Types of Evidence That Can Help Prove a Spinal Cord Injury Claim
Spinal cord injuries are some of the most severe accidents a person can be involved in. They tend to impact a person’s life in so many ways and daily. When these incidents occur, the best way to be able to focus on your recovery is to recover compensation for your injuries and losses. To do this, you’ll need to obtain the right type of evidence to prove that you were injured and that someone else was responsible for it. Generally, some of the most important types of evidence that your Roseville spinal cord injury lawyer will utilize include the following:
Medical Records and Diagnostic Imaging
Medical evidence is some of the most important you can have in a Roseville injury case. Having complete and accurate records can show your diagnosis, how you were treated, and what your ongoing needs will be. Some important documentation includes:
- Emergency room records and intake forms
- Detailed hospital reports outlining every stage of your treatment
- Notes from surgeons, if applicable
- Physical and occupational therapy notes
- Treatment plans, Imaging results, like MRIs, CT scans, and X-rays
These forms of documentation are essential for confirming the existence, location, and seriousness of your spinal cord injury.
Medical Expert Testimony
Because spinal cord injuries are highly complex, cases often depend on expert opinions to translate medical jargon and outline how the injury happened and how permanent it may be.
This could include neurologists, neurosurgeons, rehabilitation specialists, and life care planners (to calculate the future costs of your injuries and losses). These experts can testify convincingly about how the injury likely happened, outline the survivor’s permanent disabilities, and calculate ongoing and future care expenses to help demonstrate the full scope of damages.
Accident Reports
Incident reports can provide insight into how the accident happened. This could include police reports, incident reports, or property owner reports, depending on how your injury occurred. These documents usually include who was involved in the accident, what happened, who witnessed the event, and who might be responsible for it.
These documents can’t definitively determine who is to blame, but they can be helpful when you and your Roseville brain injury attorney are trying to prove your case.
Photographs and Video Evidence
Visual evidence is a powerful tool for showing how serious your injury is. This could include photos of your accident, visible injuries, the accident scene, and video footage from surveillance cameras or dash cameras. For example, pictures of crushed vehicles can show just how serious an accident really was.
Witness Statements
Firsthand accounts from witnesses can be invaluable in a spinal cord injury case because they provide an objective perspective on how the accident happened. This often includes detailed statements from people who saw the accident, testimony from first responders, or statements from someone who was also involved in the accident, like a passenger in your car.
Evidence of Financial Losses
Spinal cord injuries can result in a nearly overwhelming range of expenses, both immediate and long-term. You need to calculate all of your current and future losses to make sure you aren’t left footing the bill and facing a significant financial burden. This includes medical expenses as well as lost income. Documentation that may be used includes:
- Hospital and surgery bills showing the total costs of immediate medical care
- Invoices for physical therapy sessions
- Receipts for home modifications like ramps, lifts, or adapted bathrooms are needed after your injury
- Pay stubs and previous years’ tax returns to document what you were earning before the injury
- Statements or letters from your employer explaining how your duties or hours had to change due to physical limitations
Often, a vocational expert can step in to help estimate the wages you’ll lose in the years to come.
This isn’t an exhaustive list of evidence, but it’s a good place to start. When you work with our team, we’ll help you obtain all the important pieces of evidence to prove that the injury was caused by someone else’s negligence and to show what damages you should be awarded. Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation.