How Much Can You Recover for a Spinal Cord Injury?

November 17, 2025

How Much Can You Recover for a Spinal Cord Injury?

A spinal cord injury is one of the most life-altering injuries a person can experience. Damage to the spine can cause partial or total paralysis, chronic pain, and a permanent loss of independence. Victims often face extensive medical treatment, assistive equipment costs, and significant emotional distress. Because of the long-term impact of these injuries, compensation in spinal cord injury cases can be substantial, but the exact amount depends on the details of your case.

At Sarkisian Law, we understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll a spinal cord injury can take. Our team fights to recover every dollar our clients deserve under Indiana law, holding negligent individuals, employers, or companies accountable for the harm they cause.

Understanding the Value of a Spinal Cord Injury Claim

No two spinal cord injuries are alike. The amount of compensation available depends on many factors, including:

The severity of the injury (partial or total paralysis, for example);
The cost of medical treatment—both current and future;
The impact on your ability to work or earn income;
The degree of pain, suffering, and emotional trauma you’ve endured; and
Whether the defendant’s behavior was negligent, reckless, or intentional.

In general, spinal cord injury cases tend to result in higher settlements or verdicts than most other types of injury claims because of their catastrophic nature and lifelong consequences.

Economic Damages: The Financial Costs of a Spinal Cord Injury

Economic damages refer to the measurable, financial losses resulting from an injury. These are typically proven through bills, receipts, employment records, and expert testimony.

Medical Expenses

The cost of treating a spinal cord injury can easily reach hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars over a lifetime. Victims often require emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and assistive devices such as wheelchairs, lifts, and accessible home modifications.

According to data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the average yearly cost for a person with high tetraplegia (complete paralysis from the neck down) can exceed $1 million in the first year alone, with lifetime expenses reaching several million dollars. Even less severe spinal cord injuries, such as incomplete paraplegia, can still cost hundreds of thousands in ongoing care.

Lost Income and Earning Capacity

Many spinal cord injury victims are unable to return to their previous employment. Some can no longer work at all. Compensation can include lost wages for time missed due to treatment and recovery, as well as loss of future earning capacity if the injury permanently limits your ability to work.

In cases involving young victims or professionals with long careers ahead of them, these losses can be immense. Attorneys often work with vocational experts and economists to project lifetime income losses based on age, occupation, and education level.

Long-Term Care and Home Modifications

People living with spinal cord injuries often require lifelong personal care or assistance with daily activities. They may also need home and vehicle modifications such as ramps, widened doorways, roll-in showers, and wheelchair-accessible vans.

These costs are all recoverable in a personal injury claim. While insurance companies may try to underestimate or ignore them, a detailed, evidence-based calculation of future expenses can make a significant difference in your total recovery.

Non-Economic Damages: The Human Impact

While economic losses are measurable, non-economic damages address the personal and emotional consequences of a spinal cord injury.

Pain and Suffering

Spinal injuries cause immense physical pain and often ongoing discomfort, muscle spasms, or neuropathic pain. Compensation for pain and suffering reflects both the immediate trauma of the injury and the long-term physical and emotional distress it causes.

Emotional Distress and Loss of Enjoyment of Life

Living with paralysis or reduced mobility can lead to depression, anxiety, and frustration. Many victims struggle with the loss of hobbies, intimacy, or simple pleasures they once enjoyed. The law recognizes these effects and can significantly increase the value of a claim.

Loss of Consortium

If the injury affects a person’s relationship with their spouse or family, additional damages may be available for loss of consortium. This includes loss of companionship, affection, and the ability to maintain a normal marital relationship.

Punitive Damages: When Negligence Crosses the Line

In rare cases, victims may also recover punitive damages, a form of compensation meant to punish egregious or reckless conduct. For example, if a trucking company knowingly forces a driver to operate beyond federal hours-of-service limits and that driver causes a crash leading to paralysis, punitive damages may be applicable. Punitive damages are not available in every case, but when awarded, they can substantially increase the total amount of the recovery.

Factors That Influence the Total Compensation

Because spinal cord injury cases are so individualized, there is no universal formula to determine a fair settlement. However, several key factors can influence how much compensation a victim may recover:

Severity and location of the injury: Injuries that result in complete paralysis, such as quadriplegia, typically yield higher recoveries than partial injuries.
Victim’s age and health: Younger victims often receive higher compensation because their injuries affect a longer period of their lives.
Insurance coverage and defendant’s assets: The value of your recovery may depend on how much coverage is available from the negligent party or through other policies.
Quality of evidence: Medical records, expert testimony, and proof of negligence can significantly affect the outcome.
Legal representation: Having an experienced personal injury attorney can help maximize your claim and ensure every potential source of compensation is explored.

The Role of an Attorney in Maximizing Recovery

Determining the actual value of a spinal cord injury claim requires experience, detailed investigation, and expert analysis.

A skilled attorney will:

Review medical records and consult with specialists to assess future care needs;
Calculate long-term financial losses, including inflation and cost-of-living adjustments;
Investigate how the accident occurred and identify all liable parties;
Work with life care planners and economists to present a complete picture of damages; and
Negotiate aggressively with insurance companies, or take the case to trial if needed.

At Sarkisian Law, we have seen firsthand how insurance companies try to minimize or delay payment in catastrophic injury cases. Our team works tirelessly to ensure that clients receive the maximum compensation available, allowing them to focus on healing and rebuilding their lives.

Indiana’s Statute of Limitations for Spinal Cord Injury Claims

In Indiana, the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident. This means you must file your claim within that time or risk losing your right to compensation.

There are exceptions in some cases, such as when the injured person is a minor or when the injury was not immediately discoverable. However, the safest approach is to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after the injury to preserve your rights and ensure key evidence is not lost.

Moving Forward After a Spinal Cord Injury

Recovery after a spinal cord injury is a lifelong process. Medical advances have improved outcomes, but the financial and emotional burdens remain immense. While no amount of money can undo the trauma of such an injury, fair compensation can help you rebuild your independence, access the care you need, and secure your future.

At Sarkisian Law, we are committed to standing with spinal cord injury victims and their families every step of the way. From the moment you contact us, we will listen to your story, explain your legal options, and fight for the justice you deserve.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence, contact us online today for a free consultation. We’ll help you understand your rights and pursue the full compensation you are entitled to under Indiana law.

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How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Maximize Your Claim

September 12, 2025

When you've been injured in a car accident caused by someone else's negligence, you deserve fair compensation for your losses. However, getting the maximum settlement from insurance companies is rarely straightforward. Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts, and often take advantage of accident victims who don't understand their rights or the true value of their claims. This is where an experienced car accident attorney becomes invaluable. At Sarkisian Law Offices , we understand the tactics insurance companies use, and we know how to counter them effectively to maximize your car accident claim. Our team has helped countless accident victims recover the full compensation they deserve, and we're committed to fighting for your rights every step of the way. Understanding the True Value of Your Car Accident Claim Don't settle for the first offer from auto insurance companies, as it's often far below your claim's worth. A skilled car accident lawyer evaluates your claim comprehensively, considering all the ways the accident has affected your life. They work with medical experts to project future medical needs, ensuring your settlement covers ongoing treatment and rehabilitation. They also calculate lost wages and reduced earning capacity, including long-term impacts. Additionally, lawyers effectively document and present pain and suffering claims, demonstrating the accident's impact on your quality of life. By hiring an experienced attorney, they'll seek fair compensation for both tangible and intangible losses. This approach helps you receive the maximum settlement you deserve, covering current and future needs. How Insurance Companies Try to Reduce Your Settlement Insurance adjusters are not on your side, despite how friendly and helpful they may seem. Their job is to save their company money by paying out as little as possible on claims. One of the most common tactics is to make a quick settlement offer before you fully understand the extent of your injuries or have had time to consult with an attorney. These offers are almost always far below the true value of your claim, but they're presented as generous and time-sensitive to pressure you into accepting. Insurance companies often claim that your medical treatment was unnecessary, excessive, or unrelated to the accident. They may argue that you had pre-existing conditions that caused your current problems, or that you're exaggerating your symptoms. They also might use delay tactics, hoping financial pressure will force you to accept a lower settlement. The insurers may claim they need more documentation, request unnecessary medical examinations, or simply take their time responding to communications. Insurers might try to blame you for the accident, as partial blame allows them to reduce their liability and your compensation. Never accept wrongful accusations of blame, as it can deprive you of what you deserve. When you have a car accident attorney handling your case, these delay tactics become less effective. Your lawyer can apply pressure to move the case forward and ensure that delays don't work against you. The Investigation Process That Builds Strong Cases One of the most important ways a car accident lawyer maximizes your claim is with a thorough investigation. The more evidence your attorney can gather to support your case, the stronger your position becomes in settlement negotiations. Accident Scene Analysis Even if the police investigated your accident, your attorney will conduct their own investigation. This might include visiting the accident scene, taking photographs, measuring skid marks, and identifying factors contributing to the crash. Sometimes this investigation reveals evidence that wasn't included in the police report, such as traffic signal timing, road conditions, or visibility issues that help prove the other driver's fault. Witness Statements Witness testimony can be invaluable in car accident cases, especially when there's a dispute about how the accident happened. However, witness memories fade over time, and people move away or become harder to contact. Car accident attorneys move quickly to identify and interview witnesses while their memories are still fresh. They know how to ask the right questions to get useful information and how to document witness statements in a way that will be persuasive to insurance companies or juries. Expert Analysis Complex car accident cases often require expert testimony to explain technical aspects of the crash, such as vehicle speeds, impact forces, or mechanical failures. Car accident lawyers have relationships with qualified experts who can analyze the evidence and provide professional opinions that support your case. This expert analysis is particularly important in cases involving serious injuries, commercial vehicles, or disputed fault situations. Negotiation Skills That Get Results Insurance companies negotiate car accident settlements every day. They have experienced adjusters and attorneys who know how to minimize payouts. To get fair compensation, you need someone on your side who understands the negotiation process just as well. Presenting a Compelling Case Effective negotiation starts with presenting your case in the strongest possible way. This means organizing all the evidence, medical records, and documentation in a format that clearly shows the other driver's responsibility and the full extent of your damages. Car accident attorneys know how to present this information persuasively, highlighting the strongest aspects of your case while addressing any potential weaknesses before the insurance company can exploit them. Understanding Settlement Timing Knowing when to negotiate and when to wait is vital in car accident cases. Settling too early might mean accepting less compensation than you deserve, but waiting too long can sometimes weaken your position. Experienced car accident lawyers understand the factors that affect settlement timing and can advise you on the best strategy for your specific situation. Leverage in Negotiations Insurance companies are more likely to offer fair settlements when they know you're represented by an attorney who's willing and able to take the case to trial if necessary. This gives your lawyer leverage in negotiations you wouldn't have on your own. Choose Sarkisian Law Offices to Maximize Your Indiana Car Accident Claim Sarkisian Law Offices, maximizes compensation in car accident claims by understanding the local legal system and building strong cases. We take a personal interest in each case, working on a contingency fee basis, so you only pay legal fees if we win. We'll protect your rights, handle legal details, and fight for the settlement you deserve. Contact us today at 219-942-7171 or online to learn how we can pursue the compensation you need to move forward. Let us advocate for you while you focus on recovering from your accident.

How Much Can You Recover for a Spinal Cord Injury?