If one is seriously injured in an accident, there is a good chance that one’s life could be altered because of the consequences. One may have to make a huge adjustment to one’s life due to the loss of a limb or paralysis. Texas’s Attorney General Greg Abbott knows the long-term effects of being involved in an accident very well. This year, he is to receive half a million dollars from legal settlements about a personal injury claim from when he sustained a serious spinal cord injury, causing him to become a paraplegic.
The accident occurred in 1984 when a tree fell on Abbott’s back, causing a spinal cord injury resulting in the loss of the use of his legs. The following year, Abbott filed personal injury claims against both the homeowner on whose property the tree was as well as the tree service company who were supposed to have thoroughly inspected the tree. Due to a legal settlement, Abbott receives monthly incomes and also lump-sums every few years from the agreement.
This year, Abbott will receive about $14,000 a month, and his next lump-sum is due in November, which will be $400,000. These compensations also rise each year in an attempt to keep up with the rising cost of living. By the end of this year, in total, Abbott will have received $5.8 million.
Despite the large amount of money Abbott has received, he says that he would give it all back to be able to walk again. Although, Abbott states that he is very thankful for his settlement because it assists him with the day-to-day challenges he faces because of his disability. For those injured in an accident in Texas, whether the injury is as severe as Abbott’s or not, filing a personal injury claim can help compensate one for medical bills, pain and suffering and possibly the long-term care one may need after one’s accident.
Source:
The Texas Tribune, “Abbott Discusses Details of Lawsuit Settlement,” Jay Root, Aug. 2, 2013