Fresno Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

A spinal cord injury can shatter your life in an instant, leaving you facing medical bills, lost wages, and an uncertain future. At West Coast Trial Lawyers, our Fresno spinal cord injury attorneys are relentless at securing the compensation you deserve. With decades of experience, a proven track record of multimillion-dollar settlements, and a compassionate approach, we stand by your side to hold negligent parties accountable for injuries caused by someone else’s negligence.

Achieving a fair settlement is crucial, and our team is dedicated to ensuring you receive appropriate compensation for your situation. Don’t let your injury define you—let our elite legal team fight for justice.

Call (213) 927-3700 for a free consultation or fill out our online contact form to speak with an experienced Fresno injury attorney.

Why Choose Our Fresno Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer?

When a spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts your life, you need a law firm you can trust to fight for your future. Here’s why West Coast Trial Lawyers stands out as a premier choice in legal representation.

• Advocates for You, Not Insurance Companies: Insurance adjusters often minimize SCI claims to cut payouts. We fiercely negotiate and are ready to go to trial to secure the compensation you deserve.
• Nationally Recognized Expertise: Our attorneys are sought-after legal analysts, featured on major news networks for their insights on personal injury law, bringing unmatched expertise to your case.
• Proven Results: With over $1.7 billion recovered for clients, including substantial settlements for SCI victims, we know how to win life-changing compensation.
• No Upfront Costs, No Hidden Fees: We operate on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win, with no surprise costs, just results.
• Fighting for Your Full Recovery: SCIs often mean lifelong medical costs, lost wages, and rehabilitation. We pursue full compensation that reflects the true impact of your injury, not just what insurers offer.
• Trial-Ready Commitment: While some firms settle quickly, we prepare every case for trial, giving us leverage to demand the maximum settlement for you.

Choosing our Fresno spinal cord injury lawyers means selecting a team devoted to your recovery and financial stability. Aware of the physical, emotional, and financial impacts of these injuries, we commit to delivering the necessary support and representation.

Why You Need a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

A spinal cord injury (SCI) can change everything in an instant—a crash on Fresno’s Highway 41, a fall at a local construction site, or an accident in the San Joaquin Valley can leave you grappling with paralysis, chronic pain, and tons of medical costs. At WCTL, our Fresno injury lawyers understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll these injuries take. With no upfront fees and payment only when we win, we fight tirelessly to secure fair compensation for your medical care, future needs, and medical bills.

We dive into your case immediately, determining liability, uncovering evidence to hold negligent parties accountable and ensuring your current and future losses are fully addressed. An insurance company often pushes low settlements or shifts blame, but our experienced team handles all negotiations, protecting your rights so you can focus on healing. From Fresno car accidents to workplace injuries, we’re here to deliver justice for our community.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Fresno

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can happen in an instant, forever altering lives with devastating consequences like paralysis or chronic pain. In Fresno, where bustling highways and active industries shape daily life, certain accidents are leading causes of these life-changing injuries.

Here are the most common causes of SCIs in Fresno:

• Car and Truck Accidents: Fresno’s busy roads, like Highway 99 and Blackstone Avenue, see frequent collisions, especially involving commercial trucks. High-speed crashes or rollovers can jolt the spine, causing severe damage. Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of SCIs in Fresno.
• Motorcycle Crashes: Riders on Fresno’s open roads, from Clovis to the San Joaquin Valley, face high risks due to lack of protection. A single accident can result in catastrophic injuries.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents: With Fresno’s growing urban areas, pedestrians and cyclists are vulnerable to distracted or reckless drivers, often leading to SCIs from impact.
• Falls: Construction sites, warehouses, and even homes in Fresno’s neighborhoods contribute to SCIs through falls from heights or slips on unsafe surfaces, especially for workers or seniors. A fall accident is a significant cause of spinal cord injuries, particularly in individuals over 45.
• Workplace Injuries: Fresno’s agricultural and industrial sectors, including farms and factories, pose risks from heavy machinery or repetitive strain, leading to spinal trauma.
• Acts of Violence: Unfortunately, incidents like assaults or shootings in Fresno can cause spinal cord damage, leaving victims with lifelong challenges.

Each of these scenarios can lead to immense physical, emotional, and financial burdens. Our Personal Injury Lawyers understand the unique challenges Fresno SCI victims face and work tirelessly to hold negligent parties accountable.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

Damage to the spinal cord disrupts communication between the brain and body, resulting in permanent damage to strength and sensation. These injuries can lead to various types of paralysis, each posing unique challenges. Sometimes Surgical intervention is crucial in the recovery process to address trauma and preserve nerve function.

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) vary in severity and impact, each presenting unique challenges for victims in Fresno and beyond. Knowing the type of SCI is critical for pursuing the right compensation and care. Here are the primary types:

• Complete Spinal Cord Injury: Complete spinal cord injuries result in total loss of sensation, movement, and function below the injury site. For example, a severe crash on Fresno’s Blackstone Avenue could cause complete paralysis, such as paraplegia (lower body) or quadriplegia (all limbs).
• Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: Some function remains below the injury site, with varying degrees of recovery potential. Common types include:
• Anterior Cord Syndrome: Damage to the front of the spinal cord, often from trauma like a fall, impairing movement and sensation but sparing some touch.
• Central Cord Syndrome: Affects the center of the cord, typically from hyperextension in accidents, impacting arms and hands more than legs.
• Brown-Séquard Syndrome: Damage to one side of the cord, causing loss of movement on one side and sensation on the other, often from violent incidents.
• Tetraplegia/Quadriplegia: Affects all four limbs and torso, often from high cervical injuries in truck accidents or diving mishaps at Millerton Lake.
• Paraplegia: Impacts the lower body, commonly from thoracic or lumbar injuries in motorcycle crashes or workplace falls.

Determining Liability

Determining liability is a critical step in a spinal cord injury case. To prove liability, you must show that the other party’s negligence caused your injuries. This can be done by gathering evidence, such as witness statements, medical records, and accident reports. A spinal cord injury lawyer can help you determine who is liable for your injuries and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. In some cases, multiple parties may be held liable, such as in a car accident where both drivers are at fault.

Financial Impact of Spinal Cord Injuries

The financial impact of spinal cord injuries is substantial, leading to significant financial losses due to not being able to work and all of the out of pocket medical expenses, affecting every aspect of a victim’s life. Recognizing these financial burdens is crucial for securing necessary financial compensation.

The following subsections detail specific financial impacts, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Medical Expenses

The total lifetime cost for people who have suffered spinal cord injuries spans from $700,000 to $2.5 million based on the severity of their injuries and their age during the incident. Victims need extensive medical attention which involves hospital stays as well as surgeries, pharmaceutical treatments and diagnostic procedures while also requiring physical therapy and personal care services. To secure adequate long-term financial support for victims’ continuous and future requirements compensation claims must address future medical expenses. To correctly determine the total compensation amount necessary, expenses for home renovations and vehicle accessibility modifications should be taken into account.

Accurate tracking of medical bills is essential for spinal cord injury victims because it establishes the basis of their compensation claim. The cost of ongoing care from caregivers or in-home nurses represents a significant financial burden for victims. Patients need ongoing physical therapy to avoid developing muscle contractures.

Lost Wages & Earning Potential

A spinal cord injury greatly affects a person’s ability to work and limits their earning potential, leading to significant wage loss and financial instability. Common reasons for lost wages include hospitalization, surgeries, and rehabilitation. These injuries can lead to long-term disability, impacting future earning capacity and productivity, and often result in other expenses such as home renovations for accessibility or modifications to vehicles.

Pain and Suffering & Emotional distress

Pain and suffering from spinal cord injuries include the significant physical pain and emotional pain that victims suffer. These injuries can cause chronic physical discomfort and emotional difficulties such as anxiety and depression, profoundly impacting a victim’s ability to engage in daily activities and enjoy life.

Complications from spinal cord injuries may include bladder and bowel control issues, respiratory challenges, and the risk of pressure sores. Compensation for pain and suffering aims to address these significant impacts on the victim’s quality of life.

Statute of Limitations for Filing Spinal Cord Injury Claims

In California, spinal cord injury victims must file their claims within two years from the date of injury. This statute of limitations is crucial in personal injury cases because failing to file within this period typically results in losing the right to seek compensation.

Exceptions include cases where the injured party is a minor or if the injuries are not immediately discovered. Legal claims against government entities must be initiated within six months of the injury, unlike the standard two-year rule.

Contacting a spinal cord injury attorney quickly can improve the chances of securing compensation for the injuries sustained.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Fresno Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

At West Coast Trial Lawyers, we specialize in spinal cord injury cases, fighting for Fresno families to secure the compensation needed for recovery and beyond, recognizing the profound impact these injuries have. With our contingency fee model, you pay nothing unless we win. Our experienced Fresno personal Injury attorneys, trusted across the Central Valley, stand up to insurance companies.

Call (213) 927-3700 for a free consultation or fill out our online contact form to speak with our experienced legal staff.