Spinal Cord Injury Attorney Los Angeles
A spinal cord injury attorney is a personal injury lawyer who focuses specifically on cases involving spinal cord damage caused by another party’s negligence or wrongdoing. These attorneys understand both the medical complexity and legal challenges that spinal cord injury victims face.
Because spinal cord injuries often result in lifelong care needs, specialized attorneys are equipped to build strong cases that account for future medical costs, rehabilitation, assistive devices, and loss of income.
At The Trial Law Offices of Bradley I. Kramer, M.D., Esq., our attorneys combine medical expertise with legal advocacy to ensure clients receive the maximum compensation their situation demands.
Like a brain injury, a spinal cord injury can be one of the most devastating events that a person and his or her family can experience. The severity of a spinal cord injury depends upon where the trauma occurs.
Injuries that occur higher on the spinal cord usually have more severe consequences. Spinal cord injuries can result in any of the following conditions:
- Paralysis
- Loss of motor functions
- Loss of sensation in the limbs or other body parts
- Loss of manual dexterity
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Pain in the neck or spine
- Loss of reflexes
- Loss of balance
- Loss of sexual function
Spinal cord injuries can be among the most serious forms of injuries resulting from an accident. Your spinal cord carries vital and sensitive nerves that serve as a form of “communication highway” between your brain and other parts of your body.
Traumatic injuries to your spinal cord region can result in chronic pain, loss of control of your bodily functions, motor reflex spasms, loss of sensation, numbness, tingling, impaired movement, or even complete paralysis.
Injuries that result in a victim losing sensation and the ability to move his or her body below the area where spinal trauma has occurred are referred to as a “complete” spinal cord injury. When a person still has some feeling and movement in the region below the impacted region, it is known as an “incomplete” spinal cord injury.
Causes of Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries can result from various forms of trauma to your spinal region, including injuries from:
- Auto or car accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Extreme whiplash or twisting of your torso region
- Sports injuries or rough tackles
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Work-related mishaps
- Gunshots
- Falls that result in landing on your head
- And a host of other activities that may result in damage to one’s spine.
In many spinal cord injury cases, determining the cause and legal responsibility is critical. For example, if the injury resulted from a car crash, fault may lie with a negligent driver, a defective vehicle part, or even a hazardous roadway.
In workplace or sports-related injuries, employers, event organizers, or equipment manufacturers may be liable. A spinal cord injury attorney investigates every potential cause to ensure all responsible parties are held accountable.
Understanding and Responding to Spinal Cord Injuries in Los Angeles, California
If you have suffered any serious spinal cord injury to your head or neck, seek immediate medical treatment so that a doctor may examine you for spinal cord injuries. Such injuries can require long-term and expensive treatment and/or rehabilitation. Serious spinal cord injuries may require items or treatments that include neck braces, wheelchairs, orthopedic beds, specialized furniture, or long-term treatment facilities.
In many spinal cord injury cases, determining the cause and legal responsibility is critical. For example, if the injury resulted from a car crash, fault may lie with a negligent driver, a defective vehicle part, or even a hazardous roadway. In workplace or sports-related injuries, employers, event organizers, or equipment manufacturers may be liable. A spinal cord injury attorney investigates every potential cause to ensure all responsible parties are held accountable.
If your spinal cord injuries were caused by negligence or the wrongful act of another party, seek out a qualified spinal cord injury lawyer in Los Angeles, California, who can provide legal representation, evaluate your spinal cord injury cases, and help you with settlements and recover any damages that you may be entitled to.
Should you come across anyone who may have just suffered a spinal cord injury, do not move them unless it is necessary to get them out of harm’s way and prevent further injuries. Movement may exacerbate the spinal cord injury – even the simple act of trying to remove a helmet. Instead, keep the person as still as possible and call for medical assistance immediately.
Serious spinal cord injuries can result in painful and traumatic conditions that require long-term, expensive treatments that even many insurance policies may fail to completely cover.
Should you be the victim of a spinal cord injury as the result of another’s wrongful action, seek out a professional personal injury attorney in Los Angeles, California, for a consultation on your case and help in your recovery.
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are usually classified as follows:
- Tetraplegia: also called quadriplegia, it is caused by a spinal cord injury in the neck area and can cause paralysis of the upper and lower extremities, including both the arms and legs.
- Paraplegia: caused by an injury below the neck level and results in paralysis of the lower part of the body, including the legs.
Paralysis from Spinal Cord Injury
The costs associated with the treatment of paralysis from a brain or spinal cord injury can be staggering and victims often require a lifetime of medical care. Such injuries are classified in the following manner, depending upon how extensive the nerve damage is:
- Complete: no sensation or voluntary movement below the point of spinal cord injury, affecting both sides of the body.
- Partial: some function and feeling occurs below the point of injury; one side of the body may be more affected than the other.
In addition to the partial or total loss of movement and sensation, a victim of paralysis may have additional medical problems, such as difficulty breathing (possibly requiring a ventilator), loss of involuntary functions (inability to regulate blood pressure and body temperature), or loss of bladder and bowel control.
The Legal Process for a Spinal Cord Injury Claim
Filing a spinal cord injury claim can feel overwhelming, but understanding the process helps victims make informed decisions. Here’s how a typical case unfolds:
- Investigation and Evidence Gathering – Your attorney reviews accident reports, medical records, and expert testimony to determine who was at fault.
- Filing the Claim – The case is formally filed against the responsible party or their insurance provider.
- Negotiation and Settlement – Most cases resolve through settlement, where your attorney negotiates for fair compensation covering both economic and non-economic losses.
- Litigation if Necessary – If settlement is not possible, the case proceeds to court, where your attorney presents evidence and expert witnesses to secure a favorable verdict.
Throughout this process, your spinal cord injury lawyer handles communications with insurers, coordinates with medical professionals, and advocates for your best interests so you can focus on recovery.
Spinal Cord Injury Attorney in Los Angeles, California
When brain or spinal injuries occur, medical costs can add up quickly and overwhelm most families. If you or a loved one has sustained a brain or spinal cord injury due to another person’s negligence or wrongful act, you can and should hold them responsible.
Bradley’s dual background in medicine and law allows us to work directly with medical experts to build strong evidence. We analyze your MRI results, surgical records, and neurological assessments to prove how the injury affects your quality of life and future earning capacity. This medical precision often leads to higher settlement values and stronger outcomes in court.
At The Trial Law Offices of Bradley I. Kramer, M.D., Esq, our Los Angeles spinal cord injury lawyers have the medical and legal experience to help you with your case and secure the money you need to pay for past and future medical costs, compensate you for pain and suffering, make up for lost income, and provide for specialized needs (such as home accommodations, skilled attendant care, adaptations for car hand controls, etc.).
Our team provides more than legal representation—we guide clients through every step of recovery and justice:
- Investigate the accident to establish liability and gather critical evidence.
- Handle legal procedures and insurance negotiations so clients can focus on healing.
- Advocate for fair compensation to cover current and future medical and personal needs.
- Connect you with medical experts and rehabilitation specialists for continued support.
- Provide compassionate guidance for families navigating life after a spinal cord injury.
Our Los Angeles, California, spinal cord injury lawyers understand the traumatic conditions and difficulties that you face, and we will aggressively work to help with your case and protect your rights.
Frequently Asked Questions About Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuits
1. What is the average spinal cord injury settlement in California?
Settlement amounts vary widely depending on injury severity and liability, but serious spinal cord injury cases often result in six- to seven-figure settlements due to lifelong medical and rehabilitation costs.
2. How long do spinal cord injury cases take to settle?
Most cases take several months to two years, depending on complexity, insurance disputes, and whether a trial is required.
3. What damages can I recover in a spinal cord injury lawsuit?
Victims may recover economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, ongoing care) and non-economic damages (pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life). In extreme negligence cases, punitive damages may also apply.
4. Do I need to pay upfront legal fees?
No. Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only collect fees if we successfully obtain compensation for you.
5. How is negligence proven in a spinal cord injury case?
Your attorney gathers evidence such as accident reports, witness statements, medical records, and expert testimony to establish duty, breach, causation, and damages—the four elements required to prove negligence.
6. Can multiple parties be responsible for my spinal cord injury?
Yes. Responsibility may extend to drivers, employers, product manufacturers, or property owners depending on how the injury occurred.


