A serious spinal cord injury affects far more than your body, reaching into your work, your independence, and your family’s everyday life. The Southfield spinal cord injury lawyers at Christensen Law understand what you and your family are facing, and we are here to listen.
We have advocated for catastrophically injured people across Michigan since 1991, and we treat every client like family. When your health and your future are on the line, you deserve a legal team that is willing to fight insurance companies in the courtroom, not one that pushes you toward a fast, low settlement.
Our trial attorneys have secured results that include a $17.8 million motor vehicle verdict and a $9.5 million wrongful death recovery. From our Southfield office on Telegraph Road, we serve injured people throughout Oakland County and the entire state.
If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury, we want to hear your story. Call Christensen Law 24/7 at (248) 600-4591 for a free, no-risk consultation.
CHRISTENSEN LAW HAS A 24 HOUR RAPID RESPONSE SERVICE
How Can Our Southfield Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Help You?
Our Southfield spinal cord injury lawyers help by investigating your crash, dealing with the insurance companies, and building a case strong enough to win at trial. From the very first day, we lift these burdens off your shoulders, so you can focus on your health and your family.
We focus our practice on life-altering, catastrophic injuries rather than high-volume caseloads. That means your case gets the time, resources, and personal attention it deserves. To us, you are a person and a family facing a difficult season, never a case number.
We Take on the Insurance Companies for You
Insurance adjusters often move quickly after a serious injury, and not always with your best interests in mind. They may request a recorded statement, ask you to attend an independent medical exam, or float an early offer that looks helpful but falls far short of your real needs. We deal with these requests for you, so you never have to face that pressure alone.
We Build Every Case for Trial
Firm founder David Christensen has earned the highest honors a trial lawyer can receive, and our team prepares each case as if it is going in front of a jury. That work includes gathering evidence, partnering with medical professionals, and documenting the full, long-term cost of your injury. When insurers know we are ready to try a case, they tend to take the claim far more seriously.
No matter where the crash happened, from the Lodge Freeway here in metro Detroit to a highway near Grand Rapids, our team is ready to step in. We carry the legal weight, so your energy can go toward recovery.
Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries and Their Lasting Impact
A spinal cord injury is damage to the bundle of nerves that carries signals between your brain and the rest of your body, and it can change sensation, movement, and basic body functions below the injury site. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, these injuries usually begin with a sudden, traumatic blow to the spine.
Doctors describe a spinal cord injury as either complete or incomplete. A complete injury means there is no feeling or movement below the level of the injury. An incomplete injury means some signals still get through, so a degree of function may remain.
The location of the injury matters a great deal. An injury higher on the spine, in the neck, can affect all four limbs, while a lower injury may affect mainly the legs and lower body. The vertebrae are grouped into cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions, and the level of harm often shapes what daily life looks like afterward.
Spinal cord injuries can also bring lasting complications beyond paralysis, including chronic pain, pressure sores, and changes in bladder, bowel, and breathing function. Managing these challenges day to day often calls for a coordinated care team and equipment that supports independence. Planning for that future is central to a strong claim.
These injuries frequently require emergency surgery, months of rehabilitation, and long-term attendant care at home. Because these costs continue for years, recovering the full value of a claim is really about protecting your future. That is the work we take seriously for every client we represent.
How Insurance Companies Approach Serious Injury Claims
Insurance companies treat a serious injury claim as a business decision, and their goal is usually to limit what they pay. Knowing this from the start helps you protect yourself and your family.
After a spinal cord injury, an adjuster may sound friendly while quietly building reasons to reduce your claim. A recorded statement can be used against you later, and an early settlement check often arrives long before anyone understands the true, lifelong cost of the injury. Once you accept an offer, you usually cannot go back for more.
This is where having your own advocate makes a real difference. We handle every conversation with the insurance company, gather the proof your claim needs, and stand between you and tactics designed to shortchange your recovery. You focus on healing, and we focus on accountability.
The earlier you reach out, the more we can do to protect you. We can step in before a recorded statement is given, document your injuries while the evidence is fresh, and make sure your benefits are claimed correctly from the start. Early help often keeps small missteps from turning into costly problems.
What Compensation Can a Spinal Cord Injury Claim Recover?
A spinal cord injury claim in Michigan can recover both economic losses, such as medical bills and lost income, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. The exact compensation depends on how the crash happened, the severity of the harm, and the insurance coverage involved.
In Michigan, your own auto policy provides Personal Injury Protection, often called PIP, which pays certain benefits regardless of who caused the crash. When another party’s carelessness caused your injury, you may also bring a separate, third-party claim for the losses the no-fault system does not fully cover.
Depending on the facts of your case, a claim may seek compensation for:
- Past and future medical care, including surgery, hospital stays, and rehabilitation
- Attendant care, meaning the daily personal help an injured person needs at home
- Lost wages and a reduced ability to earn a living in the years ahead
- Pain, suffering, and the loss of life’s everyday enjoyment
- Home and vehicle modifications, such as ramps and accessible equipment
Every spinal cord injury is different, so the right strategy always depends on the details. We sit down with you, your doctors, and your family to account for all of your losses, both today and far into the future.
How Does Michigan’s No-Fault System Affect Your Spinal Cord Injury Claim?
Michigan’s no-fault system shapes who pays your bills first and when you can take the at-fault party to court. Under this system, you first turn to your own insurance for immediate benefits, then pursue a separate lawsuit for the harm those benefits do not address.
Under MCL 500.3107, PIP benefits cover reasonable medical expenses, a portion of lost wages, and attendant care, no matter who was at fault. These first-party benefits are designed to start soon after a crash, so your medical care does not have to wait on a fault dispute.
For pain and suffering and other damages, Michigan law allows a third-party lawsuit against the at-fault driver when the injury meets a legal threshold. Under MCL 500.3135, a serious impairment of body function clears that bar, and a spinal cord injury very often qualifies.
You may still recover even if you were partly responsible for the crash. Under MCL 600.2959, Michigan follows a modified comparative fault rule, so you can recover as long as you are not more than 50% at fault, though your award is reduced by your share of the blame.
If your policy uses coordinated coverage, the order in which your auto and health insurance pay can become complicated. We untangle these overlapping policies for you and push back when an insurer tries to shift costs that belong to it. Getting this right early can protect the overall value of your claim.
Why Families Across Michigan Choose Christensen Law
Families choose Christensen Law because we combine genuine compassion with a proven record in the courtroom. We are not a high-volume settlement mill, and we never treat the people we serve like a number on a file.
Here is what sets our team apart:
- Founder David Christensen is a Michigan Hall of Fame attorney, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and holds AV Preeminent recognition from Martindale-Hubbell
- Managing Partner Sarah Stempky-Kime is a recognized “Leader in the Law” and an ABOTA member
- We hold a 4.9 to 5.0 review rating across our office locations
- Our free consultations are available 24/7, and you pay nothing unless we win
Our philosophy is simple, and it guides everything we do: Listen, Protect, Win. We listen to your story with care, we protect you from aggressive insurance tactics, and we work to win the result your family needs to move forward. That is the promise behind our slogan,
From the D to the UP | Proven Expertise | Powerful Results.
Call our Southfield team today at (248) 600-4591 to talk with someone who will truly listen.
FAQs: Southfield Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
Below are answers to questions we often hear from injured people and their families across Michigan.
There is no cost to get started, and you pay nothing up front. We handle spinal cord injury cases on a contingency fee, which means our fee comes only as a percentage of what we recover for you. If we do not win your case, you do not owe us attorney fees, and your first consultation is always free.
Michigan sets strict deadlines, and they are often shorter than people expect. The time limit for a no-fault PIP claim is generally one year, while the deadline for a third-party lawsuit is usually longer. Because these deadlines change with the facts, the safest step is to talk with us soon, so no rights are lost.
Commercial crashes call for fast, careful action. Trucking companies often have a defense team working within hours, and key evidence such as black box data, driver logbooks, and maintenance records can disappear. We move quickly to preserve this proof and hold every responsible party accountable.
Yes, Michigan law allows surviving family members to bring a wrongful death claim. This type of claim can seek compensation for medical and funeral costs, lost financial support, and the loss of your loved one’s companionship. We handle these cases with the sensitivity they deserve.
Many cases resolve through a settlement, but we prepare every case as though it will be tried. The other side knows we are ready and willing to go before a jury, and that readiness often leads to stronger offers. If a fair settlement is not on the table, we are prepared to fight for you at trial.
Every case moves at its own pace, and a catastrophic injury claim often takes longer because the stakes are higher. We do not rush to settle before your medical picture is clear, since an early settlement can leave future costs uncovered. We keep you informed at every step, so you always know where your case stands.
Your consultation is a conversation, not a commitment. We listen to what happened, answer your questions in plain language, and explain the options that may be available to you. You leave with clear, honest information you can use to decide what comes next.
Contact Our Southfield Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Today
You do not have to face a spinal cord injury or the insurance companies on your own. Our Southfield spinal cord injury lawyers are ready to listen to your story, protect your rights, and pursue the justice and compensation your family deserves.
From our office at 25925 Telegraph Road in Southfield, we serve injured people throughout Oakland County and beyond. Serving all of Michigan, from the D to the UP, our trial attorneys bring more than 35 years of experience to every case we accept.
Call Christensen Law 24/7 at (248) 600-4591 for your free, no-risk consultation. Let us carry the legal burden, so you can focus on healing.
