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How To File a Spinal Cord Injury Compensation Claim in California? 2025

In an instant, a spinal cord injury can change your life. This kind of harm has the ability to bring you emotional, physical, and financial burdens and challenges, whether you have been involved in a car crash on Interstate 5 near Palomar Airport Road or you have suffered an accident at Legoland. Seeking compensation is vital if you are to secure the support you need, but many people wonder how to file a spinal cord injury compensation claim in California.

At Perry Personal Injury Lawyers, we are here to answer that question. For years, we have helped clients recover the compensation and justice they deserve after suffering a spinal cord injury due to the negligence or reckless behavior of another party in California. We have secured hundreds of thousands of dollars for our clients and are now ready to do the same for you.

How Spinal Cord Injuries Happen in California

Every year, the United States sees a total of 17,900 new spinal cord injury cases. These individuals are often left with severe pain and disabilities and will find themselves dealing with massive amounts of medical debt while being unable to work and earn a living wage. These individuals have the right to file a claim for compensation when their accident and subsequent injury were caused by the negligence or reckless behavior of another.

In California, the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include the following:

  • Vehicle accidents. Just over 95,000 adults were hospitalized with a traumatic spine injury between 2016 and 2019, and many of these injuries were caused by vehicle crashes. These crashes can involve cars, commercial trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, electric scooters, and pedestrians. These accidents are typically caused by distracted driving, reckless driving, or drivers who are operating their vehicles under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  • Falls. When an individual slips and falls, whether that be in a grocery store in Sherman Oaks or in a restaurant at Disneyland, they have the ability to file a claim for compensation against the negligent property owner, manager, or tenant. These accidents typically result in injuries such as broken bones, fractures, muscle strains or sprains, internal organ or nerve damage, internal bleeding, concussions, or spinal cord injuries.
  • Acts of violence. In certain cases, you may be able to hold a person civilly liable for your injuries and also hold them accountable for a criminal act. In California, violent acts, such as gunshots, being stabbed in the back, or other kinds of assaults, can result in spinal cord injuries. Your attorney can help you seek a civil liability claim and recover damages while also ensuring the defendant is held responsible for their crime.
  • Medical malpractice. When an individual goes in for a medical treatment or surgery, they are placing their trust in the hands of their attending physician. When this physician breaches that trust through an act of negligence, several injuries can occur, including injuries to the victim’s spinal cord. These cases most often happen due to wrong-site surgery or a lack of necessary oxygen.

When you work with an attorney to file your California spinal cord injury claim, they can help determine the cause of your injury and who should be held responsible.

Filing Your California Spinal Cord Injury Claim

Over 300,000 people live with spinal cord injuries and disabilities in the United States. This is a staggering number, and many of these folks will wonder what their legal options are. In California, very specific steps should be taken when filing a personal injury claim for a spinal cord injury. These steps include:

  • Consulting an attorney. Though having an attorney present on your side in a spinal cord compensation claim is not legally required, it can make all the difference when it comes to winning your case. Your Oceanside spinal cord injury attorney can review your case, explain your legal rights, and guide you through the entire claim process.
  • Investigating the accident and collecting evidence. It is vital that you and your attorney launch an investigation into the accident to collect important pieces of evidence. This evidence can include medical records, photographs of your injuries and the accident scene, witness statements, incident reports, and any other relevant information that can help support your claim.
  • Filing a complaint. Your attorney can then help you draft and file an official complaint with the courts that will outline all the details of your injury, how it happened, and the damages you are seeking.
  • Phase of discovery. All parties involved will begin to exchange information through interrogatories, depositions, and document requests to prepare their cases.
  • Entering into negotiations or a trial. Finally, your attorney will enter into negotiations with the opposite party to resolve the case outside of court and reach a fair settlement. If such negotiations are not fruitful, your attorney can take the case to court.

FAQs

Q: How Much Compensation Can I Get for a Spinal Cord Injury?

A: In California, the amount of compensation you can receive for a spinal cord injury will ultimately depend on the severity and extent of the injury itself. The most common kinds of compensation available in these cases include medical bills, lost wages, the loss of your future earning ability, pain and suffering, wrongful death damages, and, in rare cases, punitive damages.

Q: What Are the Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury?

A: A spinal cord injury can leave victims suffering several different kinds of symptoms. These symptoms can include a loss of movement or sensation, intense pain, feelings of stinging or tingling, autonomic dysreflexia or overactive autonomic responses, and impairments of certain bodily functions, such as those affecting the bladder or bowels.

Q: How Long Does a Spinal Cord Injury Claim Take in California?

A: In California, it can be difficult to offer an exact timeline as to how long a spinal cord injury claim might take. This is due to the fact that several variables that are often involved in these claims can impact the overall time frame. These variables include the current caseload of the court, the availability of evidence, and the cooperation of all parties involved.

Q: What Should I Do After Suffering a SCI in California?

A: First, you will need to seek medical care. No matter the extent of your injury, it is always wise to get medical attention. You will also want to report the incident to the police in the case of a car accident or to a property manager in the case of a premises liability case. You will then want to gather evidence to support a future claim and contact an attorney.

Speak With a Trusted California Personal Injury Lawyer Today

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury in California, trust the team at Perry Personal Injury Lawyers to fight for your right to compensation. Contact our offices today for a case review.

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