Spinal cord injuries are among the most devastating injuries that any person can sustain, and many are the result of incidents caused by negligence: motor vehicle accidents, slip and falls, medical malpractice, violent assaults, and so on.
An expert can maximize the value of your SCI case
A person with a spinal cord injury may require a lifetime of medical care, not to mention the devastating effects on their ability to work, care for themselves and others, and do the things they love.
That’s why settlements and verdicts in excess of $1 million are quite common in spinal cord injury cases. With such high stakes, the right expert witness can make all the difference.
Getting to the bottom of why and how the injury happened
In SCI cases where liability is disputed, medical experts can play a significant role. Physicians such as neurologists and spinal cord injury specialists can offer expert opinions on how the injury occurred. In combination with other evidence, these opinions can help attorneys tell the story of what happened – and who or what was responsible.
Some spinal cord injuries are the result of medical malpractice: surgical errors, failure to diagnose infections, and so on. In those circumstances, it’s necessary to retain a doctor in the same specialty who can explain the applicable standard of care, as well as a neurologist or spinal cord injury specialist who can opine on the injury itself.
Quantifying the long-term cost of a spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injuries, by definition, are life-altering and disabling injuries that require a lifetime of care. Again, a spinal cord injury specialist can play a vital role by explaining the medical care and treatment that the victim will need for the rest of their life. These physicians can also explain potential complications and opine on the victim’s long-term prognosis.
Life care planners are also essential in most spinal cord injury claims. Because spinal injuries are permanent, a life care plan is needed to identify and quantify the amount of medical care, medication, assistive technology, and other medical expenses that the victim will experience for the rest of their life.
A physician life care planner can have an especially significant impact in an SCI case, both because a jury may give the testimony of a doctor more weight compared to a non-physician life care planner, and because a physician can independently diagnose the victim and form their own medical opinion on their symptoms and prognosis.
Get the right expert for your spinal cord injury case
Spinal cord injury litigation often turns into a battle of the experts, and the more compelling and thorough your expert’s testimony, the better.
Rieback Medical-Legal Consultants has been providing the best in medicine to support the legal community for over 38 years. Our experts are prepared to offer in-depth analysis and compelling deposition and trial testimony, and we proudly work with both plaintiff’s attorneys and defense attorneys because our dedication is to the truth, not to one side.
If you have a current or prospective spinal cord injury case, find the right expert to tell your client’s side of the story. Give us a call or contact us online today.