Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

How Spinal Cord Injuries Happen

The spinal cord carries nerve signals between the brain and the rest of the body. When it’s damaged — by trauma, compression, or severing — the result is partial or complete loss of motor function and sensation below the level of injury. The leading causes of traumatic spinal cord injuries include:

Motor Vehicle Crashes

Car accidents, truck crashes, and motorcycle collisions are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries, accounting for nearly 38% of all new SCI cases. The violent forces involved in high-speed crashes — sudden deceleration, impact, and ejection — can fracture vertebrae, compress the spinal cord, or sever it entirely. Rear-end collisions, rollovers, and T-bone crashes are particularly associated with spinal injuries.

Falls

Falls are the second leading cause of SCI and the number one cause for adults over 45. Falls from heights at construction sites, slip-and-fall accidents on unsafe premises, and falls from ladders are all common mechanisms. As people age, the spinal column becomes more susceptible to injury from lower-energy impacts.

Workplace Accidents

Construction workers, warehouse employees, and industrial workers face elevated spinal cord injury risk from falls, falling objects, machinery accidents, and vehicle collisions on job sites. When employer negligence or third-party negligence contributes to a workplace SCI, a personal injury claim may be available in addition to workers’ compensation.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

Complete vs. Incomplete Injuries

A complete spinal cord injury means there is no motor or sensory function below the level of injury. An incomplete injury means some function remains. Incomplete injuries may improve with treatment, though recovery is never guaranteed.

Paraplegia and Tetraplegia

Paraplegia affects the lower body — legs and possibly the lower trunk — and results from injuries to the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral regions of the spine. Tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia) affects all four limbs and possibly the trunk, and results from injuries to the cervical spine (neck region). Tetraplegia is the more severe condition and often requires full-time care.

The True Cost of a Spinal Cord Injury

The NSCISC estimates the following lifetime costs for spinal cord injuries (in 2022 dollars, for a 25-year-old injured person):

• High tetraplegia (C1-C4) — First-year costs: approximately $1.16 million. Lifetime costs: over $5.1 million
• Low tetraplegia (C5-C8) — First-year costs: approximately $843,000. Lifetime costs: over $3.7 million
• Paraplegia — First-year costs: approximately $583,000. Lifetime costs: over $2.5 million
• Incomplete motor functional at any level — First-year costs: approximately $389,000. Lifetime costs: over $1.7 million

These figures include direct medical costs only. When you add lost wages, reduced earning capacity, home modifications, adaptive equipment, personal care attendants, and the non-economic costs of pain, suffering, and lost quality of life, the true total is substantially higher.

The Legal Process After a Spinal Cord Injury

1. Medical stabilization and documentation

   The first priority is always your health. Follow every treatment recommendation. Every medical visit, imaging study, and therapy session becomes evidence of the severity and permanence of your injury.

2. Investigation and liability determination

   We investigate the cause of your injury — whether it’s a car crash, truck accident, fall, or workplace incident — to identify every liable party and their insurance coverage. In truck crash cases, this means immediate evidence preservation and FMCSR review.

3. Lifetime damages assessment

   We engage life-care planners, vocational economists, and medical consultants to project the full cost of your injury over your remaining lifetime. This is what separates cases that settle for policy limits from cases that recover what they’re actually worth.

4. Demand, negotiation, or trial

   We present a comprehensive demand to the at-fault party’s insurer. If they won’t pay what your case is worth, we take the case to trial. Our no increased litigation fees fee never increases for litigation.