A spinal cord injury can change everything about your life, and the road to recovery often feels frightening and uncertain.
At Christensen Law, our Ann Arbor spinal cord injury lawyers advocate for people across Washtenaw County who are living with paralysis, mounting medical bills, and worry about what comes next. We have fought for injured people in Michigan since 1991, and we treat every client like family.
These injuries are among the most serious a person can suffer, and the choices you make now can shape your care for years to come. You should never have to face powerful insurance companies on your own while you are trying to heal.
Our team will listen to your story, protect your legal rights, and pursue the full compensation your recovery demands. Call our Ann Arbor office 24/7 at (734) 519-7576 for a free, no-risk consultation, and let us carry the legal weight so you can focus on what matters most.
CHRISTENSEN LAW HAS A 24 HOUR RAPID RESPONSE SERVICE
What Can an Ann Arbor Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Do for You?
An Ann Arbor spinal cord injury lawyer can take over the legal and insurance work while you focus on recovery, from filing your No-Fault claim to building a case for a lifetime of care. In short, we shoulder the legal burden so your family does not have to.
At Christensen Law, we handle the parts of a serious injury claim that families are rarely prepared to manage alone. We investigate how the crash happened, gather medical evidence, and calculate the true long-term cost of your injury, so nothing important is left out.
When you work with our team, we take on responsibilities that include:
- Filing and managing your Michigan No-Fault claim for medical bills and lost wages
- Securing evidence from the scene, the vehicles, and any commercial parties involved
- Working with your doctors to document current and future care needs
- Standing up to insurance adjusters who try to reduce or deny your claim
- Preparing your case for trial when an insurer refuses a fair recovery
Each of these steps protects the value of your claim, and we manage them so your family can focus on healing rather than paperwork.
Spinal cord injuries often require years of treatment, and the costs add up quickly. We make certain that future surgeries, therapy, equipment, and in-home support are counted, because a fair recovery has to reflect a lifetime of needs, not just today’s bills.
How We Build a Strong Spinal Cord Injury Case
We build a spinal cord injury case by acting quickly to preserve evidence, then assembling a clear medical and financial picture of how the injury affects your life. Time matters, because important proof can disappear within days of a crash.
In commercial truck and auto cases, we move fast to preserve black box data, driver logbooks, and maintenance records before a trucking company’s defense team can lose or destroy them. We also document the scene, speak with witnesses, and consult medical professionals who can explain the severity of your injury to an insurer or a jury.
A spinal cord injury rarely affects only the body. It reshapes a person’s career, independence, and family life, so we account for future surgeries, rehabilitation, assistive equipment, and in-home attendant care. Many of our clients begin treatment at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, and we work to make sure their long-term needs are fully reflected in the claim.
Insurance companies often present an early settlement that looks helpful but falls far short of what a lifetime of care will cost. We prepare every case as if it will go to trial, and that readiness is frequently what moves an insurer toward a fair number. You can learn more about the medical realities of these injuries from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
We often work with life-care planners and economists who can put a real number on decades of treatment, lost earning power, and the help you will need at home. This careful, evidence-based approach is how we answer lowball offers and show the full scope of your losses.
How Does Michigan’s No-Fault System Affect a Spinal Cord Injury Claim?
Under Michigan’s No-Fault system, your own auto insurance pays your medical bills and part of your lost wages first, no matter who caused the crash. This first-party coverage is called Personal Injury Protection, or PIP.
The Michigan No-Fault Act requires drivers to carry PIP coverage, and these benefits begin without waiting to prove fault. For a catastrophic spinal cord injury, that coverage can be the difference between getting care right away and falling into debt.
Under MCL 500.3107, your PIP medical benefits can cover costs such as:
- Reasonable and necessary medical treatment, surgery, and rehabilitation
- Attendant care provided at home, sometimes by family members
- A portion of the wages you lose while you are unable to work
- Replacement services for daily tasks you can no longer perform
These benefits are vital, yet insurers do not always pay them in full, and that is where our team steps in to protect what you are owed.
No-Fault coverage does not address everything. When another driver or company caused your injury, you may also bring a third-party lawsuit for pain, suffering, and other losses that reach beyond your PIP benefits. We also review whether you have coordinated insurance policies that affect how your bills are paid.
These rules confuse many people, and that is understandable, because Michigan’s system is one of the most detailed in the country. We explain your options in plain language, keep you informed at every step, and pursue every source of compensation available to you, so you are never left wondering where your claim stands.
Can You Still Recover Compensation if You Were Partly at Fault?
Yes. In most situations, you can still recover compensation in Michigan even if you were partly to blame, as long as you were not more than 50% at fault for the crash.
Michigan follows a rule known as modified comparative negligence. Under MCL 500.3135, your recovery for pain and suffering is reduced by your share of fault, and it is barred only when you are found more than half responsible.
Insurance companies know this rule well, and they often try to shift blame onto injured people to lower what they must pay. An adjuster may request a recorded statement or push you toward admitting fault before you fully understand what happened.
This is one more reason to have a trial attorney on your side early. We gather the evidence that tells the real story of your crash, and we push back firmly when an insurer tries to assign you blame you do not deserve.
The Listen Protect Win Difference
Our Listen Protect Win philosophy guides everything we do, because catastrophic injury cases call for real compassion and relentless advocacy. We are trial lawyers, not a high-volume settlement mill.
We listen closely to each client’s story, because understanding your life is the only way to show a jury what your injury truly took from you. We protect you from aggressive insurance tactics, and we work tirelessly to win results that help families rebuild.
That commitment shows up in our record. Christensen Law has secured major recoveries for injured people, including a $17.8 million verdict in a motor vehicle accident case and a $9.5 million recovery in a motorcycle accident case. Past results never promise a particular outcome, yet they reflect the preparation we bring to every claim.
Our care extends beyond the courtroom through our support of local communities and charities, because we see our clients as neighbors, not case numbers.
From the D to the UP | Proven Expertise | Powerful Results
Why Choose Our Ann Arbor Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys
Families across Washtenaw County choose our Ann Arbor spinal cord injury attorneys because we combine decades of trial experience with care that feels personal. Since 1991, we have focused on life-altering injuries rather than high-volume, quick-settlement cases.
Here is what sets our team apart:
- More than 35 years advocating for catastrophically injured people in Michigan
- A trial-ready approach that insurance companies take seriously
- Free consultations available 24/7, with no fee unless we win your case
- Personal attention from attorneys who treat you like family
- A stellar 4.9 to 5.0 client review rating across our office locations
When your future is on the line, you deserve a team that treats your recovery as its mission. Call our Ann Arbor office today at (734) 519-7576 to speak with us for free about your spinal cord injury claim.
Serving Ann Arbor and Communities Across Michigan
Our Ann Arbor office on Miller Road keeps us close to the people we serve, from the University of Michigan community to families throughout Washtenaw County. We also welcome clients from our offices in Southfield, Detroit, Troy, and Grand Rapids, and we represent injured people statewide.
Meet the Attorneys Behind Your Case
Firm founder David Christensen is a Michigan Hall of Fame attorney, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and holds AV Preeminent status from Martindale-Hubbell. Managing Partner Sarah Stempky-Kime is recognized as a Leader in the Law and is also an ABOTA member.
Together, our attorneys bring the credentials and the courtroom record that serious spinal cord injury cases demand. If your injuries make travel difficult, we can come to your home or hospital room, because access to justice should never depend on whether you can reach our office. Whether your crash happened near US-23, along I-94, or on a quiet neighborhood street, we are ready to stand with you and your family.
FAQs: Ann Arbor Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
Below are answers to questions we often hear from people considering a spinal cord injury claim in Ann Arbor.
Our firm works on a contingency fee, which means you pay nothing up front. We collect a fee only if we recover compensation for you, so cost is never a barrier to strong representation during a hard time.
Michigan law sets strict deadlines for both No-Fault benefits and third-party lawsuits, and missing one can end a case before it starts. Because the timelines differ by claim type, it is wise to speak with an attorney soon after your injury.
Family members can often take legal steps for a seriously injured relative, including starting a claim and arranging attendant care. We guide families through these decisions with patience and respect during a deeply painful time.
In many situations, passengers, pedestrians, and people on bicycles who are hit by a vehicle can receive No-Fault benefits even without their own auto policy. The rules can be complicated, so we review your circumstances to find every available source of coverage.
Many claims settle without a trial, but insurers tend to offer full value only when they know a firm is ready to go to court. Our trial readiness often leads to stronger settlements, and we are fully prepared to try your case when that is the right path for your recovery.
Catastrophic injuries include spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, severe burns, and other harm that permanently changes a person’s life. These cases require detailed proof of long-term needs, which is the focus of our practice.
Truck, car, and motorcycle crashes are among the most common causes we see, along with pedestrian and bicycle collisions. You can read more about how these injuries happen through trusted resources such as MedlinePlus.
Talk to an Ann Arbor Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Today
A spinal cord injury affects every part of your life, and you should not have to face the insurance system while you are trying to heal. At Christensen Law, we are ready to listen to your story, protect your rights, and fight for the future you and your family deserve.
Reach out any time, day or night, for a free and confidential consultation. There is no pressure and no cost to learn where you stand, and a single conversation can protect benefits and rights you may not realize you have. Call our Ann Arbor office at (734) 519-7576, and let our team get to work for you. Serving all of Michigan, from the D to the UP.
