Phoenix Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
A Phoenix Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer for People Living With Spinal Cord Injuries
If a crash or a fall in Phoenix left you or someone you love with a spinal cord injury, a spinal cord injury lawyer in Phoenix can explain who may be responsible and what a lifetime of care could mean for your claim. Valley Accident Law serves Phoenix families from our Scottsdale office, and we can begin by phone while you are still in the hospital. Most Arizona injury claims must be filed within two years, so the earlier you call, the better.
- Filing deadline
- 2 years from the injury, for most claims
- A.R.S. 12-542(1)
- City of Phoenix or another public entity
- Notice of claim within 180 days
- A.R.S. 12-821.01
- Children
- Filing deadlines paused until age 18, with limits
- A.R.S. 12-502
- Damage caps
- None on personal injury or death damages
- Ariz. Const. art. 2 sec. 31; art. 18 sec. 6
Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer in Phoenix: Where These Injuries Begin
Phoenix covers more than 519 square miles, and most of it is reached at speed: by freeway, or along arterial streets that run for miles between stoplights. A crash on that kind of road puts enormous force through the body, and the spine can take the worst of it. The City of Phoenix says its 2026 High Injury Network is built on 4,347 crashes from 2020 to 2024 in which someone was killed or seriously injured, drawn from the Arizona Department of Transportation crash database.
A spinal cord injury changes what a claim is about. It is no longer only the emergency bills. It is the wheelchair, the changes to a home, the aides, the therapy and the work a person can no longer do. The driver's insurance company will not describe it that way in its first letter, and that is one reason families call us early.
This page is about spinal cord injuries in Phoenix. For the statewide overview, see our guide from an Arizona spinal cord injury lawyer. For the wider picture of how we work in this city, see our page for a personal injury lawyer in Phoenix.
Where Spinal Injuries Come From in Phoenix
Different causes point to different defendants and different evidence.
- Freeway crashes
I-10 carries drivers through the Broadway Curve on the Phoenix and Tempe side, and I-17 has the Durango Curve between the 19th Avenue and Buckeye Road interchanges southwest of downtown. High speeds and tight curves leave little room to react.
- Crashes at big intersections
In the city's 2020 to 2024 data, 67th Avenue at Indian School Road had 13 crashes that killed or seriously injured someone, and two more corners, Indian School Road at 19th Avenue and Camelback Road at 27th Avenue, had 12 each. A T-bone impact at one of these corners can injure the spine even when the vehicles look repairable.
- Heavy trucks on city streets
Phoenix designates every arterial street as a truck route, so large trucks are spread across the whole grid, not only the freeways. Our Phoenix truck accident lawyer page covers the records a carrier must keep.
- Motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian crashes
Riders and people on foot have no frame around them. A spinal injury from a collision is often the reason a claim becomes a long one.
- Falls on unsafe property
A fall from a loose stair, a broken landing or an unguarded edge can injure the spine. The question becomes what the property owner knew or should have known. See our page for a Phoenix slip and fall lawyer.
- Neck injuries that reach the cord
People often search for a neck injury lawyer in Phoenix after a rear-end crash because they feel pain and stiffness. Some neck injuries involve the cord itself. Imaging and a specialist decide that, not an insurance adjuster.
From the Crash to the Long Term
A spinal cord injury claim moves in stages. This outline is about what happens to the claim, not about treatment.
The first hours
Emergency care at a trauma center
The first medical records show what happened to the body and when. They become the base of the claim.
The first weeks
The insurance calls begin
An adjuster may ask for a recorded statement. You can decline to agree to one until you have spoken with us.
The first months
Evidence is gathered
We ask for the crash report, signal and camera footage and a trucking carrier's logs, which may be kept as little as six months (49 CFR 395.8(k)), so a preservation letter goes out early.
Within two years
A lawsuit may need to be filed
Two years is the general deadline (A.R.S. 12-542). If the claim stays unresolved, a case would be filed in Maricopa County Superior Court.
Over a lifetime
Future care is priced
A fair claim looks at what care will cost over the rest of a life, not only what has been billed so far.
Arizona
Phoenix Hospitals and Where Records Come From
Which hospital treated you decides where your first records sit. The Arizona Department of Health Services trauma center list, dated December 2025, shows these Level I centers with Phoenix addresses.
Valleywise Health, 2601 E. Roosevelt
Level I trauma center.
Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, 1111 E. McDowell Rd.
Level I trauma center and teaching hospital.
St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 350 W. Thomas Rd.
Level I trauma center and home of the Barrow Neurological Institute.
HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center, 250 E. Dunlap Ave.
Level I trauma center in north central Phoenix.
HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center, 19829 N. 27th Ave.
Level I trauma center in north Phoenix.
Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E. Thomas Rd.
Level I pediatric trauma center, for children and teens.
Phoenix Police Public Records, 100 W. Washington St.
Where Phoenix crash reports are requested, through the city's online portal or in person.
What an Early Offer Covers and What a Spinal Cord Injury Costs Over Time
Arizona does not cap personal injury damages, but a quick offer is rarely built around a lifetime. Insurance companies and attorneys often negotiate the percentage of fault as well, so both halves matter.
What an early insurance offer tends to look at
- Hospital and ambulance bills as of today.
- A few weeks or months of missed work.
- The driver's policy limit, which may be as low as $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury (A.R.S. 28-4009).
- A release that closes the claim for good.
What we ask you and your care team about
- Future medical care, therapy and equipment.
- Help at home, and changes to the home or a vehicle.
- Lost earning capacity, not just lost weeks.
- Pain, loss of independence and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Other coverage you may hold, including your own underinsured motorist coverage (notice within 3 years under A.R.S. 12-555).
Deadlines for Adults, Children and Public Entities
The general deadline is two years (A.R.S. 12-542). If the City of Phoenix or another public entity may be responsible, a written notice of claim is due within 180 days (A.R.S. 12-821.01) and notices go to the City Clerk Department, 200 W. Washington St., 15th Floor. A child's deadlines against a public entity are paused until age 18, but the parents' own claim for medical bills they paid is not paused, so families should not wait. These rules have exceptions, so call us and we will explain how they apply to you. Our guide to the Arizona statute of limitations has the details.
Questions to Bring to Your Free Case Review
You do not need all the answers. Bring what you have and we will work through the rest with you.
- The date, place and cause of the injury, and the police report number if you have one.
- Which Phoenix hospital treated you and who your treating doctors are.
- Any letters from an insurance company, and whether anyone has asked for a recorded statement.
- Names of employers, because lost earning capacity is part of the claim.
- Your own auto policy, which may include uninsured and underinsured coverage.
- Hospital or health plan bills. Our guide to medical liens on a settlement explains why those matter.
Related pages
Questions
Questions about Phoenix spinal cord injury cases
How long do I have to file a spinal cord injury claim in Phoenix?
Two years for most claims (A.R.S. 12-542), and 180 days for written notice if a city or other public entity may be responsible. A child's deadlines are paused until age 18, with limits. These rules have exceptions, so call us and we will explain how they apply to you.
Which Phoenix hospitals are Level I trauma centers?
The state list includes Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Valleywise Health, HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center and HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center, plus Phoenix Children's Hospital for pediatric trauma. Ask your care team about specialized spinal care, because we do not give medical advice. Our guide to Phoenix area trauma centers explains how the records fit into a claim.
Where do I get the crash report?
For crashes on Phoenix city streets, Phoenix Police Public Records at 100 W. Washington St. takes requests through the city's online portal under the Traffic Crash category. If you are not sure which agency responded, ask the hospital social worker or call us.
How do I choose a spinal cord injury attorney in Phoenix?
When you compare a spinal cord injury law firm in Phoenix against others, ask who will return your calls, how fees are explained in writing, and whether the firm will tell you where your case is weak. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you. Charles Paglialunga has 32 years of Arizona accident experience and is a Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum member.
Where would a lawsuit be filed?
In Maricopa County Superior Court. The court lists Civil at the East Court Building, 101 W. Jefferson St., in downtown Phoenix. Many claims settle before anyone files.
I live in Phoenix and cannot travel to Scottsdale. Can we still talk?
Yes. Our office is about 13 miles away at 5635 N Scottsdale Rd, Suite 170, Scottsdale, AZ 85250, but we can start by phone. Call any time. Office visits Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.
Free case review
Talk to Us About a Spinal Cord Injury in Phoenix
Call (602) 584-8054 or request your free case review. Our experienced and friendly attorney will explain your legal rights and the questions to ask. The earlier you call, the better, but it's never too late to find out your legal rights. Contact Valley Accident Law.
Call any time. Office visits Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.
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