Personal injury cases involving spinal stenosis do not come with pre-determined settlement amounts. There is no average settlement value for these types of cases, either.
Settlements for spinal stenosis can provide compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other costs, depending on the injury’s severity. Changes to your career and relationships can result in more damages, and factors like age and dependents can influence how much you receive.
Factors That Could Contribute to Your Settlement’s Value
You might think that when you file your claim, the insurer will enter your information into a computer, hit enter, and get a generated number that reflects your damages. Instead, they will take into account various details of your case, such as:
The Cost of Your Healthcare Expenses
A large component of your settlement will be reimbursement for your past and future medical bills. Whatever you paid to alleviate your symptoms can be eligible for compensation, such as:
- Doctors’ visits
- X-rays and other imaging scans
- Prescription medications
- Physical therapy
- Chiropractic care
- Steroid injections
- Decompression procedures
- Surgery
Even alternative treatments, like acupuncture and massages, can be included if they bring relief from your symptoms. We can push back against stubborn insurance companies that want to dictate the care you receive.
The Impact of Spinal Stenosis on Everyday Life
A condition like spinal stenosis can have far-reaching ramifications beyond just medical bills. By extension, your settlement amount will also be influenced by how your life has been changed by the injury, such as:
- Your ability to work
- The length of time you can work
- Your relationship with your spouse and children
- Your independence
- Your quality of life
- Your mental health
Other factors may apply to your circumstances than those listed here. We will interview your family members, review your treatment records, and consult with experts to learn more about your condition’s details.
Your Pain Levels and Mobility
According to the Cleveland Clinic, spinal stenosis can affect the lower back (lumbar canal stenosis) or the neck (cervical spinal stenosis), putting pressure on the nerves in those locations.
If you suffer in the lumbar area, you could experience pain and numbness that extends from your lower back down to your legs. This could interfere with a job that requires standing.
Spinal stenosis that affects your neck could cause issues with your hands, arms, feet, or legs. The Mayo Clinic highlights that it can even impact bowel or bladder function when the injury is severe. These symptoms may not only interfere with work but also your ability to get around your home and handle everyday life.
Any of these consequences can yield more compensation in your settlement. Not only will you need funds to navigate the challenges that come with spinal stenosis, but you also deserve to be compensated for the upheaval this injury caused.
Miscellaneous Factors That Could increase Your Settlement’s Value
Other factors specific to your situation could determine the value of your damages. These factors include:
- Age
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Career
- Hobbies
- Dependents
- Injury length
For example, if you are a young person with no dependents, you could receive less than someone who is the breadwinner of their family.
If your spinal stenosis aggravates a pre-existing condition, creates a permanent and/or severe injury, or triggers a bout of depression, we can negotiate for a settlement that reflects those unique challenges.
Time Plays a Role in Your Ability to Pursue Damages
Your accident may not result in spinal stenosis immediately. It may take some time for you to feel the effects of irritated or pinched nerves. For this reason, it’s important to seek medical attention after any accident to search for injuries you may not feel yet. This includes trauma to the vertebrae that can cause spinal stenosis.
Your ability to pursue damages does not begin from the date you began treatment. Instead, it starts from the date of your accident (or the date you discovered your condition).
Personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years, per OCGA §9-3-33. Failure to file your lawsuit could bar you from seeking compensation in civil court. Our firm can determine how this deadline impacts your case and take legal action accordingly. You could be granted more than two years to act, depending on your situation.
Comprehensive Coverage
Our team has decades of combined experience handling personal injury cases. We understand the complexities of personal injury law and have developed an efficient process to help you through every step of the litigation process.
We provide comprehensive coverage, including:
Attorney fees and costs
Medical bills
Lost wages
Pain and suffering
Disability
Loss of consortium
Other losses
Litigation Process
The first step toward receiving compensation is filing a claim. To do so, our team will review your case and evaluate whether there is enough evidence to proceed. If we believe there is, we will draft a complaint against the responsible party(ies) and send them notice.
The defendant(s) then has 30 days to respond. After they do, we will schedule discovery, which involves gathering information about the incident and the parties involved.
After discovery, we will move forward with trial preparation. This means preparing witnesses, collecting evidence, and drafting motions. During this phase, we will meet with you as needed to discuss your case and answer questions.
Call Us with Any Questions About Spinal Stenosis Settlements
A condition involving the nerves can have wide-ranging consequences for each person–not only in terms of physical symptoms but also in how the injury impacts their daily life.
As a result, there is no average settlement for spinal stenosis because, at Kaine Law, we treat your case as anything but average. To demonstrate that commitment, we offer a free case review to hear your story and start evaluating your damages. Call us now – our Atlanta personal injury lawyer help you.
Call or text 404-214-2001 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
