Spinal Cord Injury FAQs

Yes. Spinal cord injuries caused by surgical errors — particularly spine surgery, neurosurgery, and orthopedic procedures — represent a subset of Georgia medical malpractice law. These cases require an expert affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1 at the time of filing and involve complex expert testimony on the standard of care. James R. Haug has obtained significant verdicts and settlements in medical malpractice cases involving catastrophic injuries. We work with nationally recognized spine surgeons, neurologists, and life-care planners to build compelling malpractice cases.

If physically able: call 911, do not move a person with a potential spinal cord injury (unless in imminent danger), photograph the scene and all vehicles involved, get witness contact information, and preserve all dashcam footage. Seek medical attention immediately, even if you feel your injuries may not be severe — adrenaline masks pain, and spinal cord injuries can worsen without proper immobilization and diagnosis. Then call Haug Barron Law Group at (844) HAUG-LAW before speaking with any insurance company.

If the at-fault driver or tortfeasor dies, your claim survives against their estate. More practically, the claim can typically be pursued against the liability insurer of the deceased, because most liability policies cover claims against the estate. In vehicle accident cases, the vehicle owner’s insurance policy is also implicated, regardless of whether the owner was the driver. Our attorneys ensure that all potentially liable parties — and all potentially applicable insurance policies — are identified and pursued.

Yes. Property owners in Georgia have a duty to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition under O.C.G.A. § 51-3-1. If a defective staircase, wet floor, inadequate lighting, broken railing, or other hazardous condition caused your fall and resulting spinal cord injury, the property owner may be liable. The key issue is typically notice — whether the owner knew or should have known of the hazard. Haug Barron Law Group investigates and documents premises liability cases thoroughly, including through inspection of physical evidence, review of prior incident reports, and analysis of applicable building codes.

Absolutely. Commercial truck drivers and their employing carriers are subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), which impose strict requirements on hours of service, vehicle maintenance, drug testing, driver qualification, and cargo securement. Violations of these regulations constitute negligence per se under Georgia law. Haug Barron Law Group’s James R. Haug is a member of the AAJ Trucking Litigation Section with deep experience in trucking injury cases. We immediately pursue electronic control module (black box) data, driver qualification files, electronic log books, maintenance records, and carrier safety ratings to build an overwhelming liability case.

Georgia law requires insurers to offer uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage to all policyholders under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11. If the at-fault driver has no insurance or insufficient insurance to cover the full value of your injuries, your own UM/UIM policy can provide crucial additional recovery. Georgia also allows “stacking” of UM policies in certain circumstances. Haug Barron Law Group identifies and exhausts all available insurance coverage in every catastrophic injury and wrongful death case.

There is no standard answer, because every case is unique. The value of your case depends on the severity of your injury, your lifetime medical and care needs, your age, your pre-injury earnings, the degree of fault of the responsible parties, and available insurance coverage. In catastrophic SCI cases, recoveries frequently exceed $1 million and can reach tens of millions of dollars. At Haug Barron Law Group, we retain life-care planners, economists, and vocational experts to build the strongest possible damages case. The only way to know the true value of your case is to speak with an experienced Georgia catastrophic injury attorney.