Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys
Dedicated representation for victims of paralysis and spinal trauma
Call Now: (866) 222-2020Overview
At Keosian Law LLP, our spinal cord injury attorneys provide specialized representation for individuals who have suffered spinal trauma resulting in paralysis, loss of sensation, chronic pain, and other life-altering conditions. We understand the profound physical, emotional, and financial challenges that spinal cord injury survivors and their families face throughout Los Angeles and Southern California.
Spinal cord injuries are among the most costly injuries a person can sustain, with lifetime care expenses often exceeding $5 million. These cases require substantial resources and expertise to properly value lifetime medical care, home modifications, assistive technology, lost earning capacity, and the immense impact on quality of life.
Whether your spinal cord injury resulted from a car accident on the I-405, a truck collision on the I-5, a workplace fall, or medical negligence during surgery, our attorneys have the knowledge, resources, and determination to secure the substantial compensation needed for a lifetime of care.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
- Complete tetraplegia (quadriplegia)—paralysis of all four limbs
- Incomplete tetraplegia with partial function below the neck
- Complete paraplegia—paralysis of the lower body and legs
- Incomplete paraplegia with partial lower body function
- Herniated and ruptured discs causing nerve compression
- Spinal fractures and vertebral compression injuries
- Central cord syndrome affecting the arms more than the legs
- Anterior cord syndrome causing loss of motor function and pain sensation
- Cauda equina syndrome—a surgical emergency requiring immediate treatment
- Chronic neuropathic pain and loss of bladder or bowel control
Common Causes & Establishing Liability
Spinal cord injuries result from violent trauma to the spine. Establishing who is responsible requires thorough investigation and expert analysis:
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Vehicle collisions are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries. High-speed crashes on the I-405, I-10, and I-110 generate forces that can fracture vertebrae, compress the spinal cord, or sever nerve pathways. Rear-end collisions, T-bone impacts, and rollover accidents are particularly dangerous for the spine.
Falls
Falls from ladders, scaffolding, rooftops, and elevated work platforms at construction sites across Los Angeles are a major cause of spinal cord injuries. Property owners and employers who fail to provide fall protection can be held liable for resulting paralysis.
Surgical Errors
Spinal surgery errors, improper patient positioning during surgery, and anesthesia mistakes at Los Angeles area hospitals can cause devastating spinal cord damage. Medical malpractice cases require expert testimony to prove the surgeon deviated from the accepted standard of care.
Spinal cord injury cases often involve multiple liable parties and insurance policies. Our attorneys identify every source of potential recovery and file cases in Los Angeles Superior Court where juries consistently award substantial verdicts for paralysis victims.
What Compensation Covers
Spinal cord injury compensation must account for a lifetime of extraordinary needs. Available damages include:
- Lifetime Medical Care: Emergency treatment, spinal surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical needs projected over your entire lifetime by certified life care planners.
- Home Modifications: Wheelchair ramps, accessible bathrooms, widened doorways, stair lifts, smart home technology, and vehicle modifications for wheelchair access.
- Assistive Equipment: Powered and manual wheelchairs, standing frames, adaptive computer equipment, communication devices, and specialized medical equipment.
- In-Home Care: Full-time nursing care, personal care attendants, and household assistance—costs that can exceed $100,000 annually.
- Lost Earning Capacity: Complete or partial loss of the ability to work, calculated by vocational and economic experts over your remaining work life.
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for physical pain, phantom sensations, emotional anguish, depression, and loss of independence.
- Loss of Consortium: Damages for spouses and family members for the loss of companionship, intimacy, and family relationships.
The Legal Process for Spinal Cord Injury Claims
Spinal cord injury cases are among the most complex and high-value personal injury claims. Here is how Keosian Law handles these cases:
- Free Case Evaluation: We assess the circumstances of your injury, identify liable parties, and explain your legal options—all at no cost to you.
- Comprehensive Investigation: We deploy accident reconstruction experts, secure surveillance footage, obtain medical and employment records, and preserve all critical evidence.
- Medical Team Coordination: We work with your treating physicians, spinal surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, and pain management doctors to fully document your injuries and prognosis.
- Life Care Planning: Certified life care planners develop detailed projections of your lifetime medical, rehabilitative, and supportive care needs.
- Economic Analysis: Forensic economists calculate your total lifetime financial losses including lost wages, benefits, and earning capacity.
- Aggressive Negotiation: Armed with comprehensive documentation, we pursue maximum compensation from all liable parties and their insurers.
- Trial: If a fair settlement cannot be reached, our trial attorneys present your case to a Los Angeles jury, fighting for the compensation you need for a lifetime of care.
Why Choose Keosian Law for Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injury cases require attorneys with the experience, resources, and determination to fight for multi-million dollar recoveries. Here is why Los Angeles families trust Keosian Law:
- High-Value Case Experience: We have recovered substantial verdicts and settlements for spinal cord injury victims, ensuring they have the resources for lifetime care.
- Expert Network: We work with top spinal surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, life care planners, and economists throughout Southern California.
- No Fees or Costs Unless We Recover: No attorney fees or costs unless we recover for you.
- Trial-Ready Advocacy: Insurance companies know we take cases to trial. This reputation results in substantially higher settlement offers.
- Holistic Support: Beyond legal representation, we help connect families with rehabilitation resources, adaptive equipment providers, and support organizations.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, contact Keosian Law today for a free consultation. Time is critical for preserving evidence and protecting your rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our legal services and processes.
Spinal cord injuries are classified by location and severity:- Complete injuries: Total loss of function below the injury site
- Incomplete injuries: Some function remains below the injury
- Tetraplegia/Quadriplegia: Affects all four limbs (cervical spine injuries)
- Paraplegia: Affects the lower body (thoracic, lumbar, or sacral injuries)
The level of the injury determines which body functions are affected and the compensation required for lifetime care. Common causes of spinal cord injuries include motor vehicle accidents (the leading cause), falls from heights, acts of violence (gunshots, stabbings), sports and diving accidents, medical malpractice during surgery, workplace accidents, and defective products. When negligence causes a spinal cord injury, victims deserve substantial compensation for their lifetime of care needs. The lifetime costs of spinal cord injuries are substantial. According to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, first-year costs range from $375,000 to over $1.1 million, with annual costs thereafter of $45,000 to $200,000+. Lifetime costs can exceed $5 million depending on injury severity and age at injury. Our attorneys work with life care planners to accurately calculate these costs for your case. Spinal cord injury victims may recover compensation for all medical expenses (emergency care, surgeries, rehabilitation, lifetime medical needs), lost income and complete loss of earning capacity, home modifications (wheelchair ramps, accessible bathrooms), medical equipment and assistive technology, in-home care and nursing services, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium for family members. Spinal cord injury cases require specialized legal expertise because they involve catastrophic, life-altering damages requiring accurate lifetime projections, complex medical evidence from multiple specialists, understanding of long-term care needs and costs, negotiations with multiple insurance policies, experience with substantial settlements and verdicts, and resources to advance significant litigation costs. Our firm has the experience and resources to handle these high-stakes cases effectively. In California, you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. For claims against government entities, you must file an administrative claim within six months. However, given the complexity of spinal cord injury cases and the need for extensive investigation and expert consultation, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible after your injury.
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Sherman Oaks, CA
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