Los Angeles Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Can You Sue If Your Spinal Cord Injury Happened at Work?

Often, yes, even though workers’ compensation is usually your first source of benefits after a job-related injury. California Labor Code Section 3600 sets the conditions under which workers’ compensation becomes your primary remedy against your employer.

That rule does not, however, block a separate civil claim against a negligent party outside the employment relationship, such as a contractor, equipment manufacturer, or property owner.

What Determines the Value of Your Spinal Cord Injury Claim?

Every spinal cord injury claim is valued differently, since the value depends on how the injury affects your specific life. The severity of the injury matters most, since complete paralysis carries different lifetime costs than an incomplete injury with partial function.

Your age, occupation, and the strength of the liability evidence against the at-fault party also shape the number. A younger person with decades of lost earning potential ahead typically has a higher-value claim than someone closer to retirement.

Reach out to find out what your specific injury and circumstances could mean for your claim.

Compensation You Can Pursue After a Spinal Cord Injury in Los Angeles

California law lets you pursue compensation for both the measurable costs of your injury and the harder-to-price toll it takes on your life. California Civil Code Section 3333 sets the general rule that you are entitled to compensation for the full detriment caused by another party’s negligence, whether or not that harm could have been predicted in advance.

Economic Damages

Economic damages compensate you for the financial losses caused by a catastrophic injury. These damages are based on measurable costs and are supported by records such as medical bills, invoices, employment documents, and expert evaluations:

• Emergency medical treatment
• Hospital stays and surgeries
• Ongoing rehabilitation and therapy
• Prescription medications and medical equipment
• Home and vehicle modifications
• In-home nursing or personal care services
• Past and future lost wages
• Reduced earning capacity and loss of future income

A catastrophic injury often creates expenses that last for years or even a lifetime. Our attorneys work with medical and financial professionals to calculate the full value of your economic losses, including future costs that may not yet have been incurred.

Non-Economic Damages

Economic damages compensate for measurable financial losses, but they do not account for the personal impact of a catastrophic injury. Non-economic damages recognize the physical, emotional, and lifestyle changes that often follow a life-altering injury:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and mental anguish
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of independence
• Loss of consortium and the effect on family relationships
• Anxiety, depression, and emotional trauma

These losses cannot be measured with bills or receipts, but they are often among the most significant consequences of a catastrophic injury. Medical records, testimony from you and your loved ones, and professional opinions all help demonstrate how the injury has changed your daily life and future.

Punitive Damages

In cases involving especially reckless conduct, such as a drunk or hit-and-run driver, California Civil Code Section 3294 allows an additional award meant to punish the wrongdoer rather than simply compensate you. Our attorneys evaluate every case for this possibility, since it can significantly increase what you recover.

Find out what your spinal cord injury claim may be worth with a free case evaluation from our team.

How Long Do You Have to File a Spinal Cord Injury Claim in California?

Most spinal cord injury claims in California must be filed within two years of the date of injury. Missing that deadline typically means losing your right to recover anything, regardless of how clear the other side’s fault was.

Claims against a government agency, such as a spinal cord injury from a fall on public property or a crash involving a government vehicle, require formal notice within six months instead. Cases involving a medical provider follow their own shorter, more complicated deadline, so reaching out quickly matters even more.