Mesa Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

How a Spinal Cord Injury Can Change Your Life

A spinal cord injury is unlike almost any other injury a person can suffer. The damage is often permanent, the medical needs are lifelong, and the impact on every dimension of daily life. From the ability to work and move independently to the ability to maintain relationships and pursue the activities that once defined who you were, can be profound and long-lasting.  Spinal cord injuries affect the body's ability to send and receive signals between the brain and the rest of the body. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, the consequences can range from partial loss of sensation or motor function in specific areas to complete paralysis below the point of injury. Injuries higher on the spinal cord, in the cervical region, can affect breathing, hand and arm function, and virtually every bodily system below the neck. Injuries in the thoracic and lumbar regions typically affect the trunk, legs, bladder, bowel, and sexual function.
Skousen Gulbrandsen & Patience PLC represents spinal cord injury victims and their families throughout Mesa and the greater Phoenix area. Our personal injury attorneys fight for the full compensation our clients need to rebuild their lives. Call (480) 833-8800 to book a free consultation today.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Mesa

Spinal cord injuries in the Mesa area most commonly result from:
  • Motor vehicle accidents, including car, truck, and motorcycle crashes
  • Falls from elevated surfaces, ladders, scaffolding, and rooftops
  • Pedestrian and bicycle accidents where victims are struck by vehicles
  • Diving accidents into shallow water
  • Sports and recreational accidents
  • Acts of violence including gunshot wounds
  • Construction and workplace accidents involving falls or falling objects
  • Medical negligence during spinal procedures or delayed diagnosis of spinal emergencies
The cause of the injury determines which parties may be liable and what legal theories apply to the case.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries We Handle

The attorneys at Skousen Gulbrandsen & Patience PLC handle a wide range of spinal cord injury cases, including:
  • Complete spinal cord injuries, where there is total loss of motor and sensory function below the level of injury.
  • Incomplete spinal cord injuries, where some function is preserved below the injury site, including conditions such as central cord syndrome, anterior cord syndrome, and Brown-Sequard syndrome.
  • Cervical spine injuries causing tetraplegia or quadriplegia, affecting all four limbs and potentially respiratory function.
  • Thoracic spine injuries causing paraplegia affecting the lower body.
  • Lumbar and sacral injuries affecting lower extremity function and bladder and bowel control.
  • Injuries requiring emergency surgical intervention and long-term rehabilitation.
Both complete and incomplete injuries can produce permanent disabilities that require comprehensive legal representation to fully address.

What to Do After a Spinal Cord Injury Accident

The steps taken immediately after an accident that causes a spinal cord injury can affect both the injured person's medical outcomes and their legal rights. If you were involved in a serious accident, we recommend taking these steps:
  1. Call 911 immediately and do not move an injured person unless they are in immediate danger, as improper movement can worsen a spinal injury.
  2. Seek emergency medical care and follow all recommended treatment from the outset.
  3. Document the accident scene if possible, including photographs of vehicles, conditions, and surroundings.
  4. Collect contact information from witnesses before they leave.
  5. Avoid giving recorded statements to any insurance company before consulting an attorney.
  6. Preserve all medical records, bills, and documentation related to the injury and treatment.
  7. Contact our personal injury attorney at (480) 833-8800 as early as possible so that evidence can be preserved and the investigation can begin promptly.
If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury in Mesa or the surrounding Arizona communities due to another party's negligence, you have the right to pursue compensation that reflects not just what has already been lost but everything this injury will cost in the years ahead.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Spinal Cord Injury?

Liability in a spinal cord injury case depends on the circumstances of the accident. Potentially responsible parties may include:
  • Negligent drivers whose careless or reckless operation caused a motor vehicle crash
  • Trucking companies whose safety failures contributed to a commercial vehicle accident
  • Property owners who failed to maintain safe premises and allowed dangerous conditions to exist
  • Employers or contractors whose safety violations caused a workplace accident
  • Product manufacturers whose defective equipment or vehicles contributed to the injury
  • Medical providers whose negligence during treatment caused or worsened a spinal injury
  • Government entities responsible for dangerous road conditions
Identifying every potentially liable party is critical to securing recovery, and it requires a thorough investigation that begins as soon as possible after the accident.

What Types of Evidence Are Needed for a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit?

Building a successful spinal cord injury claim requires comprehensive evidence, including police and accident reports, medical records documenting the injury and its connection to the accident, imaging studies including MRI and CT scans, witness statements, expert testimony from medical specialists and life care planners, employment records supporting lost wage claims, and in some cases accident reconstruction analysis. The strength and completeness of this evidence can significantly affect the outcome of the claim.

What Compensation May Be Available in a Spinal Cord Injury Claim?

In an Arizona spinal cord injury claim, compensation may be available for:
  • Emergency medical treatment, surgery, and hospitalization
  • Ongoing medical care including specialist visits, medications, and equipment
  • Long-term rehabilitation and physical therapy
  • In-home nursing care or residential facility costs
  • Adaptive equipment including wheelchairs, vehicle modifications, and assistive technology
  • Home modification costs to accommodate the injury
  • Lost wages for time missed from work
  • Reduced or eliminated earning capacity for injuries that permanently affect the ability to work
  • Pain and suffering for the physical consequences of the injury
  • Emotional distress and psychological harm
  • Loss of enjoyment of life for activities no longer available
  • Loss of consortium for the impact on the injured person's relationships

What Is the Average Settlement for a Spinal Cord Injury?

There is no reliable average settlement figure for spinal cord injury cases because the value of each claim depends on the severity and permanence of the injury, the injured person's age and pre-injury earnings, the lifetime cost of medical care and support, the clarity of the defendant's liability, and the available insurance coverage.  In serious spinal cord injury cases, settlements can reach into the millions of dollars when the full lifetime impact of the injury is properly documented. The most important factor is not an average figure but whether your specific case is built and presented to reflect everything your injury has cost and will cost over the course of your life.

How Our Mesa Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys Build Strong Cases

At Skousen Gulbrandsen & Patience PLC, our spinal cord injury lawyers approach these cases with the resources and attention to detail these life-altering claims demand. We conduct independent investigations of the accident, retain qualified medical experts, life care planners, and economic specialists to document and quantify the full scope of damages, and build a comprehensive legal case that holds every responsible party accountable. Our personal injury attorneys can handle all communications with insurance companies, manage the evidence and documentation process, and are fully prepared to take cases to trial when insurers refuse to offer compensation that reflects the true value of our clients' losses. Spinal cord injury cases require attorneys who are willing and able to invest the time and resources these claims require, and that is exactly what our attorneys bring to every case we handle.

Why Choosing the Right Team of Lawyers Matters

Spinal cord injuries can produce some of the highest-value personal injury claims in the legal system. Insurance companies that insure negligent defendants in these cases deploy experienced legal teams and aggressively contest both liability and damages, particularly the long-term care costs that often represent the largest component of the claim.  Skousen Gulbrandsen & Patience PLC is a Mesa-based personal injury firm with a commitment to aggressive, client-centered representation for victims of serious injuries throughout the greater Phoenix area. We handle spinal cord injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Your first consultation is free. Contact us online or by calling (480) 833-8800 to speak with one of our Mesa spinal cord injury lawyers today.
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Client Testimonials

"Being in a car accident was difficult enough. Not having to worry about the case or how things would be paid out for medical expenses was the greatest…Thanks so much for everything!"

Lynsey, 
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"My experience with Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience has been nothing short of amazing... I recommend Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience to all my friends and family..."

Rusty, 
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"Jess was amazing. He instantly put my mind at ease on the handling of my case. If you want great results and to deal with great people, Jess Gulbrandsen is who you need to see after a car accident."

Todd, 
Client
Why You Can Trust Us to Handle Your Case:
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We have recovered millions of dollars for injured clients throughout Arizona and are proud members of the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
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Founded in 1961, we are among the oldest firms in the East Valley, proudly serving injured clients in our communities for 60 years.
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When you hire our firm, you will work with one attorney from start to finish, ensuring that your representation is intimately familiar with the details of your case.

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Mesa, AZ 85204
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The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

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