A car accident can lead to many types of injuries that range in severity. One of the most common injuries a car accident victim can sustain is a spinal cord injury. Damage to the spinal cord can compromise a lot of bodily functions, so a spine injury must be handled with great caution. Injured victims of a negligent driver can pursue compensation that can cover the extensive medical care they might need for their spinal cord injury and the resulting lost wages as they may need to be away from work for a while to recover. As they fight for their own life after a car accident, it only makes sense to let Philadelphia, PA car accident attorneys handle the legal matters for them. Here are steps that must be taken to make sure victims can recover compensation for their spinal cord injury and losses.
Seek Prompt Medical Care
Those who suffer from a spinal cord injury following a crash must seek immediate medical care. Usually, this injury does not look serious immediately, with symptoms possibly appearing within the days and weeks after the crash. Seeking immediate medical care ensures the sufferer gets quality treatment and that any injury is properly linked to the crash.
Collect Evidence
Often, collecting evidence starts at the crash scene; however, those who sustain a spinal cord injury may not be able to collect evidence immediately. But if possible, somebody must take photos of the crash scene including what may have caused the accident, injuries, damages to the vehicles involved, as well as debris and skid marks. Also, the names and contact information of the other driver and eyewitnesses must be written down. A car accident lawyer can contact these people later on to provide their statements. Also, they can help collect other kinds of evidence in the days or weeks that follow the accident.
Contact a Lawyer
Since spinal cord injuries usually lead to significant long-term expenses, the other parties involved may put up a fight against paying out compensation. This is the reason a victim must work with a lawyer with experience in handling car accident claims. An experienced attorney can step in early on and take care of the entire claim on behalf of the victim. They can collect evidence that can be used to prove liability, negotiate with the at-fault party or their insurance provider, and prepare the case for trial, when needed.