challenges alone. The team at MattLaw Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers understands the life-changing impact these injuries have and is ready to fight for your full financial and medical recovery. Schedule a free consultation today with a dedicated St. Petersburg spinal cord injury lawyer; we’re here to listen, answer your questions, and guide you through every step of the legal process.