You’re crossing a busy Oklahoma City intersection when a driver runs a red light and slams into your vehicle at full speed. Within minutes you cannot feel your legs. A traumatic event like this can cause a spinal cord injury that changes everything: your mobility, your independence, your ability to earn a living. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury caused by another person’s negligence, an Oklahoma City spinal cord injury lawyer at Hasbrook & Hasbrook can fight for the compensation you deserve.
Our law firm has represented people with life-changing spinal cord injuries for decades. We understand the medical complexity of these cases and the enormous costs that follow. We know how to build claims that account for every dollar you will need for the rest of your life.
Key Takeaways
- Injury classification directly affects case value. A cervical complete injury (quadriplegia) carries far greater lifetime costs than a lumbar incomplete injury. Understanding your classification is the first step in building an accurate claim.
- The $500,000 non-economic cap often does not apply to spinal cord injuries. Under 23 O.S. § 61.3, severe physical injuries causing lasting harm or loss of function are typically exempt from the cap.
- Economic damages have no ceiling. Medical bills, future care costs, and lost earning capacity can all be recovered in full, no matter how large the total.
- You have a two-year deadline. Under 12 O.S. § 95, you must file your personal injury lawsuit within two years of the date of injury. Missing this deadline permanently bars your claim.
- Oklahoma’s comparative fault bar still allows most injured people to recover. As long as you were not more than 50% at fault under 23 O.S. § 13, you can collect damages even if you share some responsibility.
What Are the Leading Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Oklahoma?
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries in Oklahoma, followed by falls, workplace accidents, and acts of violence. These injuries typically result from sudden, high-force impacts that fracture vertebrae or damage spinal cord tissue directly, and most involve preventable negligence by another party.
Our spinal cord injury attorneys handle cases involving:
- Car accidents: the leading cause of spinal cord injuries nationwide. High-speed collisions, rollovers, and rear-end crashes deliver the kind of force that can fracture vertebrae or sever the spinal cord entirely.
- Truck accidents: collisions with commercial vehicles generate devastating impact forces because of the massive weight difference.
- Motorcycle crashes: riders lack the structural protection of a car, making severe harm far more likely in a collision.
- Pedestrian accidents: pedestrians struck by vehicles face direct impact with little protection.
- Falls: slip and fall incidents on poorly maintained property cause a significant share of spinal cord injuries, especially in older adults.
- Workplace incidents: construction falls, equipment failures, and industrial accidents are another frequent cause in Oklahoma.
- Acts of violence: gunshot wounds and assaults can cause severe injury to the spinal cord.
Many cases involve a party whose careless actions could have been prevented. Whether your injury occurred on the road, at a job site, or on someone else’s property, our team investigates the circumstances to establish liability. Spinal cord injuries are among the most serious in the broader category of catastrophic injuries we handle, and they frequently co-occur with traumatic brain injuries in high-force accidents.
How Spinal Cord Injuries Are Classified
Spinal cord injuries are classified by two factors: the location on the spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, or sacral) and whether the injury is complete or incomplete. A complete injury eliminates all motor and sensory function below the damage site. An incomplete injury preserves partial function. Higher injuries on the spine produce more severe disability, and the classification directly determines both the medical prognosis and the value of your claim.
Complete injury: The cord is fully disrupted, eliminating all motor and sensory function below the injury site. A complete injury at the cervical (neck) level causes quadriplegia, affecting all four limbs and potentially requiring ventilator support. A complete injury at the thoracic or lumbar level causes paraplegia, affecting the legs and lower body.
Incomplete injury: Some nerve pathways remain intact, preserving partial movement or sensation. Recovery varies widely, but many people with incomplete spinal cord injuries face permanent limitations. Injuries at the cervical level still tend to produce the most severe outcomes even when incomplete.
Other spinal cord injuries include herniated discs, vertebral fractures, and cord damage from swelling or bleeding. Each type carries different treatment demands and long-term costs that your claim must fully account for. For more detail on specific injury subtypes, see our pages on back injuries from car accidents and vertebrae fractures.
| Injury Level | Complete Injury | Incomplete Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Cervical (C1-C8), Neck | Quadriplegia: loss of function in all four limbs, may require ventilator | Partial arm/hand function may be preserved; varies widely by vertebra |
| Thoracic (T1-T12), Upper/mid back | Paraplegia: loss of leg function and trunk stability; arms unaffected | Some leg or trunk sensation/movement preserved |
| Lumbar (L1-L5), Lower back | Loss of leg function; may affect bladder and bowel control | Partial leg movement possible; may walk with assistance |
| Sacral (S1-S5), Base of spine | Loss of some leg, bladder, and bowel function | Most leg function preserved; some bladder/bowel impairment |
For a medical overview of spinal cord injury symptoms and classification, the Mayo Clinic’s spinal cord injury resource provides authoritative information on injury types and what to expect medically.
Who Is Liable When a Spinal Cord Injury Is Caused by Negligence?
If someone else’s careless or reckless actions caused your injury, Oklahoma personal injury law gives you the right to pursue compensation. Potentially liable parties include careless drivers, property owners, employers, product manufacturers, and government entities responsible for dangerous road conditions.
Oklahoma follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you share some fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. Insurance companies routinely try to shift blame to the injured person in high-value spinal cord cases. Having an experienced spinal cord injury attorney counters these tactics. Read more about how comparative negligence works in Oklahoma injury claims.
Compensation Available for Spinal Cord Injuries in Oklahoma
People injured by another’s negligence in Oklahoma can recover economic damages with no statutory cap, noneconomic damages up to $500,000 in most cases (though severe physical injuries like spinal cord damage often qualify for an exception), and punitive damages when the defendant acted recklessly. Lifetime costs for a severe spinal cord injury routinely reach seven figures.
Spinal cord injuries produce some of the largest personal injury verdicts and settlements in Oklahoma because the medical and support needs extend across a lifetime. Emergency surgeries, extended hospitalization, and intensive rehabilitation are only the beginning. Future costs include physical therapy, adaptive equipment, home modifications, attendant care, lost earning capacity, and the pain and loss that accompany permanent disability. Our attorneys work with medical economists and life-care planners to calculate the full amount before negotiating or going to trial. For a detailed look at settlement values in these cases, see our page on how much a spinal cord injury is worth in Oklahoma City.
| Damage Category | What It Covers | Oklahoma Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Damages | Medical bills, future care, lost wages, adaptive equipment, home modifications | No cap |
| Noneconomic Damages | Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life | $500,000 per 23 O.S. § 61.3; exceptions for severe physical injury and reckless conduct |
| Punitive Damages | Punishment for reckless or intentional conduct | Greater of $100,000 or actual damages awarded, per 23 O.S. § 9.1 |
Oklahoma Laws That Affect Your Spinal Cord Injury Claim
Oklahoma gives you two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit, bars recovery if you are more than 50% at fault, and caps most noneconomic damages at $500,000. Spinal cord injuries causing lasting physical harm typically qualify for an exception to that cap.
Filing deadline (12 O.S. § 95): You have two years from the date the injury occurred to file a civil lawsuit. Let that window close and you permanently lose your right to pursue compensation. For context on how this deadline works, read our article on Oklahoma’s personal injury statute of limitations.
Noneconomic cap (23 O.S. § 61.3): Effective September 2025, this statute limits noneconomic recovery to $500,000 in most personal injury cases. However, the cap does not apply to severe physical injuries causing lasting harm or loss of function, and spinal cord injuries almost always qualify for this exception. Cases involving reckless conduct are also exempt. Permanent mental injuries carry a separate $1 million ceiling.
Comparative negligence (23 O.S. § 13): If you bear any portion of fault for the accident, your recovery is reduced by that percentage. If your fault share reaches more than 50%, you recover nothing. After the incident, do not give a recorded statement to the insurer without legal counsel. Anything you say can be used to inflate your fault share and reduce your claim.
How a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Builds Your Case
A spinal cord injury lawyer investigates liability, retains medical and economic experts, calculates lifetime care costs, and negotiates with insurers or takes the case to trial. Research consistently shows that people who hire personal injury attorneys recover significantly higher settlements than those who represent themselves. At Hasbrook & Hasbrook, our personal injury team handles every aspect of your case:
- Investigating the cause of your injury and establishing who was at fault
- Consulting neurosurgeons, rehabilitation specialists, and life-care planners
- Calculating lifetime costs including future surgeries, adaptive equipment, and lost earnings
- Negotiating with insurance companies that want to minimize payouts. Read our guide on dealing with insurance companies in personal injury cases.
- Taking your case to trial when the settlement offer does not reflect fair value
We work on a contingency basis. You pay nothing unless we win. Our team serves clients across Oklahoma. If a wrongful death resulted from spinal cord injuries, we also represent surviving families.
What to Expect During Your Spinal Cord Injury Claim
A spinal cord injury claim in Oklahoma moves through five phases over 18 to 36 months: investigation and liability analysis, medical treatment and life-care planning, demand preparation with expert reports, negotiation or mediation, and trial if the insurer refuses fair compensation. These claims take longer than typical injury cases because the lifetime costs must be thoroughly documented before any resolution. For general context, see our article on how long a personal injury lawsuit takes in Oklahoma.
| Phase | What Happens | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Investigation | Accident reconstruction, liability analysis, evidence preservation | 1 to 3 months |
| 2. Treatment and Life-Care Planning | Surgeries, rehabilitation, adaptive equipment trials; life-care planner documents future needs | 6 to 18 months |
| 3. Demand Preparation | Economic expert calculates lifetime costs; demand package compiled with medical evidence | 1 to 3 months |
| 4. Negotiation and Mediation | Structured settlement discussions with insurer; mediation if needed | 2 to 4 months |
| 5. Trial (if needed) | Full trial with expert testimony on lifetime care costs | 4 to 8 months |
Spinal cord injury claims are among the most complex in personal injury law because they require projecting costs decades into the future. Life-care planners, vocational experts, and medical economists must all contribute to the demand. Settling too early is the most costly mistake an injured person can make. Our attorneys ensure every future expense is documented before we negotiate.
Why Choose Hasbrook & Hasbrook for Your Spinal Cord Injury Case
Hasbrook & Hasbrook is a family-run Oklahoma personal injury firm. Clayton Hasbrook became a lawyer to continue what his parents started: fighting for Oklahomans hurt by someone else’s negligence. When you hire our firm, you get a team that knows Oklahoma courts, Oklahoma insurance adjusters, and Oklahoma juries. Learn more about our team at Clayton T. Hasbrook’s attorney profile.
What sets our firm apart:
- Family-run, Oklahoma roots: We know the courts, the judges, the adjusters, and the communities where these injuries happen. Local knowledge translates to better strategy and stronger results.
- Depth over volume: We limit our caseload so every client gets personal attention from Clayton and our legal team. Your case will never be handed off to a junior associate or lost in a pile of files.
- Trial readiness: Insurance companies know which firms will actually go to trial. Our willingness to take cases to a jury consistently produces better settlement offers for our clients.
How Our Fees Work
Hasbrook & Hasbrook works on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing upfront and owe no attorney fees unless we win your case. Our fee is 25% for pre-litigation settlements, lower than the 33% industry standard, because we believe injured Oklahomans should keep more of their recovery.
Here is how our fee structure works:
- No upfront cost: You pay nothing to hire us. We advance all case expenses including filing fees, medical records, expert witnesses, and court costs.
- 25% contingency for pre-litigation settlements: If we resolve your case before filing a lawsuit, our fee is 25% of the recovery. Most firms charge 33% or more at this stage.
- No hidden charges: We explain our fee agreement clearly before you sign anything. There are no hourly rates, no retainers, and no surprise bills.
- You keep more: On a $100,000 settlement, our lower rate saves you $8,000 compared to a firm charging the industry standard.
- If we don’t win, you owe nothing: Not for our time, not for the expenses we advanced, not for anything. The risk is on us.
Oklahoma City Spinal Cord Injury Resources
If you or a family member is navigating a spinal cord injury, these authoritative resources provide medical and statistical context beyond what any law firm can offer. The Mayo Clinic’s spinal cord injury overview covers symptoms, causes, and classification in depth. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham publishes annual data on incidence rates, causes, and lifetime care costs that are widely cited in litigation. For documentation guidance during a legal claim, see our article on how to document your injuries for a personal injury claim.
Frequently Asked Questions About Spinal Cord Injury in Oklahoma
How much is a spinal cord injury case worth in Oklahoma?
Spinal cord injury cases produce some of the largest verdicts and settlements in Oklahoma because the lifetime costs are staggering. The value depends on the severity of the injury (complete vs. incomplete, cervical vs. lumbar), the cost of lifetime medical care, lost earning capacity, and the impact on your daily life. Many spinal cord injury settlements reach seven figures. Our attorneys work with life-care planners to calculate the full cost before negotiating. See our detailed page on what a spinal cord injury is worth in Oklahoma City.
How long do I have to file a spinal cord injury lawsuit in Oklahoma?
You have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit under 12 O.S. § 95. Spinal cord injury cases require immediate investigation to preserve evidence, so contacting an attorney quickly is critical. The sooner we get involved, the stronger your case will be.
Can I recover damages if I was partially at fault for the accident?
Yes. Under Oklahoma’s modified comparative negligence rule (23 O.S. § 13), you can recover damages as long as your fault stays at or below 50%. Your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies aggressively try to shift blame in high-value spinal cord cases. Having an experienced attorney counters these tactics.
What does it cost to hire a spinal cord injury lawyer in Oklahoma City?
Nothing upfront. We work on contingency. Our fee is 25% for pre-litigation settlements, lower than the industry standard of 33%. We advance all case expenses and collect a fee only if we recover compensation for you. If we do not win, you owe us nothing.
What types of compensation are available for spinal cord injuries?
Oklahoma allows recovery of economic damages (medical bills, future care, lost wages, adaptive equipment, home modifications) with no cap, noneconomic damages (pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life) up to $500,000 under 23 O.S. § 61.3, and punitive damages when the defendant acted recklessly. Spinal cord injuries causing lasting physical harm typically qualify for an exception to the noneconomic cap.
What is the difference between complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries?
A complete spinal cord injury severs all nerve pathways at the injury site, eliminating all motor and sensory function below that point. An incomplete injury preserves some nerve connections, allowing partial movement or sensation. Incomplete injuries offer greater potential for recovery through rehabilitation, but many people still face permanent limitations. The classification directly affects your treatment plan, long-term prognosis, and the value of your legal claim.
What evidence do I need for a spinal cord injury case?
Critical evidence includes accident reconstruction reports, medical imaging (MRI, CT scans), surgical records, expert medical testimony, life-care plans documenting future needs, vocational assessments, and economic projections of lost earning capacity. Our attorneys work with specialists in each of these areas to build comprehensive claims. Read our article on how to document your injuries for a personal injury claim.
Can I sue if the spinal cord injury happened at work?
Workers’ compensation may apply, but if a third party contributed to your injury, such as a reckless driver, equipment manufacturer, or negligent property owner, you may have a separate civil claim alongside your workers’ comp case. A spinal cord injury attorney can evaluate whether you have claims beyond workers’ compensation that could significantly increase your total recovery.
Ready to Talk to an Oklahoma City Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer?
The statute of limitations is already running. Call Hasbrook & Hasbrook at (405) 605-2426 before the deadline costs you your case. We will review your spinal cord injury claim, explain your legal options, and tell you what we believe it is worth, at no cost and no obligation. If we take your case, our 25% pre-litigation contingency fee means you keep more of your recovery than with most firms.
Spinal cord injuries require a lawyer who understands lifetime care costs, expert witnesses, and the full scope of Oklahoma damages law. Call now or contact us online to get started.
