A spinal cord injury changes everything in an instant. One moment you are living your normal routine, and the next you are facing hospital stays, surgeries, and questions about whether you will walk again or regain feeling in your hands. The medical bills arrive quickly, and so does the pressure to accept whatever the insurance company offers.
We built our Fishers personal injury practice around clients who are facing exactly this kind of life-altering injury. We know how to build a case that accounts for a lifetime of care, not just today’s bills, and we handle the legal work so you can focus on recovery.
Common Causes Of Spinal Cord Injuries In Fishers
Spinal cord injuries rarely happen in isolated ways. Most trace back to a specific, preventable event caused by someone else’s carelessness or a defective product.
Vehicle Collisions
High-speed collisions on roads like 116th Street or I-69 place enormous force on the spine. A car accident at highway speed can compress or twist the vertebrae in ways that sever or bruise the spinal cord, even when the vehicle’s frame appears to hold up well. Truck accidents carry even greater risk given the size and weight differences involved.
Falls And Premises Hazards
Falls from height, whether at a construction site or a poorly maintained property, are a leading cause of spinal trauma. A property owner who fails to fix a broken staircase or warn visitors about a hazard can be held responsible under premises liability law. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, there are around 18,000 new traumatic spinal cord injury cases in the United States each year, and falls remain among the most common causes reported nationally.
What a Spinal Cord Injury Costs You
The financial toll of a spinal cord injury goes far beyond the initial hospital stay. Rehabilitation, mobility equipment, home modifications, and ongoing personal care can continue for decades, and many survivors never return to their prior income level.
We calculate these costs with the help of medical and economic professionals who understand what long-term spinal cord care actually requires. We factor in future surgeries, adaptive equipment, and lost earning capacity so that a settlement or verdict reflects your actual needs rather than a number the insurance company finds convenient.
Insurance adjusters often push for a quick settlement before the full scope of a spinal cord injury is even known. We push back and take the time needed to understand your prognosis before accepting any offer.
Levels of Injury And Legal Impact
The location of a spinal cord injury (cervical, thoracic, or lumbar) has a direct bearing on the compensation a case may warrant. A cervical injury resulting in quadriplegia carries dramatically higher lifetime care costs than a lower lumbar injury, and we structure every claim to reflect that reality rather than treating spinal injuries as a single category.
Why Fishers Families Choose Our Firm
We have represented Indiana families dealing with catastrophic injuries, including spinal cord injuries, for decades. Our team understands the medical documentation, the vocational experts, and the life-care planning that these cases demand, and we bring that same approach to every Fishers client we represent.
We also understand the toll this kind of injury takes on a family, not just the injured person. Spouses, parents, and children often reorganize their entire lives around a loved one’s recovery, and we build that reality into how we present a case to insurers and juries alike. Our statewide spinal cord injury resources reflect the depth of experience we bring to these claims across Indiana.
What to Expect After You File a Claim
Many people facing a spinal cord injury have never dealt with a personal injury claim before, and the process can feel overwhelming on top of an already difficult recovery. Understanding the basic steps ahead of time can make the experience feel less uncertain.
We start by investigating the incident thoroughly, gathering police reports, medical records, and any available surveillance or witness statements before the details fade or disappear. From there, we work with medical providers and life-care planners to document the full scope of your injury, since a rushed or incomplete record almost always works against you later. Only after that foundation is in place do we begin negotiating with the insurance company, and if a fair settlement is not offered, we are prepared to take your case to court.
Indiana’s Filing Deadline
Indiana law generally gives injury victims two years from the date of the incident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline can bar you from recovering compensation altogether, no matter how strong the underlying case may be, so reaching out as soon as possible after a spinal cord injury protects your options.
Contact a Fishers Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer at Wagner Reese LLP
A spinal cord injury does not follow a predictable timeline, and neither should your legal case. We take the time to build a full picture of what your recovery and future care will require before we ever discuss settlement with an insurance company, and we handle every step so you are not left navigating paperwork and deadlines while trying to heal.
Our team has spent years fighting for Indiana families after catastrophic injuries, and we are ready to put that same effort behind your case. Contact our office today for a free consultation, and let us start building the case your family deserves.
