A spinal cord injury is a devastating event that can forever change the course of your life. If someone else’s reckless or careless actions led to your injury in , the dedicated Snohomish County spinal cord injury lawyers at Walton Law stands ready to fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. With an office conveniently located in Mountlake Terrace, our attorneys have a proven track record of successfully handling catastrophic injury cases like yours.
Snohomish County Spinal Cord Injury Guide
Why Partner with Walton Law?
Choosing the right law firm can make all the difference in your spinal cord injury claim. At Walton Law, we have earned a reputation for excellence, as evidenced by founding attorney Christopher C. Walton’s recognition as a Super Lawyer each year since 2013. We combine big firm resources with small firm attention, enabling us to take on well-funded defendants while still providing each client with the personalized service they deserve.
No matter where you are in your recovery process, we will meet you there. Our team is happy to arrange a free consultation wherever is most convenient for you, whether that’s your home, care facility, or via phone or video. We also have an office in Bellingham that allows us to easily serve clients in northern Snohomish County. You focus on healing – we’ll handle the rest.
Securing Full and Fair Compensation
The financial impact of a spinal cord injury can be staggering. From emergency treatment to a lifetime of specialized care, the expenses can quickly add up to millions of dollars. If the injury was caused by negligence, you shouldn’t have to bear this burden on your own.
Our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys in Snohomish will aggressively pursue monetary damages for:
- Healthcare costs, including surgeries, medications, medical devices, and long-term care
- Lost income and diminished future earning potential
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life
- Necessary home and vehicle modifications
- Assistive technologies
- Funeral and burial costs (in wrongful death cases)
We work closely with medical and economic experts to fully understand the extent of your injuries and losses, both now and in the future. Armed with this information, we will build the strongest possible case to maximize your financial recovery.
Uncovering the Cause of Your Injury
Spinal cord damage can occur in myriad ways, but some of the most frequent causes we encounter include:
- Auto, truck, and motorcycle collisions
- Falls from elevations
- Athletic and recreational accidents
- Violent acts like shootings and physical assaults
- Surgical and other medical errors
- On-the-job accidents
- Dangerous and defective products
Identifying the specific cause of your injury is a critical early step in your case. Our skilled team will thoroughly investigate the incident, gathering evidence like police reports, medical records, expert opinions, and witness statements. We’ll get to the bottom of what happened and who is to blame.
Establishing Negligence Liability
Most spinal cord injury claims center on the legal concept of negligence. Put simply, negligence occurs when someone has a duty to act reasonably and fails to do so, causing foreseeable harm.
To prevail in your case, we must demonstrate:
Duty of Care: The Foundation of Your Claim
The first step in establishing negligence liability is showing that the defendant owed you a duty of care. This legal obligation arises in many situations, such as a motorist’s duty to operate their vehicle safely and follow traffic laws, a property owner’s duty to identify and fix potential hazards on their premises, or a product manufacturer’s duty to ensure their goods are safe when used as intended. The specific duty owed will depend on the circumstances of your case, but it is a critical starting point for holding the responsible party accountable.
Breach of Duty: When Negligence Causes Harm
Having established the defendant’s duty of care, we must next demonstrate how they failed to uphold it. A breach of duty occurs when the defendant’s actions or inactions fall short of what a reasonable person would do in the same situation, putting others at risk of foreseeable harm.
Some examples of negligent conduct that commonly lead to spinal cord injuries include a doctor operating while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, a store failing to clean up a known spill or obstacle on the floor, or a driver running a red light or texting behind the wheel.
Our team will gather extensive evidence to show how the defendant’s negligent behavior created the dangerous conditions that caused your injury.
Causation: Linking the Defendant’s Actions to Your Injury
Establishing that the defendant breached their duty of care is not enough to win your case. We must also draw a direct link between their negligence and your spinal cord injury. In other words, we need to show that you would not have been harmed but for the defendant’s wrongful actions. This is known as causation, and it can be a complex element to prove, particularly if multiple potential causes or pre-existing conditions are involved.
Our skilled attorneys will work with medical experts and use advanced techniques like accident reconstruction and biomechanical analysis to clearly demonstrate how the defendant’s breach of duty was the proximate cause of your life-altering injury.
Damages: Securing the Compensation You Deserve
The final element of your spinal cord injury claim is proving that you suffered actual damages as a result of the defendant’s negligence. These damages can take many forms, from objective economic losses to more subjective non-economic harms.
Examples of economic damages include past and future medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, reduced earning potential, and the costs of necessary accommodations like home modifications and assistive devices.
Non-economic damages compensate for intangible losses like physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, and diminished quality of life.
Our attorneys will meticulously document your damages and work with experts to calculate the full extent of your losses, both now and in the future, to ensure we pursue the maximum compensation possible in your case.
Protecting Your Rights After a Spinal Cord Injury
The aftermath of a spinal cord injury is a whirlwind of stress and uncertainty. While you’re coping with your new reality, it’s important to keep your legal rights in mind. Here are some key steps to take:
- Get appropriate medical care and follow your providers’ orders. This protects both your health and your claim.
- Save all documentation of your injuries and losses. This paper trail will be vital evidence.
- Preserve any evidence related to your accident, like photos or videos from the scene.
- Don’t give statements or sign forms from insurance companies before consulting a lawyer.
- Contact a spinal cord injury attorney right away to understand your options and start your claim.
At Walton Law, your first consultation is always free and comes with no obligations. The sooner we hear from you, the faster we can jump into action and work to get you the resources you need to move forward.
We’re Here When You Need Us
Christopher C. Walton, Spinal Cord Injury Attorney in Snohomish County
If you or a family member has suffered a spinal cord injury in Snohomish County, the compassionate team at Walton Law is here to help you weather the storm. Give us a call today to arrange your cost-free case evaluation with one of our seasoned attorneys.
We know this is likely one of the most difficult times in your life. Let us handle the legal heavy lifting so you can concentrate on what matters most – your recovery and your future. Call (360) 543-1010 now, and let us fight for you.
Walton Law, A.P.C. – Snohomish Office Location
6100 219th St SW #480
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
Phone: (360) 543-1010