Spinal cord injuries are among the most life-altering and devastating injuries a person can endure. These injuries often result in permanent disabilities, significant medical expenses, and a dramatic reduction in quality of life.
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), approximately 18,421 new spinal cord injury cases occur annually in the U.S., with car accidents, falls, and acts of violence among the leading causes.[1] Tragically, more than 300,000 Americans are currently living with the aftermath of a spinal cord injury, many requiring lifelong medical care and support.[2]
As Virginia Beach spinal cord injury attorneys, we understand the immense physical, emotional, and financial toll these injuries can take. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else, we can help. We are committed to fighting for your rights and seeking the full measure of compensation to which you are entitled so that you can rebuild your life.
Contact us today at (833) 997-1774 for a free consultation and case evaluation and let us stand up on your behalf.
We offer contingency fee representation – no fees unless compensation is recovered. We also advance all litigation costs and expenses while your case is ongoing (normally these are repaid from a settlement or judgment). We look forward to having the opportunity to serve you or your injured family member.
Why Choose Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp for a Spinal Cord Injury Claim?
- At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, our team has more than 100 years of combined legal experience, and we are leaders in terms of multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts in Virginia.
- We provide full-service injury representation. As a spinal cord injury law firm that has been serving Virginia Beach for decades, we handle every case with a client-focused approach, which means that we will take the time to listen to the goals and needs of every spinal cord injury victim that comes to us for help.
- We handle only personal injury claims. We know how the defense will work in injury claims, and how to counter their tactics and to assert our clients’ positions for liability and full damages.
Why You Need a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Spinal cord injury claims can be incredibly challenging when it comes to securing full compensation. Often, insurance carriers and at-fault parties fight hard in seeking to avoid liability and having to pay significant compensation to injury victims. As an experienced Virginia Beach spinal cord injury law firm, we will:
- Conduct an independent investigation into the incident to obtain the evidence needed to prove liability
- Ensure that you are evaluated by trusted medical and spinal cord injury specialists
- Work with economic and financial experts to properly calculate your total expected financial losses and costs, including past and future lost compensation and medical bills
- Demand full compensation for past and future pain and suffering and other expenses
- Fully prepare your case for trial (if necessary) if a fair settlement is not forthcoming
Our team will handle every aspect of your legal case so that you can focus on your recovery. Contact us today at (833) 997-1774 for a free consultation to learn more about how we can help. Let us stand by your side and fight for the compensation you deserve.
What are the Frequent Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries occur in a wide variety of ways. Since 2015, the most common causes of spinal cord injuries in the U.S. include:
- Car accidents
- Slips and falls
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Acts of violence
- Sports injuries
- Medical malpractice
Tragically, many of the incidents leading to spinal cord injury were preventable. While there is no way to undue an injury, spinal cord injury victims deserve full compensation from all those responsible.
What Forms of Compensation are Available for a Spinal Cord Injury?
There are various types of compensation that may be available to Virginia Beach spinal cord injury victims, including both economic and non-economic damages.
- Economic damages. Economic damages (sometimes also referred to as “special damages”) include those for which the losses are financially quantifiable, as they will relate to discrete dollar amounts such as:
- Medical bills associated with the injury
- Lost income if a victim cannot work
- General household out-of-pocket expenses
- Property damage expenses related to the incident, such as the cost of a totaled vehicle
- Non-economic damages. Non-economic damages (also referred to as “general damages”) are not easily calculable, as they do not relate to specific dollar amounts such as bills, lost wages, or property values. Some of the most common non-economic damages in injury and spinal cord cases include:
- Physical pain and suffering sustained by the injury victim
- Emotional and psychological distress
- Loss of quality of life damages
How are Economic (Special) Damages Calculated?
As spinal cord injury attorneys, our role is to identify and fully calculate all damages to which an injury victim is entitled in seeking to obtain full compensation.
For economic (or special) damages, an injury victim is entitled to not only all past damages that have been sustained, but all future damages likely to be incurred. For example, an injury victim may have both past medical expenses as well as future medical expenses and treatment associated with future surgeries and rehabilitation.
In cases of severe spinal cord injuries (especially those involving paralysis), rehabilitation and care expenses can reach into the millions of dollars. Lost wages can also reach into the millions of dollars, depending upon the age of the person when injured, if the person can no longer work.
We work extensively with medical and financial experts to fully document all damages suffered by a client so that an appropriate claim can be made for full compensation. Ultimately, if a case goes to trial, it will be up to a jury to make an award for economic damages based upon the evidence presented.
How are Non-Economic (General) Damages Calculated?
Non-economic (or general) damages, such as pain and suffering and loss of quality of life, are determined based upon the evidence presented about the pain and suffering endured by a spinal cord victim and how their life has been impacted based upon their injury. For instance, at trial, we will introduce evidence about the pain and suffering experienced at the time of the injury and since the injury occurred, and the pain and suffering likely to be endured in the future. We will also present evidence regarding how a client’s life has been impacted as a result of their injury.
At trial, it is also up to the jury to make a financial determination about how to compensate an injury victim for pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, and other non-economic or general damages.
How Much Are Spinal Cord Cases Worth?
There is no set amount of money that a spinal cord injury case will bring. The total amount of compensation will vary depending on economic and non-economic damages suffered by the spinal cord injury victim, including the severity of the injury, the level of paralysis, how much care is needed on an ongoing basis, lost wage calculations, the level of pain and suffering, and other factors.
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates that the first year of medical care for spinal cord injury can range from around $360,000 to more than $1.1 million, depending on the severity of the injury. Currently, every additional year of treatment can range from around $50,000 to more than $200,000, but these costs will need to be adjusted for inflation, and do not include other matters such as lost wages. In severe instances where care is required 24/7, these costs can be significantly higher. Other costs, such as home modifications and specialized wheelchairs, must also be considered.
Our Past History of Success
While past success cannot guarantee or be a predictor of future success in any legal matter, our law firm has obtained significant settlements and jury verdicts on behalf of clients who have sustained severe injuries, including a record $60 million jury verdict for a client who suffered a life-altering catastrophic injury. Because every case will be unique, potential clients should never infer that a particular outcome or a positive result can be achieved based upon past cases, even if the nature of the case is similar.
Affording a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer in Virginia Beach – About Our Contingency Fee Representation
At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality legal representation, especially following a catastrophic injury. The physical, emotional, and financial burdens of a spinal cord injury are already overwhelming, especially considering the costs for medical care, rehabilitation, and lost income. The cost of legal representation should not compound these matters.
That’s why we accept Virginia Beach spinal cord injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This arrangement ensures:
- No Upfront Legal Fees: You don’t pay any legal fees to get your case started.
- No Out-of-Pocket Expenses: We advance all litigation costs, including those for filing fees, expert witnesses, and evidence collection. These costs are typically repaid through the proceeds of a trial verdict or settlement.
- Payment for Legal Representation: We only receive a fee for our services if compensation is recovered (our fee is based upon a percentage of the compensation recovered and whether a trial is necessary).
This structure allows you to focus on your recovery while we handle your case.
Contact a Virginia Beach Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Today for a Free Case Evaluation
If you or somebody you love has sustained a spinal cord injury caused by the negligence of someone else, we invite you to call us at (833) 997-1774 for a free consultation and case evaluation. As spinal cord injury attorneys with decades of injury representation, we have the resources necessary to fully investigate your spinal cord injury, and we will work tirelessly in seeking to recover for you the full compensation to which you are entitled. Let us advocate for the justice you deserve.
“Mr.Washburn and Heather are amazing. Mr.Washburn is insightful and honest. He was able to keep me informed and give advice while still prioritizing my wants and needs. Heather is sharp and swift, I never felt like I couldn’t reach out to either of them whenever I had questions, needed updates, anything. They made this process seamless and I’d definitely return for my legal needs.”5 Star Google Review – J.H.
[1] National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center 2025 Annual Statistical Report for the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems. University of Alabama at Birmingham: Birmingham, Alabama. https://bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/sites.uab.edu/dist/f/392/files/2025/02/2025-Facts-and-Figures.pdf
[2] Id.