How long do I have to file a spinal cord injury lawsuit in Texas?

Texas gives you two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit under [CPRC Section 16.003](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm). If the injured person is a minor, the two-year clock does not begin until their 18th birthday, giving them until age 20 to file. Wrongful death claims following an SCI have a separate two-year deadline from the date of death. Missing the applicable deadline permanently bars the claim.

What is the ASIA Impairment Scale and why does it matter for my case?

The ASIA Impairment Scale grades spinal cord injury from A (complete: no motor or sensory function below the injury level) to E (full neurologic recovery). The grade assigned in your acute hospital records directly affects your damages. A complete AIS A cervical injury requires lifetime attendant care, power wheelchair, home modification, and full-time nursing support. An incomplete AIS D injury may allow functional ambulation with a different set of care needs and a different life care plan cost. Life care planners and vocational experts build their projections from the ASIA grade. The difference between AIS A and AIS D is potentially millions of dollars in lifetime care costs.

What is autonomic dysreflexia and is it relevant to my damages claim?

Autonomic dysreflexia is a life-threatening blood pressure emergency that occurs in SCI patients with injuries at or above T6. A blocked catheter, a pressure ulcer, or bowel impaction triggers an uncontrolled hypertensive episode that can cause stroke or cardiac arrest. It requires emergency management and long-term prevention protocols. Dysreflexia is directly relevant to your damages claim. It creates recurring medical costs: emergency care, urologic management, and ongoing monitoring. It is also a component of noneconomic damages for physical impairment and loss of enjoyment of life.

How much does it cost to provide lifetime care for a complete cervical SCI?

Attendant care for a high-level cervical SCI costs $80,000 to $120,000 annually at market rates in Texas. Home modification costs $50,000 to $150,000. Power wheelchair replacement cycles add $25,000 to $50,000 every five years. Baclofen pump implantation and refills, periodic hospitalizations for pressure injury and UTI treatment, physician follow-up, and equipment add substantial additional costs. A certified life care planner projects these costs across the claimant's actuarially adjusted life expectancy. Life care plans for complete cervical SCI commonly exceed several million dollars in projected lifetime costs.

Can I still recover if I was partly at fault for the accident?

Yes, unless your share of fault exceeds 50%. Texas uses proportionate responsibility under [CPRC Chapter 33](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.33.htm). If you are found 50% at fault, your damages are reduced by 50%. If you are found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing. Insurance companies and defense attorneys routinely try to push the claimant's fault percentage above the 51% threshold. Early accident reconstruction establishes the facts before the defense builds their version of events.

What are exemplary damages and when can I seek them in a Texas SCI case?

Exemplary damages are Texas's term for punitive damages under [CPRC Chapter 41](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.41.htm). They require clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with fraud, malice, or gross negligence. In SCI cases, gross negligence applies to an intoxicated truck driver, a company that ignored documented safety violations, or a manufacturer who sold a product knowing of a dangerous defect. The cap is the greater of two times economic damages plus noneconomic damages up to $750,000, or $200,000. The cap does not apply to conduct constituting certain first-degree felonies.

What is a life care plan and how is it used in SCI litigation?

A life care plan is a document prepared by a certified life care planner that projects the full scope and cost of your future medical needs over your life expectancy. It covers attendant care hours, physician follow-up, equipment replacement cycles, periodic hospitalizations, medications, home modification, and any other future medical need documented by your treating physicians. In SCI litigation, the life care plan is the primary evidence for future economic damages. Without it, future costs are a vague estimate. With it, every projected cost has a documented medical basis and a specific dollar amount that a jury or mediator can evaluate.

What is the difference between complete and incomplete spinal cord injury legally?

A complete SCI (AIS A) means no motor or sensory function is preserved below the injury level. An incomplete SCI (AIS B, C, or D) means some function is preserved. The legal significance is in the damages. A complete cervical SCI requires lifetime attendant care, power wheelchair, home modification, and full-time nursing support. An incomplete SCI may allow some ambulation or arm function, producing a different life care plan with lower but still substantial costs. Insurance companies dispute ASIA grades aggressively because the difference between AIS A and AIS C can represent millions of dollars in life care costs. Early physiatric documentation of the ASIA grade in the acute records is an important step in building the damages case.

Marshall Texas Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

No one reads lawyer websites until they need one. If you're here, an accident happened. Someone sustained a spinal cord injury and you're trying to understand the medical reality, the legal options, and what comes next.

This page explains what a SCI is, how injury severity is classified, what complications emerge over time, and how Texas law handles these claims. Morris and Dewett has handled catastrophic injury cases including SCI for more than 25 years. Take your time. Compare your options. Reach out when you're ready.

What Is a Spinal Cord Injury

A spinal cord injury occurs when mechanical force damages the spinal cord, disrupting the nerve signals that control movement, sensation, and organ function below the injury level. The spinal cord does not regenerate. Most deficits from a complete injury are permanent.

Injury severity depends on two factors: the location along the spine and the extent of cord damage. The spine is divided into four regions. Cervical injuries (C1-C8) affect the neck and typically impair all four limbs. Thoracic injuries (T1-T12) affect the chest and lower body. Lumbar and sacral injuries affect the lower body and pelvis with less impact on arm function. A higher injury level means more of the body is affected.

Injuries are also classified as complete or incomplete. A complete injury means no motor or sensory function is preserved below the injury level. An incomplete injury means some function below the level is preserved. These two categories have entirely different functional prognoses, rehabilitation trajectories, and lifetime care costs.

Every SCI has two phases of damage. The primary injury is the mechanical disruption at the moment of impact. The secondary injury develops in the hours and days that follow as swelling, loss of blood supply, and cell death expand the zone of damage. Emergency medical management focuses on stopping the secondary injury. Getting to a spine surgery-capable facility quickly matters.

The distinction between complete and incomplete injury is legally significant because it directly determines the life care plan costs, the damages available, and the expert testimony required to prove them. Ask any attorney you speak with whether they have litigated both complete and incomplete SCI claims.

ASIA Classification and Injury Levels

The ASIA Impairment Scale grades spinal cord injuries from A (complete, no preserved function) to E (full recovery) and is the clinical standard used by physicians, life care planners, and vocational experts to project outcomes and quantify damages.

AIS A means complete injury. No motor or sensory function is preserved at the sacral segments S4-S5. This is the most severe classification and carries the highest lifetime care costs. A person with C5 AIS A quadriplegia requires around-the-clock attendant care, power wheelchair with specialized controls, and home modifications that may exceed $100,000.

AIS B means incomplete injury with only sensory function preserved below the injury level. Some AIS B patients convert to AIS C or AIS D with aggressive inpatient rehabilitation. The conversion rate depends on the injury mechanism, the speed of surgical decompression, and the intensity of rehabilitation.

AIS C and AIS D both indicate motor-incomplete injury. In AIS C, most key muscles below the injury level grade below 3 on the 5-point motor scale, meaning they cannot move against gravity. In AIS D, most key muscles grade 3 or above. AIS D patients often achieve some degree of functional ambulation. Outcomes vary significantly within each category.

AIS E means full neurologic recovery. Motor and sensory function is normal on formal testing. Residual pain and functional limitations may still exist and may still be compensable damages.

Injury level notation matters in litigation. A C5 complete injury and a T10 complete injury are entirely different cases in terms of care needs, equipment, and future costs. The imaging series matters: MRI is the primary acute tool and detects cord compression, contusion, and hemorrhage. CT myelogram is used when MRI is contraindicated. Plain films rule out fracture and dislocation.

When evaluating an attorney for an SCI case, ask whether they have retained a physiatrist to interpret ASIA grades and connect the classification to specific future care needs. Attorneys who handle only soft-tissue claims will not have this experience.

Autonomic Complications: Dysreflexia, Neurogenic Bladder, and Spasticity

SCI does not end with paralysis. The secondary complications are what create the ongoing medical need and much of the noneconomic damages in an SCI case.

Autonomic Dysreflexia is the most dangerous secondary complication. It occurs in injuries at or above T6, which includes all cervical and most thoracic injuries. A blocked catheter, a pressure ulcer, or a bowel impaction triggers a blood pressure spike that the body cannot regulate normally. Untreated, it can cause stroke. Managing dysreflexia is a permanent part of life with high-level SCI, and it is a recoverable element of both economic and noneconomic damages.

Neurogenic bladder affects virtually every person with significant SCI. The loss of normal bladder control requires either intermittent catheterization on a schedule or an indwelling catheter. Urinary tract infections are the leading cause of hospitalization and serious illness in people with chronic SCI. Life care plans include the cost of catheter supplies, urologic follow-up, and repeated UTI treatment.

Neurogenic bowel requires a daily bowel management program involving suppositories, digital stimulation, and diet management. The time burden and quality-of-life impact are significant. Both neurogenic bladder and neurogenic bowel are components of noneconomic damages calculations.

Spasticity is present in many SCI survivors. It ranges from mild twitching to severe, painful spasms that interfere with positioning, sleep, and any remaining functional movement. The cost of baclofen pump implantation and refills over a lifetime is a documented life care line item.

Pressure injuries develop when a person cannot reposition themselves and skin breaks down from prolonged pressure. Treating a stage IV pressure ulcer can require hospitalization, surgery, and extended wound care. These events recur throughout the life of a severe SCI survivor. Life care plans include a cost line for periodic pressure injury treatment.

Cervical injuries above C4 impair the diaphragm. A C3 complete injury typically requires ventilator support. Ventilator-dependent SCI dramatically increases both life care costs and 24-hour care needs.

Sexual dysfunction and fertility impacts are medically documented components of an SCI case. They factor into noneconomic damages calculations for loss of enjoyment of life and can affect future family planning considerations that are relevant to life care planning.

Ask any attorney you consult whether their life care planner includes recurring hospitalization costs for pressure injury treatment and UTI management. These are often the most significant recurring costs in a chronic SCI life care plan and are frequently underestimated.

Local Trauma Care: CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Marshall and Transfer to UT Health Tyler

Where an SCI patient receives care shapes the medical evidence and the damages record. Understanding the Harrison County trauma pathway is relevant to how your case is built.

CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center-Marshall at 811 S Washington Ave, Marshall TX 75670 is Harrison County's primary acute care facility. It is a community hospital without Level I or Level II trauma designation. Patients with suspected SCI presenting to CHRISTUS Marshall are stabilized and transferred to a higher-level facility.

UT Health Tyler at 1000 S Beckham Ave, Tyler TX 75701 is a Level II Trauma Center approximately 60 miles west on US-80. It has spine surgery and neurosurgery capability and receives most Harrison County SCI transfers. Complex cases requiring higher-level neurosurgical resources may transfer further to UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, approximately 150 miles southwest, which is a Level I trauma center.

For post-acute rehabilitation, TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston is one of the top SCI rehabilitation programs in the country. UT Health East Texas rehabilitation services in Tyler also serve East Texas SCI patients.

The transfer chain produces multiple records custodians. CHRISTUS Marshall, the transport service, UT Health Tyler, and any subsequent rehabilitation facility each hold records that are part of the damages picture. Transfer documentation and any gap in treatment during transport are relevant evidence. Morris and Dewett initiates records requests and preservation demands at all treating facilities in the first week of representation.

For car accidents and big truck accidents on East Texas roads that produce SCI, vehicle electronic data and accident reconstruction work alongside the medical records from the treating chain. The catastrophic harm parent page covers the general framework for catastrophic injury claims in Texas.

SCI Causes: How These Injuries Happen Near Marshall TX

Most SCIs are caused by another party's negligence. The legal theory depends on how the injury occurred.

Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of SCI nationally, accounting for approximately 38% of new cases according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center. Car accidents, 18-wheeler crashes, and rollover collisions on US-80, US-59, SH-43, and SH-154 produce a significant share of SCI cases in Harrison County. Commercial vehicle crashes add defendants beyond the driver: carriers, shippers, and vehicle owners whose maintenance and inspection records are relevant evidence.

Falls are the second most common cause of SCI, accounting for approximately 30% of cases. Premises liability cases arise from commercial properties, construction sites, and industrial facilities in Harrison County where owners failed to address fall hazards. Texas premises liability assigns different duties based on visitor status. Invitees, which include customers and business visitors, are owed ordinary care and a duty to inspect for known and discoverable hazards.

Workplace SCI is a separate category. Texas is the only state where employers can opt out of workers' compensation entirely under Texas Labor Code Section 406.002. Non-subscriber employers lose three defenses: contributory negligence, assumption of risk, and the fellow servant doctrine. Oil field, timber, and industrial operations in Harrison County produce workplace SCI cases where the non-subscriber status of the employer is a significant advantage for the injured worker.

Diving accidents and sports injuries cause cervical SCI through impact with shallow water or hard surface. Negligent maintenance of swimming facilities, inadequate depth markings, or absence of warning signage can support a premises liability claim.

Recreational and amusement facility injuries, including trampoline parks and similar facilities, can produce SCI through negligent supervision or defective equipment, supporting either a premises liability or product liability theory.

Ask any attorney you consult whether they have handled SCI cases involving the specific cause of your injury. A Texas non-subscriber workplace SCI claim requires different litigation strategy than a commercial vehicle case. An attorney who handles only car accidents may not have litigated an industrial SCI against a non-subscriber employer.

How Do You Prove an SCI Claim in Texas?

Proving an SCI claim in Texas requires five expert categories and specific causation evidence tied to the ASIA grade. Texas common law negligence requires proof of four elements: duty, breach of that duty, causation, and damages. SCI cases demand a specific expert structure that standard car accident litigation does not require.

Causation in SCI litigation is established through the acute records. A physiatrist or neurosurgeon connects three elements: the ASIA grade at hospital admission, the MRI findings showing cord contusion or compression, and the mechanism of injury documented by accident reconstruction. That connection is the foundation of causation testimony.

The life care plan is the central damages document. A CLCP reviews acute records, consults the treating physiatrist and physicians, and produces a schedule covering all future medical needs. A complete cervical SCI life care plan routinely exceeds several million dollars in projected lifetime costs. Without this document, future damages cannot be proven with precision.

The vocational rehabilitation expert documents what employment the SCI eliminated. Complete and many incomplete SCIs end careers entirely. The expert evaluates pre-injury work history, earning trajectory, and post-injury functional limitations to quantify the loss. An economist converts that loss to present value.

Proportionate Responsibility under CPRC Chapter 33 applies to every SCI claim where the defendant argues the claimant contributed to the accident. Early accident reconstruction documents the facts before the defense builds their version.

Exemplary Damages are available under CPRC Chapter 41 when the defendant's conduct meets the gross negligence standard. An intoxicated truck driver, an oil field employer with documented OSHA violations, or a product manufacturer with known defect data can all face exemplary damage claims.

The statute of limitations for SCI claims in Texas is two years from the date of injury under CPRC Section 16.003. For injured minors, the clock does not start until their 18th birthday. Missing this deadline bars the claim permanently.

Ask any attorney you consult whether they have assembled a full five-expert team for an SCI case before: physiatrist or neurosurgeon, life care planner, vocational expert, economist, and accident reconstructionist. An attorney who has not built this structure in prior SCI cases will be building it for the first time on your claim.

Damages Available in Texas SCI Cases

Texas imposes no cap on economic damages in personal injury cases. Past and future medical costs, rehabilitation, home modification, adaptive equipment, attendant care, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity are all recoverable without a ceiling.

Home modification costs for a complete cervical SCI typically range from $50,000 to $150,000. Necessary modifications include roll-in shower conversion, widened doorways for wheelchair access, hospital-grade adjustable bed, lift equipment, and ramp construction. Smart home technology to control lights and doors without hand function adds further cost. These are documented, itemized entries in the life care plan.

Attendant care is typically the largest single line item in a cervical SCI life care plan. A person with C4 or higher complete SCI requires 24-hour personal care assistance. Market rates for attendant care in Texas range from $80,000 to $120,000 annually. Over a 40-year life expectancy, attendant care alone can represent several million dollars in future costs.

Medical cost recovery in Texas is governed by CPRC Section 41.0105 and the Haygood Rule from Haygood v. De Escabedo, 356 S.W.3d 390 (Tex. 2012). In SCI cases with multiple payers and large medical billings, careful accounting of what was actually paid versus billed is required to present accurate economic damages.

Noneconomic damages include pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical impairment, and Loss of Consortium. Texas does not cap noneconomic damages in ordinary personal injury cases.

Exemplary damages under CPRC Chapter 41 require clear and convincing evidence of gross negligence. The cap is the greater of two times economic damages plus noneconomic damages up to $750,000, or $200,000. The cap does not apply when the underlying conduct constituted a first-degree felony.

Wrongful death claims follow a two-year statute of limitations from the date of death under CPRC Section 16.003(b). Eligible claimants are limited to the surviving spouse, children, and parents. Siblings, grandchildren, and other family members do not have standing to bring wrongful death claims in Texas.

Life Care Plans and Future Damages in SCI Cases

A life care plan is the document that converts medical findings into a damages number. Without it, future costs are a vague claim. With it, every future need has a specific cost projection backed by expert testimony.

A certified life care planner reviews acute hospital records, rehabilitation records, and physician notes. They consult with the treating physiatrist and other specialists. They project all future needs across the claimant's life expectancy. A thorough cervical SCI life care plan covers physician follow-up, periodic hospitalizations for pressure injury and UTI treatment, and power wheelchair replacement cycles (typically every five years). It also includes baclofen pump implantation and refills, medications, home nursing visits, attendant care hours, home modification, and vehicle modification. Each category has a projected unit cost and frequency.

Life expectancy is adjusted in serious SCI cases. Complete SCI reduces life expectancy relative to the general population, and actuarial tables specific to SCI are used in the present-value calculation. The economist converts all projected future costs to a present-value lump sum using a discount rate.

Vocational rehabilitation quantifies what employment was eliminated. Most AIS A complete SCI patients cannot return to any prior employment. Many AIS B and C patients face significant restrictions. A vocational expert evaluates the pre-injury career trajectory and post-injury functional capacity to document the gap. That gap, expressed in lost earning capacity over a working lifetime, is converted to present value by the economist.

Cases in Harrison County are filed in Harrison County District Court at 200 W Houston St, Marshall TX 75670. Appeals go to the 6th Court of Appeals in Texarkana. Federal cases with diversity jurisdiction are filed in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, which is also located in Marshall.

Ask any attorney you consult whether their life care planner has prior SCI-specific experience. Also ask whether they have retained both a vocational expert and an economist in prior catastrophic injury cases. These are distinct disciplines. A general PI attorney who builds a life care plan from templates will not produce the expert-supported document that serious SCI litigation requires.

How Morris and Dewett Handles SCI Cases

Morris and Dewett has handled catastrophic injury cases, including SCI, for more than 25 years. The firm represents clients in Louisiana and Texas on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless there is a recovery.

SCI cases require immediate evidence preservation. We send preservation demands to responsible parties in the first week of representation. For vehicle accidents, that means vehicle ECM data, electronic logging device records for commercial vehicles, and surveillance footage from nearby businesses. For workplace injuries, that means OSHA records, maintenance logs, and training documentation. Evidence has short windows.

Our SCI cases involve five expert categories from the start of representation. Physiatrist or neurosurgeon covers medical causation and ASIA classification. Certified life care planner covers future costs. Vocational expert covers earning capacity. Economist handles present value. Accident reconstructionist establishes the causation mechanics. Building this team is part of early case development, not a last step before trial.

We have experience in Harrison County courts and in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division. Local court knowledge affects case strategy from initial filing through trial preparation.

Our attorneys have Texas experience and understand what SCI litigation requires. Client reviews reflect the experience of people we have represented in catastrophic injury cases. We are not the right firm for every case. If you have a serious SCI claim in Marshall or Harrison County, we are equipped to handle it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to file a spinal cord injury lawsuit in Texas?: Texas gives you two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit under [CPRC Section 16.003](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm). If the injured person is a minor, the two-year clock does not begin until their 18th birthday, giving them until age 20 to file. Wrongful death claims following an SCI have a separate two-year deadline from the date of death. Missing the applicable deadline permanently bars the claim.
What is the ASIA Impairment Scale and why does it matter for my case?: The ASIA Impairment Scale grades spinal cord injury from A (complete: no motor or sensory function below the injury level) to E (full neurologic recovery). The grade assigned in your acute hospital records directly affects your damages. A complete AIS A cervical injury requires lifetime attendant care, power wheelchair, home modification, and full-time nursing support. An incomplete AIS D injury may allow functional ambulation with a different set of care needs and a different life care plan cost. Life care planners and vocational experts build their projections from the ASIA grade. The difference between AIS A and AIS D is potentially millions of dollars in lifetime care costs.
What is autonomic dysreflexia and is it relevant to my damages claim?: Autonomic dysreflexia is a life-threatening blood pressure emergency that occurs in SCI patients with injuries at or above T6. A blocked catheter, a pressure ulcer, or bowel impaction triggers an uncontrolled hypertensive episode that can cause stroke or cardiac arrest. It requires emergency management and long-term prevention protocols. Dysreflexia is directly relevant to your damages claim. It creates recurring medical costs: emergency care, urologic management, and ongoing monitoring. It is also a component of noneconomic damages for physical impairment and loss of enjoyment of life.
How much does it cost to provide lifetime care for a complete cervical SCI?: Attendant care for a high-level cervical SCI costs $80,000 to $120,000 annually at market rates in Texas. Home modification costs $50,000 to $150,000. Power wheelchair replacement cycles add $25,000 to $50,000 every five years. Baclofen pump implantation and refills, periodic hospitalizations for pressure injury and UTI treatment, physician follow-up, and equipment add substantial additional costs. A certified life care planner projects these costs across the claimant's actuarially adjusted life expectancy. Life care plans for complete cervical SCI commonly exceed several million dollars in projected lifetime costs.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault for the accident?: Yes, unless your share of fault exceeds 50%. Texas uses proportionate responsibility under [CPRC Chapter 33](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.33.htm). If you are found 50% at fault, your damages are reduced by 50%. If you are found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing. Insurance companies and defense attorneys routinely try to push the claimant's fault percentage above the 51% threshold. Early accident reconstruction establishes the facts before the defense builds their version of events.
What are exemplary damages and when can I seek them in a Texas SCI case?: Exemplary damages are Texas's term for punitive damages under [CPRC Chapter 41](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.41.htm). They require clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with fraud, malice, or gross negligence. In SCI cases, gross negligence applies to an intoxicated truck driver, a company that ignored documented safety violations, or a manufacturer who sold a product knowing of a dangerous defect. The cap is the greater of two times economic damages plus noneconomic damages up to $750,000, or $200,000. The cap does not apply to conduct constituting certain first-degree felonies.
What is a life care plan and how is it used in SCI litigation?: A life care plan is a document prepared by a certified life care planner that projects the full scope and cost of your future medical needs over your life expectancy. It covers attendant care hours, physician follow-up, equipment replacement cycles, periodic hospitalizations, medications, home modification, and any other future medical need documented by your treating physicians. In SCI litigation, the life care plan is the primary evidence for future economic damages. Without it, future costs are a vague estimate. With it, every projected cost has a documented medical basis and a specific dollar amount that a jury or mediator can evaluate.
Which courts handle spinal cord injury lawsuits in Harrison County Texas?: Personal injury lawsuits in Harrison County are filed in [Harrison County District Court](https://www.harrisoncountytexas.gov/page/harrison.DistrictCourt) at 200 W Houston St, Marshall TX 75670. Appeals go to the 6th Court of Appeals in Texarkana. Federal cases with diversity jurisdiction are filed in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, which is also located in Marshall. The choice between state and federal court can affect discovery timelines, jury pool, and overall case strategy.
What is the difference between complete and incomplete spinal cord injury legally?: A complete SCI (AIS A) means no motor or sensory function is preserved below the injury level. An incomplete SCI (AIS B, C, or D) means some function is preserved. The legal significance is in the damages. A complete cervical SCI requires lifetime attendant care, power wheelchair, home modification, and full-time nursing support. An incomplete SCI may allow some ambulation or arm function, producing a different life care plan with lower but still substantial costs. Insurance companies dispute ASIA grades aggressively because the difference between AIS A and AIS C can represent millions of dollars in life care costs. Early physiatric documentation of the ASIA grade in the acute records is an important step in building the damages case.

These answers reflect Louisiana law as of January 2026. For case specific advice, consult with a Louisiana personal injury attorney who can evaluate your particular circumstances.