If your spinal cord is injured due to someone else’s negligence, you need a Bethlehem spinal cord injury lawyer with a successful track record and the resources to secure maximum compensation. At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, we’ve shouldered the legal burden for injured Pennsylvanians since 1959, holding those responsible to account and enabling our clients to recover more than $1 billion in damages.
Ours is the only firm in Pennsylvania with three attorneys board-certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. The board has also board-certified four of our attorneys in Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy. Our lawyers are routinely honored for their proficiency in law by respected institutions and organizations, such as the American Association for Justice, Best Lawyers, Best Law Firms, Super Lawyers, the National Trial Lawyers, and Martindale-Hubbell.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence, navigating how to get support and compensation during this extremely difficult time can be overwhelming. Time is of the essence. Contact our Bethlehem spinal cord lawyers today via chat, email, or phone to schedule a free case evaluation.
What Is A Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)?
A spinal cord injury occurs when damage creates a loss of motor function and/or feeling or sensation. These injuries can present in various ways, depending on where they occur.
Traumatic spinal cord injuries are results of blunt trauma, typically suffered after a sudden accident.
What Are The Different Types Of Spinal Cord Injuries?
There are two types of spinal cord injuries:
- Complete spinal cord injuries: There is no nerve communication (movement, feeling, or sensation) below the established area of injury.
- Incomplete spinal cord injuries: There is some nerve communication (movement, feeling, or sensation) below the established area of injury.
The location of the spinal cord injury determines what impairments you may experience. The effects of injuries to different parts of the spinal cord generally include:
- Cervical spinal cord injury (Quadriplegia aka Tetraplegia): Arms and legs may be affected. Respiratory, bowel, bladder, and sexual functions may be compromised.
- Thoracic spinal cord injury (Paraplegia): Legs are typically affected; the abdomen may also be affected. Respiratory, bowel, bladder, and sexual functions may be compromised.
- Lumbar spinal cord injury (Paraplegia): Legs are typically affected; the abdomen may also be affected. Respiratory, bowel, bladder, and sexual functions may be compromised.
- Sacral spinal cord injury (Paraplegia): Hips and legs are typically affected. Bowel, bladder, and sexual function may be compromised.
“Munley Law is far more than just a law firm. We’re a family of attorneys who truly understand the meaning of family and bring deep compassion to every client we serve.”
J. Christopher Munley
Call us at (844) 686-5397 How Common Are Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries in the US are relatively uncommon. According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, there are roughly 18,000 new SCI cases each year, and approximately 302,000 people in the United States are currently living with spinal cord injuries. Cleveland Clinic reported that approximately 78% of people with spinal cord injuries are male.
Common Ways Spinal Cord Injuries Happen
Motor vehicle accidents account for the most common spinal cord accidents in the United States (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIH), 2023). Other common spinal cord injuries are traumatic injuries from:
- Violence: gunshot wounds, assaults
- Sports injuries
- Medical or surgical injuries
- Industrial/work accidents
- Degenerative diseases and conditions that prey upon the spinal cord
While some causes of spinal cord injury exclude seeking compensation (such as degenerative diseases), those caused by the negligence of others do allow you to pursue justice. If your injury was caused by someone’s breach of their duty of care, contact the spinal cord injury lawyers at Munley Law. We’ll assess your case and provide guidance on your legal options.
What Is The Average Settlement For A Spinal Cord Injury In Bethlehem?
The average settlement amount for a neck and back injury in the United States is between $100,000 and $500,000. It is worth noting that every case is different. Each of the following can have an impact on your settlement amount:
- Limits on how much non-economic damages can be recovered, and on what is considered to be pain and suffering, vary by state.
- The severity of your injury.
- The long-term outlook of your injury.
- If you go to trial, the jury or judge is likely to play a big determining factor.
- Whether or not you have a spinal cord injury lawyer.
Even after lawyers’ fees have been paid out, plaintiffs who have lawyers are shown to be twice as likely to receive compensation, and the payout is usually larger.
How Soon After My Spinal Cord Injury Do I Have To File A Claim Or Lawsuit?
Under 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 5524(2), the Pennsylvania statute of limitations gives you two years from the date of your spinal cord injury to file a claim or lawsuit. However, it is in your best interest to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible, as waiting can make it more difficult to retrieve evidence, documents, and testimonies.
How Can A Bethlehem Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Help My Claim?
The Bethlehem spinal cord injury lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys have the experience and resources to get you the best compensation scenario for your injuries, suffering, loss in quality of life, and all your future financial considerations that are relevant to your injury. Our spinal cord injury team will thoroughly investigate, conduct discovery as needed, obtain bystander and expert testimony, and ensure that all qualifying paperwork is in order. Payouts vary, depending on:
- Your spinal cord injury type
- How has your quality of life changed
- If one or multiple parties are negligent
- If you accept a proposed settlement or decide to file a lawsuit
- How willing the insurance company is to negotiate
Your future quality of life needs to be considered. Ongoing care, lost wages, and pain management are all to be considered when considering your compensation in a traumatic spinal cord injury case. It’s important that you’re aware of Pennsylvania’s modified comparative negligence rule under 42 Pa C.S.A. § 7102. This rule allows you to pursue compensation, provided you are less than 51% responsible for the accident that caused your injury. Your compensation will be reduced by the percentage of blame assigned to you. An experienced spinal cord injury attorney from Munley Law knows how to negotiate and when to push back and will account for all these factors.
What Can a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Do For Me?
Your energies should be reserved for your physical care and emotional recuperation. A Bethlehem spinal cord injury lawyer at Munley Personal Injury Attorneys will work closely with a network of expert witnesses, investigators, and medical staff to build your case, including:
- Communicating with insurance companies on your behalf.
- Investigating as needed (including securing expert testimony, interviewing witnesses, etc.)
- Gathering all evidence.
- Maintaining awareness of the legal timeline.
- Accounting for current and future medical costs.
- Accounting for lost wages — current and future.
- Accounting for change in lifestyle — mobility, environmental modifications to support possible changes in your mobility.
- Accessing your workers’ compensation benefits, if you were injured on the job in Bethlehem.
- Creating a premises liability claim if you were injured on someone else’s property (individual or business).
- Creating a wrongful death lawsuit if your loved one tragically lost their life due to someone else’s negligence.
- Negotiating the maximum compensation you are rightfully entitled to. If negotiations fail, a lawsuit seeking your compensation will be filed.
Why Should I Choose Munley Law?
For almost seven decades, Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys’ Bethlehem spinal cord team has handled numerous catastrophic spinal cord injury claims throughout Lehigh and Northampton counties. As experienced and successful negotiators, we will secure the compensation you deserve.
- Our award-winning personal injury lawyers have helped thousands of people nationwide
- We have been named among the nation’s Best Law Firms by U.S. News and World Report
- We have earned the highest client and peer review ratings from the esteemed legal guide, Martindale-Hubbell
- Three of our attorneys are board-certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
- Best Lawyers named Marion Munley Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability Litigation, and Medical Malpractice Law, named Daniel Munley Lawyer of the Year for Product Liability Litigation, and named J. Christopher Munley Lawyer of the Year for Workers’ Compensation
- The National Trial Lawyers named Caroline Munley to the Top 25 Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania and Top 25 Women Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania lists, named J. Christopher to the Top 25 Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers, named Marion and Daniel to the Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyers, and named all our partners among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania
- Our attorneys have been honored by Irish Legal 100, Lawdragon, The Summit Council, and Litigation Counsel of America, among others
- We’ve secured major client victories, such as a $1.3 million jury verdict for a truck accident that left the victim with serious spinal injuries
Munley Law began as a family business in 1959, and this foundation continues to guide us today. At our firm, you’re not only a client – you’re family. If we accept your case, we will do everything we can to ensure you receive the justice and compensation you deserve.
What Are The Upfront Fees For Hiring The Bethlehem Spinal Cord Lawyers At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys?
All consultations are free. We do not collect a fee for our services unless we win your spinal cord injury case. We cover all expenses to hire the industry’s top experts, investigators, witnesses, and state-of-the-art technology to build your case. When all is said and done, we only take a fee (a percentage of the settlement or verdict) if we win — and we win!
Take a look at Munley Law’s spinal cord injury lawyers’ track records of successful settlements and jury verdicts. We have experience, reputation, and resources.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bethlehem Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Spinal Cord Injury in Bethlehem, PA?
The compensation you can recover after a spinal cord injury in Bethlehem, PA, may include medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, long-term care, home modifications, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life. These include economic and non-economic damages. The exact amount you receive depends on the severity of the injury, how it affects your future, and whether you were partially responsible for the accident, as Pennsylvania uses a modified comparative negligence rule.
What Should I Do if My Spinal Cord Injury was Caused by Someone Else’s Negligence?
If your spinal cord injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, your priority should be to seek medical care immediately. Speak to a Bethlehem spinal cord injury lawyer as soon as possible after the accident to protect your rights and preserve evidence. An attorney can evaluate your case, explain your legal options, investigate the incident, and start building a case on your behalf.
How Long Do I Have to File a Spinal Cord Injury Claim in Pennsylvania?
In most cases, you have two years from the date of the incident to file a spinal cord injury claim in Pennsylvania, under 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 5524(2). If you don’t file your claim within this period, you may be barred permanently from recovering compensation. This is why it’s important to entrust your case to a Bethlehem spinal cord injury lawyer at Munley Law as soon as possible.
Do I Need a Lawyer to Handle a Spinal Cord Injury Claim in Bethlehem, PA?
While you are not legally required to hire a lawyer to handle a spinal cord injury claim in Bethlehem, PA, these cases are complex and often involve substantial damages. Insurance companies frequently attempt to minimize payouts, especially in catastrophic injury claims. An experienced spinal cord injury lawyer in Bethlehem can negotiate aggressively and, if necessary, take your case to trial to pursue fair compensation.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Bethlehem Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer at Munley Law?
It costs nothing upfront to hire a Bethlehem spinal cord injury lawyer at Munley Law. We offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay unless we successfully recover compensation for you. We cover all case-related costs, allowing you to focus on your recovery without added financial stress.
Contact Munley Law for a Free Spinal Cord Injury Case Consultation
Munley Law can make this challenging time more manageable for you and your loved ones by doing what we do best and unloading this burden, so recovery can be your focus. Chat live, fill out our contact form, or call us today to schedule a free consultation with our Bethlehem spinal cord injury lawyers.
J. Christopher Munley
James Christopher Munley is an award-winning plaintiffs’ lawyer who has dedicated his career to fighting for accident victims and their families. As a board-certified civil trial advocate, Chris was named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers for Workers’ Compensation by Best Lawyers, and has been listed on Pennsylvania Super Lawyers since 2013.
