A spinal cord injury can feel frightening for the whole family. At Christensen Law, our Grand Rapids spinal cord injury lawyers advocate for people whose lives have been altered by serious crashes, and we fight to recover the full compensation they need to rebuild.
We built our firm on a simple promise: Listen, Protect, Win. We listen closely to your story, we protect you from the pressure of insurance companies, and we work relentlessly to win the resources your future depends on. That way, you can focus on healing while we handle the legal fight.
If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury, you do not have to take on the insurance companies alone. Our Grand Rapids personal injury trial attorneys at Christensen Law are ready to listen to your story, protect your rights, and pursue the justice you deserve.
From our office on Hall Street SW, we serve injured people across Grand Rapids, Kent County, and communities throughout Michigan. Call us 24/7 at (616) 512-0718 for a free, no-risk consultation.
CHRISTENSEN LAW HAS A 24 HOUR RAPID RESPONSE SERVICE
How Can a Grand Rapids Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Help You?
A Grand Rapids spinal cord injury lawyer helps by carrying the legal load so you can focus on your health and your family. We handle the investigation, the paperwork, and the insurance companies from start to finish.
After a spinal cord injury, the calendar fills quickly with surgeries, therapy sessions, and hard decisions. Insurance adjusters often reach out early, asking for recorded statements or floating a quick, low offer before anyone knows the true cost of the injury. We step in right away and handle those conversations for you.
Our team digs into how the crash happened and gathers the evidence needed to hold the at-fault party accountable. We coordinate with your doctors to document your medical needs today and for the years ahead. Then we build a case strong enough for trial, because insurers and trucking companies respond differently when a firm is truly ready for the courtroom.
When the harm is permanent, we bring in professionals such as life-care planners and economists who can map out the full cost of future treatment. This evidence helps show the true scope of what you and your family will face over time. It also gives a jury a clear picture if your case goes before one.
In our decades of representing injured people across West Michigan, we have learned that early, thorough preparation often makes the difference in the final result. We treat every client like family, which means honest answers and steady guidance at each step. You will always know exactly where your case stands.
Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries and Their Lasting Impact
Spinal cord injuries rank among the most serious harms a person can suffer because they can affect movement, sensation, and independence for the rest of a person’s life. The location and severity of the damage shape how a person’s body and daily routine will change.
The spinal cord carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body, so damage to it can disrupt nearly every function we rely on. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the effects depend on where along the spine the injury happens and how complete it is. Recovery is often a long journey that involves many specialists.
Grand Rapids families are fortunate to have strong medical resources close to home. Many local patients begin rehabilitation at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital or receive care along the Medical Mile on Michigan Street. Even with excellent care, the costs and life changes can stretch on for decades.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in West Michigan
Many of the spinal cord injuries we see begin with sudden, high-force crashes on the roads that connect our region. Wrecks on US-131, I-96, and I-196, along with collisions on busy local streets, can place enormous force on the spine in a single instant.
Large commercial trucks pose a special danger because of their size and weight, and a person hit by a vehicle that heavy can suffer life-changing harm. Motorcycle and pedestrian crashes can carry the same risk, since the body has so little protection. Whatever the cause, we move quickly to learn exactly how it happened.
Common Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries take several forms, and each one carries its own set of challenges. These injuries often include:
- Tetraplegia (quadriplegia): damage in the neck region that can affect the arms, trunk, legs, and pelvic organs.
- Paraplegia: injury lower on the spine that affects the legs and lower body.
- Incomplete injuries: partial damage that may leave some movement or feeling below the injury site.
- Spinal fractures and nerve damage: trauma that can lead to chronic pain and limited mobility.
No two spinal cord injuries are exactly alike, and each one deserves a legal strategy built around the person living with it.
What Compensation Is Available for a Spinal Cord Injury?
You may be able to recover compensation for medical care, lost income, and the deep personal toll a spinal cord injury takes on your life. The goal is to account for both your present needs and the costs that will follow you for years.
The financial weight of a spinal cord injury reaches far beyond the first hospital bill. Lifelong care, home modifications, assistive equipment, and lost earning ability all add up over time. We work to capture every present and future need so nothing is left out of your claim.
Depending on the facts of your case, the damages in a spinal cord injury claim may include:
- Medical expenses: emergency treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing care.
- Attendant care: help with daily living, whether provided by professionals or by family members.
- Lost wages and earning capacity: income lost now and the ability to earn in the future.
- Pain and suffering: the physical pain and the emotional strain the injury has caused.
- Home and vehicle modifications: ramps, lifts, and other changes that help restore independence.
Placing a fair value on a lifetime of needs takes experience and careful preparation, and that is the work we do for every client we serve.
How Michigan’s No-Fault System Affects Your Recovery
Michigan’s No-Fault system decides how your medical care gets paid and when you can sue the at-fault driver. Understanding both parts is key to recovering everything you are owed.
Under Michigan’s No-Fault auto insurance law, your own Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, benefits pay for medical bills and a share of lost wages after a crash, no matter who was at fault. These first-party benefits can be a lifeline in the early months after a serious crash.
Severe injuries often call for attendant care, which covers help with everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, and moving around the home. Michigan law allows these benefits to be paid even when a family member provides that care. We also review how any coordinated insurance policies you carry affect what you can claim.
When an injury is severe, you may also bring a third-party lawsuit against the at-fault driver for pain and suffering and other losses that PIP does not cover. A spinal cord injury will often meet the legal threshold for this kind of claim. We help you pursue both paths at the same time, so no source of compensation is missed.
Michigan also follows a modified comparative negligence rule. This means you can still recover compensation even if you were partly at fault, as long as you were not more than 50 percent responsible. We present the facts clearly, so an unfair share of blame is not placed on you.
Why Choose Christensen Law as Your Grand Rapids Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer?
People across Michigan choose Christensen Law because we pair real compassion with a courtroom record few firms can match. We treat your case as if it will be decided by a jury, and that mindset strengthens everything we do.
We have advocated for injured people since 1991, which is more than 35 years of standing up for families against powerful insurance companies. We do not run a high-volume settlement mill. Instead, we focus on life-altering injuries and prepare each case with trial-level detail.
Clients across West Michigan choose us because we offer:
- A trial-ready approach: we prepare every case for court, which strengthens our position in every negotiation.
- Compassionate, personal attention: we treat you like family, not a file number.
- Around-the-clock access: free consultations are available 24/7, and there is no fee unless we win.
Our 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 a recognized Leader in the Law and an ABOTA member as well.
When your future is at stake, you deserve that level of advocacy, so call us 24/7 at (616) 512-0718 for a free consultation.
A Record of Powerful Results for Injury Victims
Our results show what focused, trial-ready advocacy can achieve for seriously injured people. Behind every number is a family whose future we helped protect.
Over the years, our trial attorneys have secured record-setting verdicts and settlements for accident victims across Michigan. Those results include a $17.8 million motor vehicle accident verdict and a $9.5 million recovery, among many other significant outcomes. We bring that same determination to every catastrophic injury case we take.
Strong results do not happen by accident. They come from years of preparation, deep investigation, and a willingness to take a case all the way to a verdict when an insurer refuses to be fair. That is the standard we hold ourselves to for each family who turns to us.
The firm has also earned recognition as a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent law firm, a mark reserved for attorneys held in high regard for both skill and ethics. From the D to the UP | Proven Expertise | Powerful Results.
FAQs Answered by Our Grand Rapids Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
Below are answers to some of the questions we hear most often from people facing a spinal cord injury in Grand Rapids.
There is no cost up front to hire our firm. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Your first consultation is always free.
Michigan law sets deadlines, known as statutes of limitations, that limit how long you have to take legal action. These deadlines vary depending on the type of claim, and missing one can affect your rights. Speaking with a lawyer early helps protect your ability to recover.
Yes, in many cases you can. Michigan follows a modified comparative negligence rule, so you may recover compensation as long as you were not more than 50 percent at fault. Your share of responsibility may reduce the final amount.
Truck crashes often cause some of the most severe spinal cord injuries, and these cases call for fast action. Important evidence such as black box data, driver logbooks, and maintenance records can disappear quickly. We move right away to preserve that evidence and hold the trucking company accountable.
It is wise to speak with a lawyer first. Insurance adjusters may ask for a recorded statement or offer a fast settlement that does not reflect the true cost of your injury. We handle these conversations, so your words are not used to shrink your claim.
Not always. Many cases settle, yet we prepare every case as if it will go to trial. That readiness often leads to stronger settlement offers, and we are fully prepared to stand before a jury when doing so serves your interests.
Talk to a Grand Rapids Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Today
You do not have to face life after a spinal cord injury alone, and you do not have to fight the insurance companies by yourself. Our Grand Rapids spinal cord injury lawyers are ready to listen to your story, protect your rights, and pursue the full compensation your recovery requires.
Reach out to Christensen Law any time, day or night, for a free and confidential consultation. Call our Grand Rapids office at (616) 512-0718 to speak with our team. There is no fee unless we win your case.
Serving all of Michigan, from the D to the UP.
