Question 1

How long do I have to file a spinal cord injury lawsuit in Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

California's statute of limitations for most personal injury claims, including spinal cord injuries, is two years from the date of injury under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. If a government entity is involved — for example, a dangerous condition on a public road, a city bus, or a county vehicle — you must first file an administrative government claim within six months under Government Code § 911.2 before you can sue. These deadlines are strict, and the government-claim window in particular runs quickly, so it is important to consult a Los Angeles spinal cord injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Question 2

What is the difference between a complete and an incomplete spinal cord injury?

Accepted Answer

A complete spinal cord injury means there is no motor or sensory function below the level of injury, while an incomplete injury means some signals still pass through, leaving partial function or sensation. Doctors grade severity using the ASIA Impairment Scale (grades A through E). The level of the injury matters too: cervical (neck) injuries can cause tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia), affecting all four limbs, while thoracic, lumbar, and sacral injuries typically cause paraplegia. The classification heavily influences the lifelong care needs and the value of the claim.

Question 3

How much is a spinal cord injury case worth in California?

Accepted Answer

There is no single number — value depends on the level and completeness of the injury, the cost of lifelong care, lost earning capacity, and the strength of liability evidence. Catastrophic injuries such as tetraplegia and paraplegia frequently involve millions of dollars in future medical care, attendant care, equipment, and home modifications, which is why a professional life-care plan and a forensic economist are essential. We build each case to document the full lifetime cost rather than accept an insurer's early lowball offer.

Question 4

What damages can I recover for a spinal cord injury?

Accepted Answer

California permits both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include past and future medical expenses, surgery and rehabilitation, attendant and in-home care, assistive technology and wheelchairs, home and vehicle modifications, lost wages, and loss of future earning capacity. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life under CACI No. 3905A. Punitive damages may be available where the at-fault conduct was malicious, oppressive, or reckless. In severe cases, the future-care component is usually the largest part of the recovery.

Question 5

What are the most common causes of spinal cord injuries in Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

The leading causes are motor-vehicle collisions — on freeways such as the I-405, I-5, I-10, US-101, and I-110 and at busy surface-street intersections — followed by falls, motorcycle and bicycle crashes, pedestrian knockdowns, diving and recreational accidents, construction and workplace incidents, and acts of violence. Many of these involve another party's negligence, such as a distracted or speeding driver, a property owner who ignored a fall hazard, or an employer who failed to provide a safe worksite.

Question 6

Do I still have a case if I was partly at fault?

Accepted Answer

Most likely, yes. California follows pure comparative negligence under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, so your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but is not barred even if you were mostly at fault. For example, if your damages are $4,000,000 and you are found 20% at fault, you can still recover $3,200,000. Insurers routinely overstate a victim's share of fault to reduce what they pay, so it is important to have a lawyer protect your percentage with strong evidence.

Question 7

How much does a Los Angeles spinal cord injury lawyer cost?

Accepted Answer

We handle spinal cord injury cases on a contingency fee, which means you pay nothing upfront and no attorney's fee unless we win. We advance the costs of investigation, accident reconstruction, medical records, life-care planning, and expert witnesses, and we recover our fee only from the settlement or verdict. The initial consultation is always free and confidential, so a catastrophic injury does not have to mean out-of-pocket legal costs while you focus on recovery.

Question 8

What long-term complications of spinal cord injury can be included in a claim?

Accepted Answer

A properly documented claim accounts for the lifelong secondary conditions that often follow spinal cord injury, including chronic pain, pressure sores, recurrent urinary and respiratory infections, neurogenic bladder and bowel, muscle spasticity, and autonomic dysreflexia. These conditions drive ongoing medical costs and care needs for decades. We work with treating physicians, physiatrists, and life-care planners to project these future needs so they are fully compensated rather than left for the victim and family to absorb.

Question 9

My loved one died from a spinal cord injury — can our family bring a claim?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When a spinal cord injury proves fatal, California's wrongful death statute (Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60) allows surviving spouses, domestic partners, children, and certain dependents to recover for their losses, and a survival action can recover the decedent's own pre-death damages. We handle these cases with sensitivity while pursuing full accountability from every responsible party.

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