A spinal cord injury can change a person’s life in an instant. Emergency treatment may be followed by surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical care. Lasting effects on mobility, sensation, and daily activities can create significant challenges for injured people and their families.
If your spinal injury is a result of another party’s negligence, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim. Coopers LLP represents injured individuals in San Francisco and throughout California.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in San Francisco
Coopers LLP handles San Francisco spinal cord injury claims caused by incidents like:
- Construction and building site incidents: Falls from tall heights, scaffolding and ladder failures, trench collapses, and struck-by events.
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents: Impacts on city streets, neighborhoods, and in intersections.
- Commercial truck and delivery vehicle collisions: Crashes involving carriers and delivery fleets moving through the city.
- Dangerous property conditions: Unguarded openings, failed stairs and handrails, and building components that give way.
- Defective products or equipment: Failures that lead to serious spinal trauma.
Deadlines and Claims Against a Public Entity
Under California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, most personal injury lawsuits, including spinal cord injury cases, must be filed within two years of the injury. A claim involving a public entity follows a different process. If a Muni vehicle, an SFMTA facility, or a city-maintained street or sidewalk may have contributed to an injury, California Government Code section 911.2 generally requires a written claim to be submitted to the responsible agency within six months before a lawsuit can be filed.
Exceptions can apply, and missing a deadline can bar you from seeking compensation. A San Francisco personal injury lawyer can help you determine which deadlines apply to your case.
Liability in a San Francisco Spinal Cord Injury Claim
Determining liability often requires examining the decisions and conditions that may have led to the injury. Depending on the facts, a claim could involve a driver, property owner, business, employer, manufacturer, contractor, or public entity. More than one person or organization may share legal responsibility.
Evidence can help clarify what happened and who was involved. Police reports, photographs, video footage, witness statements, maintenance records, and product information may all be relevant.
California’s Comparative Negligence Rule
California uses a comparative negligence system that assigns a percentage of fault to each party involved. An injured person’s own conduct may be considered, but being partly responsible does not automatically prevent a claim.
Any damages award may be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to the injured person. For example, a person found 15% responsible could have an award reduced by 15%.
How Coopers LLP Handles Spinal Cord Injury Claims
Each spinal cord injury claim involves different facts and legal issues. After reviewing a potential claim, Coopers LLP may evaluate the available information and, where appropriate, seek records such as incident reports, video footage, medical records, and employment documents. We also often assess potential sources of responsibility and communicate with insurers. If necessary, our personal injury lawyers can take your case to court.
We work exclusively on a contingency fee basis for all injury cases. You pay no attorney fees or costs unless we recover compensation for you.
Talk With a San Francisco Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
A spinal cord injury can leave you and your family facing difficult decisions while the full impact of the injury is still becoming clear. Coopers LLP can discuss what happened, help answer your questions, and explain the legal options that may be available.
If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury in San Francisco due to someone else’s negligence, contact Coopers LLP today for a free consultation.