Houston Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Spinal cord injuries can be permanent and debilitating, and may affect the injured and their families for the rest of their lives. These types of serious injuries may require legal action to provide compensation for the lifelong challenges ahead.

The physical, emotional, and financial impact can follow you and your family for decades. When another person or company causes this kind of harm, you need a legal team with the power and experience to make things right.

That is where the team at Pierce Skrabanek steps in. For over three decades combined, our Houston spinal cord injury law firm has stood up for injured individuals against major corporations and insurance carriers. We have secured more than $500 million in financial recoveries for our clients.

We represent clients across Texas and nationwide on a contingency fee model, meaning you owe us nothing unless we recover money for your claim.

Talk with a Houston spinal cord injury lawyer who understands what you are going through. Call (832) 690-7000 or fill out our online form today for your free case evaluation.

“Thank you so much for bringing you into my life. Thank you for helping me. You are excellent lawyers. Your team works very well, very professionally; they work quickly and help to the fullest extent, so as your client, I recommend you to anyone who has any kind of accident. I will always have your number saved in my phone in case I have another accident in the future, which I hope I don't; now I know who to contact.”

- Emma C. | Client

What Types of Damages Are Available in a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit? 

Damages in a spinal cord injury lawsuit must be extensive enough to cover the long-term costs of treatments and lifestyle adjustments that result.

Monetary compensation from a lawsuit should cover:

• Initial hospital bills and expenses immediately after the accident
• Long-term rehabilitation treatments and ongoing physical therapy 
• Payment for full-time in-home assistance
• Costs of medical supplies and equipment, including wheelchairs, ramps, modifications to vehicles, and other installations 
• Pain and suffering expenses
• Lost wages and loss of the ability to generate income in the future
• Loss of companionship
• In cases involving extreme negligence, punitive damages

The damages obtained in a lawsuit depend on many factors, including the severity of the injuries, the degree of liability involved, and the skill of the spinal cord injury lawyer handling the case. 

It’s easy to feel outmatched when dealing with insurance adjusters who do this every day, and going it alone often leaves crucial funds behind. The data backs this up: a study by Martindale-Nolo showed that working with an attorney helps injured victims recover more than four times as much financial support on average ($77,600 vs. $17,600).

Having a lawyer also raises your chances of getting a payout from roughly 50% to over 90%. You deserve a dedicated advocate to stand up for your rights so you can focus on your spinal injury, knowing your future care is secure.‍

Lifetime Cost of Spinal Cord Injuries

Managing a spinal cord injury is an overwhelming financial journey for any family. According to one study, lifetime direct medical and living costs can range from $2.1 million to over $6.2 million, depending on the victim’s age and the severity of the harm. In the first year alone, expenses often reach between $460,000 and $1.41 million, followed by recurring annual care that can exceed $244,000. 

Worse yet, these numbers only cover medical care. These figures do not account for lost wages, which average over $95,000 a year. Because standard health insurance rarely covers these lifelong needs, taking legal action is often essential to protecting your family's future. 

Call an experienced Houston spinal cord injury lawyer at (832) 690-7000 to review your case and demand full compensation.

What Are Spinal Cord Injuries? 

The spinal cord is a thick bundle of nerves running down your back inside your spine. It acts as the body's main communication highway, sending messages back and forth between your brain and the rest of your body.

When an accident damages these nerves, those messages stop getting through. This can cause a permanent loss of feeling or movement, known as paralysis, below the point where the injury happened. Beyond losing movement, a spinal injury often impacts how organs function, leaving survivors in need of long-term medical care or daily hands-on assistance.

Complete vs. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries

Doctors divide these injuries into two main categories based on how much feeling and movement you retain below the injury site:

• Complete Spinal Cord Injuries: A complete injury means the brain loses all ability to send signals past the point of damage. You lose all feeling and voluntary motor control below the injury. This often leads to total paralysis in the lower limbs or in all four limbs.
• Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries: An incomplete injury means the spinal cord is only partially damaged or compressed. You might still have some movement or feeling in one side of your body, or retain partial control over specific muscle groups. The degree of recovery varies widely for incomplete injuries.

How Spinal Cord Injuries Are Categorized Based on Location

The location of the damage along your backbone determines which parts of your body are affected. Doctors group these by four main regions of the spine:

Cervical Spine (Neck Area)

Damage to the C1 through C8 vertebrae near the neck is usually the most severe. The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae (C1–C7) and eight pairs of cervical nerves (C1–C8) that support the head and protect the spinal cord. It typically causes tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia), affecting the arms, hands, trunk, and legs.

Thoracic Spine (Upper and Mid-Back)

T1 through T12 vertebrae control the chest and abdominal muscles, maintaining stability, posture, and balance. Damage here usually affects the trunk and legs, resulting in paraplegia, while keeping arm and hand function intact.

Lumbar Spine (Lower Back)

L1 through L5 vertebrae control signals to your hips and legs. These five large vertebrae carry the body's weight for walking, running, and lifting. Injury here typically leads to loss of function in the legs and hips, requiring braces or a wheelchair to get around.

Sacral Spine (Base of the Spine)

S1 through S5 vertebrae control the pelvic organ region, buttocks, and parts of the thighs. Damage in this area mainly affects bowel, bladder, and sexual function, though most patients can still walk.

The Real, Everyday Impact of a Spinal Cord Injury

A spinal cord injury changes your life in an instant. It is not just about losing mobility. It shifts your entire world, your daily routine, and your plans for the future. Suddenly, things that used to be simple require careful planning, new tools, or extra help.

Beyond the physical body, a severe back injury touches your work, your family dynamic, and your mental well-being. A Houston spinal cord injury attorney will consider the long-term challenges, including:

• Chronic Pain and Spasms: Nerve damage often causes persistent neurogenic pain, sharp burning sensations, or involuntary muscle spasms.‍
• Ongoing Rehabilitation: Regular physical, occupational, and speech therapy to preserve existing muscle tone and learn adaptive movement techniques.‍
• Assistive Medical Equipment: Long-term reliance on specialized equipment, including motorized wheelchairs, standing frames, hospital beds, and ventilator assistance.‍
• In-Home Care Services: Many survivors require daily assistance from home health aides or family members for personal hygiene, transferring, and medication management.‍
• Unmanageable Medical Costs: Expenses often exceed $1 million in the first year alone, followed by hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual recurring costs for medications, therapy, and equipment upgrades.‍
• Home and Vehicle Modifications: Adapting living spaces and transportation—such as installing wheelchair ramps, widening doorways, lowering countertops, and purchasing specialized hand-controlled vehicles.‍
• Mental Health Struggles: Coping with a severe injury often leads to clinical depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Spinal Cord Injury? 

Signs and symptoms of spinal cord injury can often be detected immediately after an accident. In other cases, symptoms can be delayed and may take days or even weeks before they are felt or detected. 

Signs and symptoms of a spinal cord injury may include:

• Difficulty moving
• Pain and discomfort
• Loss of feeling, particularly in the extremities
• Muscle weakness or spasms
• Breathing problems
• Heart rate changes
• High/low blood pressure
• Digestive problems
• Sexual dysfunction
• Loss of control of the bladder or bowels

More serious cases may involve a complete inability to move some or all of the body. Spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis of the lower limbs is called paraplegia. Paralyzation in all four limbs is called quadriplegia. Paralysis of any body part can be permanent and is typically life-changing.  

In addition to these physical symptoms, spinal cord injuries can also result in emotional or psychological changes and challenges. For instance, after a catastrophic accident, depression, PTSD, or changes in personality can occur. 

Thus, if you've suffered an injury to your back or spinal cord, you should seek medical attention immediately, even if you don’t feel any symptoms at first. Contact our team of Houston spinal cord injury attorneys as well at (832) 690-7000 or fill out our online form, as they can assist when dealing with insurance or healthcare agents.

What Are Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?

Spinal cord injuries are typically caused by direct impact to the back or spinal cord area. However, such injuries can also result from various other types of accidents. Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries include:

• Car, motorcycle, or pedestrian accidents
• Slip and falls and other premises liability incidents
• Participation in contact sports such as football, hockey, or MMA
• Violent injuries, such as an assault or a gunshot to the back
• Various types of workplace and industrial accidents

Spinal cord injuries can result from non-impact incidents as well. For instance, surgical errors or other forms of medical malpractice can cause permanent damage to the spinal cord.

At Pierce Skrabanek, we have obtained significant verdict and settlement results on behalf of our clients who have been injured through the actions of others. 

For instance, our firm returned a $117 million jury verdict in an ambulance accident case, which is the single largest injury verdict in Louisiana history. We also obtained a $1.8 million award in a spinal injury case that covered medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of earning capacity, and other costs. Contact us to learn more about your rights. 

What Types of Spinal Cord Injuries Are Common in the Houston, Texas Area? 

While spinal cord injuries can happen anywhere and in any type of situation, there are certain situations where specific types of accidents can happen in Houston, Texas. This is due to the unique economy, demographics, and geographical layout of the region. 

Spinal cord injuries that commonly happen in Texas include:

• Spinal cord injuries caused by Texas oilfield accidents
• Injuries connected with plant explosions, due to the abundance of processing plants in the area
• Car accident incidents on I-45, which has been named the most dangerous highway in the U.S., with its high rate of DUI, rear-end, and distracted driving accidents

Houston and its surrounding areas also have long stretches of highway. This can make drivers susceptible to commercial truck accidents, especially those involving trucker fatigue. Truck accidents can involve particularly serious spinal cord injuries.

How Texas Laws Can Impact Your Spinal Cord Injury Claim in Houston

If you get hurt in Houston, specific state laws impact how your legal case unfolds:

Modified Comparative Fault (The 51% Bar Rule)

Under Texas law, you can recover money as long as you were not 51% or more at fault for the accident. If a jury finds you were 20% responsible for a crash, your total award is reduced by 20%. If you are found 51% responsible or more, you get nothing.

Insurance adjusters frequently try to push fault onto injured victims to avoid paying high medical claims. They might claim you were speeding, distracted, or didn't take steps to prevent the injury. 

Our Houston spinal cord injury lawyers fight back against these tactics immediately and prove the other party was truly at fault.

Statute of Limitations

In Texas, you generally have two years from the exact date of your injury to file a lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, courts will almost certainly dismiss your case, leaving you with no way to force the at-fault party to pay.

From day one, our legal team manages all court filings, administrative paperwork, and deadline tracking so your claim stays strictly on schedule. We make sure insurance companies cannot stall until time runs out on your rights.

No Caps on Economic Damages

Texas law does not put a ceiling on economic damages in standard personal injury claims. That means every dollar of your real medical expenses, specialized equipment costs, home renovations, and lost future income can be included in your claim.

Our Houston spinal cord injury attorneys partner with top medical specialists, life-care planners, and economic experts to build a comprehensive financial model covering your hospital bills, future surgeries, physical therapy, specialized equipment, home renovations, and lost earning capacity to ensure you do not get saddled with a low settlement.

Proudly Representing Houston Residents