Portland Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

The spinal cord is one of the most important and delicate structures in the body. This series of nerves and vertebrae is responsible for transmitting messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Any damage to the spinal cord can lead to a permanent loss of feeling and function below the injury site—leading to devastating, lifelong consequences.

If you suffer a spinal cord injury, you may have grounds for legal action—and the Portland spinal cord injury lawyers at DuBois Law Group – PDX Injury Law can help. Our dedicated attorneys can help you hold the at-fault party accountable and recover the compensation you deserve.

Why Choose A Portland Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer From DuBois Law Group – PDX Injury Law?

• Our firm has secured millions of dollars in settlements and jury verdicts on behalf of our clients.
• We operate a separate medical department to connect our clients with the treatment and specialists they need for their spinal cord injury.
• Our Portland personal injury attorneys take on a limited number of cases at a time, allowing us to provide your case with the dedication and attention you deserve.

What Are The Leading Causes of Portland Spinal Cord Injuries?

The Miami Report collects data on the prevalence of spinal cord injuries in the United States, with their study demonstrating that approximately 17,180 new cases of these injuries occur each year. The leading causes of spinal cord injuries include the following.

• Car accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injury, contributing to more than 30% of all cases. Speak to a car accident attorney in Portland to learn more!
• Slip and fall accidents are the second-leading cause of spinal cord injury. Don’t hesitate to contact a slip and fall attorney in Portland for more information.
• 14 percent of spinal cord injuries occur due to acts of violence.
• 7.8 percent of spinal cord injury cases involve sports and recreational injuries.
• 4.2 percent of spinal cord injury cases since 2015 involved medical or surgical procedures. If you were harmed under the care of a doctor, our medical malpractice attorneys in Portland have your back.

Types and Levels of Spinal Cord Injury

The spinal cord carries every signal between the brain and the body, and where it is damaged determines what is lost. Injuries to the cervical spine in the neck can cause quadriplegia, also called tetraplegia, with paralysis of all four limbs and, at the highest levels, loss of the ability to breathe without assistance. Injuries to the thoracic or lumbar spine typically cause paraplegia, with paralysis of the legs and loss of bowel, bladder, and sexual function. Doctors also classify injuries as complete, meaning no sensation or movement below the injury, or incomplete, meaning some function is preserved. Incomplete injuries often improve with intensive rehabilitation, which makes early, aggressive treatment, and the money to pay for it, decisive in the outcome.

The same crashes that sever the cord more often damage the spine around it. Herniated and ruptured discs, vertebral fractures, nerve root compression, and whiplash injuries that never fully resolve account for the majority of the spine cases our Portland spinal cord injury lawyers handle. These injuries are frequently dismissed by insurers as soft tissue complaints, yet they can end careers and require surgery, injections, and years of pain management. Our articles on types of back injuries from car accidents and whiplash after an accident explain how these injuries are diagnosed and why they are so often undervalued.

What Damages Are Available in Portland Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuits?

According to the NSCISC, spinal cord injuries result in extremely high lifetime costs. The average expenses for the first year of a spinal cord injury can range from $375,000 to $1.1 million. If a person is 25 years old at the time of his or her injury, his or her lifetime treatment costs could range from $1.7 million to $5.1 million.

Using a personal injury lawyer in Portland, you can recover compensatory damages to pay for these expenses. You have the right to recover damages for your economic, or financial, losses, as well as your non-economic pain and suffering. Common types of damages in spinal cord injury claims include the following.

• Past and future medical costs, including hospitalizations, surgeries, and medications
• Lost wages during recovery and a loss of future earnings, if the injury prevents you from going to work
• Property repairs and replacements for damage that you sustained in your accident
• The cost of mobility equipment, live-in care, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and other specialized treatment and disability accommodations
• Physical pain and suffering, such as disability, disfigurement, and chronic pain
• Emotional pain and suffering, such as depression, emotional distress, and loss of quality of life

The Lifetime Cost of a Spinal Cord Injury

A spinal cord injury is the most expensive injury a person can survive. The first year alone, with emergency care, surgery, and inpatient rehabilitation, routinely exceeds a million dollars for a high cervical injury, and the costs continue for life: attendant care, physical and occupational therapy, pressure sore and urinary tract infection treatment, respiratory care, medication, and psychological support. Then come the costs no one anticipates. A wheelchair-accessible home or the modification of an existing one. A modified vehicle, replaced every several years. Power wheelchairs, standing frames, and pressure-relief equipment on a replacement cycle. Lost wages for the injured person and often for a spouse who becomes a caregiver.

Capturing all of that is the difference between a settlement that lasts and one that runs out. Our attorneys retain life care planners who itemize every future need over the injured person’s life expectancy, and vocational and economic experts who calculate lost earning capacity. Oregon law supports full recovery in these cases: the Oregon Supreme Court struck down the state’s $500,000 cap on noneconomic damages in personal injury cases, so a jury can award the true measure of pain, loss of independence, and loss of enjoyment of life. Spinal cord injuries frequently occur alongside traumatic brain injuries and other catastrophic injuries, and the claim must account for all of them. Our articles on spinal cord injury lawsuits and the average settlement for a back injury explain how these cases are valued, and our FAQ on how much is my case worth covers the general framework.

How Long Do You Have to File a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit in Oregon?

Oregon’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims, ORS 12.110, gives you two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit, and that deadline remains in effect as of 2026. If a TriMet vehicle or a government-owned vehicle or property was involved, a tort claim notice is due within 180 days. Two years sounds like a long time, but a spinal cord injury case requires months of medical stabilization before the prognosis is clear and months more for life care and economic experts to complete their work. Motorcyclists face these injuries at especially high rates, and our Portland motorcycle accident lawyer page covers the insurance issues unique to riders. Whatever the cause, contacting a Portland spinal cord injury attorney early gives your case the time it needs; our article on spinal cord injuries after auto accidents describes the first steps.

Contact A Portland Spinal Cord Injury Attorney At DuBois Law Group – PDX Injury Law

If you sustain a spinal cord injury due to another person’s actions, you could file an insurance claim or lawsuit against him or her. In these situations, trust the Portland spinal cord injury attorneys at DuBois Law Group to fight for your right to recovery. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your next steps. (503) 222-4411