St. Petersburg Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

When you suffer a back injury, the St. Petersburg spinal injury lawyers of Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner fight on your behalf by leveraging our 30 combined years of trial law experience to obtain compensation for you. Back and spinal cord injuries complicate the lives of those who suffer from them in a wide variety of ways, and many people with these ailments must stay on bed rest and miss significant work time. We give you personal attention throughout your entire case, thoroughly researching your medical history so the defense can’t claim that you are lying about your injury. Contact our St. Petersburg injury lawyers today to begin discussing your case.

Why Choose Us

Our firm has a strong track record of successful settlements and jury verdicts. We have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients.
Your personal injury attorney will work directly with you throughout your case. You will always be able to ask questions, raise concerns, and receive important case updates.
Our firm operates on a contingency fee basis to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. If we do not secure compensation on your behalf, you will not owe legal fees.

Spinal Cord Injuries Can Have Painful Consequences

Back and spinal cord injuries can result from a wide variety of causes, the most common of which include car accidents, hard falls, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, hernias, fractures and muscle tears. Many back injuries become chronic problems, meaning that the victim may require lifelong medical and therapeutic care. Victims often re-injure their backs, making the pain even worse.

Without the help of a reliable St. Petersburg accident lawyer, people who suffer from spinal injuries have no choice but to work through the pain and risk exacerbating the problem. These victims tend to experience problems such as:

Pain in the legs
Weakness or numbness in feet/legs
Sleep deprivation
Difficulty sitting/standing for long periods
Bowel/bladder changes

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) states that approximately 17,810 new cases of spinal cord injuries occur each year. Spinal cord damage can occur during multiple types of accidents, including motor vehicle collisions, slip and falls, and incidents of medical negligence. In many cases, another person’s actions are responsible for these severe injuries.

According to the NSCISC, some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include the following.

38.6% of spinal cord injuries have been caused by motor vehicle collisions.
32.2% of spinal cord injuries have been caused by falls.
14% of spinal cord injuries have been caused by acts of violence, such as gunshot wounds.
7.8% of spinal cord injuries have been caused by sports and recreation activities.
4.2% of spinal cord injuries have been caused by medical or surgical incidents, such as acts of medical malpractice.

Legal Options for St. Petersburg Spinal Cord Injury Victims

If you have developed a spinal cord injury in an accident, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Through a lawsuit or insurance claim, you can recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and more. Your optimal legal pathway will depend on the circumstances surrounding your accident.

For example, if you slip and fall on a hazard on someone else’s property, you can file a lawsuit or homeowner’s insurance claim against the property owner. You could file a medical malpractice lawsuit against a surgeon who commits a mistake and damages your spinal cord during a procedure.

Most spinal cord injuries occur during a car accident. Florida is a no-fault insurance state, meaning that victims of car accidents must pay for their own damages through personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. However, if your injuries meet Florida’s serious injury thresholds, you can escalate your case to a third-party insurance claim or lawsuit.

In Florida, a serious injury involves one of the following.

Substantially full disability for at least 90 days
Permanent limitation of use of a body organ or member
Significant limitation of use of a body function or system
Bone fracture
Significant disfigurement

Spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries typically meet Florida’s definition of a serious injury. As a result, it is very likely that you will be eligible for a third-party claim or lawsuit after a car accident. To determine your optimal path to compensation, speak to a St. Petersburg spinal cord injury attorney at Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner.

How to Prove a Spinal Cord Injury Claim

If you are planning on filing an insurance claim for a spinal cord injury, you will either need to prove that you are eligible for compensation under the terms of your PIP policy or that the policyholder is responsible for your accident. To secure damages in a Florida spinal cord injury lawsuit, you and your lawyer will need to gather evidence to support the following four elements.

The at-fault party owed you a duty of care.
The at-fault party breached his or her duty of care.
The breach of duty caused your accident and spinal cord injury.
You sustained damages in the accident that you can collect in the lawsuit.

Our Attorneys Give You Relief

When you suffer a spinal injury and are swamped by medical bills, our dedicated team is here to provide relief. We have a passion for trial law, and whether your case goes to trial or not, we have the ability to secure high levels of compensation for:

Medical care. We seek compensation to cover the costs of your medical bills.
Rehabilitation. Many people who suffer back injuries undergo physical therapy. We obtain compensation to cover fees for therapy.
Loss of wages. To compensate you for the time you miss from work, we seek damages to cover your lost wages and earning capacity.
Vehicle repairs. If your vehicle is salvageable, we seek coverage for the repairs it needs.
Pain and suffering. We obtain damages to compensate you for your pain and suffering.
Punitive damages. If your accident was caused by a drunk driver or someone who was on drugs, we will ask the court for punitive damages to punish the person for their actions.

Contact Our St. Petersburg Spinal Injury Lawyers Today

At Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner, the courtroom is our home, and our clients are our greatest passion. We care deeply about your health and getting you the funds you need to move forward after your injury. Contact our St. Petersburg spinal injury attorneys today to arrange a free consultation.

If you can’t get to our offices, we will come to you. Other lawyers might say that they go to trial, but we pride ourselves on being true trial lawyers, which makes a major difference in results. Trust our experience and skills to win you the care you deserve.