New York Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
CASE RESULTS
$10,581,576
MILLION
Guaranteed lifetime payment secured for an eleven-year-old girl from the Caribbean who was seriously injured after being struck by a van while crossing the street. The client sustained a fracture of the left wrist and underwent surgery to her knee and lower back.
A spinal cord injury changes the question. It is no longer “when will I recover?” For many victims, the question becomes “what does the rest of my life look like, and who pays for it?”
At The Law Offices of Omrani & Taub, P.C., our New York spinal cord injury lawyers have represented SCI victims and their families across New York City and Westchester County for more than 25 years. These cases require more than legal knowledge; much like a brain injury case, they require a team of medical experts, life care planners, vocational economists, and experienced trial attorneys who understand the full scope of what a spinal cord injury costs over a lifetime.
Consultations are free, available 24 hours a day. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Call now: (718) 714-1515
Do You Need a Lawyer for a Spinal Cord Injury in New York?
Yes. Spinal cord injury cases are among the most complex and highest-value personal injury claims in New York law. The compensation required to cover lifetime care, lost earnings, home modifications, and non-economic losses is substantial, and accurately projecting those costs requires a team that most individuals cannot assemble without legal representation.
Insurance companies defending spinal cord injury claims deploy their own medical experts, economists, and litigation teams from the moment a claim is filed. Their objective is to minimize what they pay. The gap between what an insurer offers early in a case and the actual lifetime cost of a serious SCI can be measured in millions of dollars.
An attorney coordinates every expert, manages every communication with the defense, and builds the case that reflects the actual human and financial cost of the injury.
Call (718) 714-1515 for a free consultation. Available 24/7.
What Causes Spinal Cord Injuries in New York?
Spinal cord injuries in New York arise from distinct causes, each with its own legal framework and responsible parties. The most common causes we handle include construction site falls, motor vehicle collisions, MTA and subway incidents, and medical malpractice.
Can I Sue If a Construction Site Fall Caused My Spinal Cord Injury?
Yes, and New York gives construction workers one of the strongest legal protections in the country for exactly this type of injury. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, falls are among the leading causes of spinal cord injury nationally.
In New York, Labor Law Section 240, known as the Scaffold Law, imposes absolute liability on property owners and general contractors for gravity-related injuries on construction sites.
A fall from a scaffold, ladder, or elevation that causes a spinal cord injury does not require the worker to prove anyone was careless. The fall, the absence of adequate safety equipment, and the resulting injury are sufficient to establish liability.
Because cervical and thoracic spinal injuries are common outcomes of falls from height, Section 240 claims are a significant source of SCI litigation in New York. An attorney also evaluates Labor Law Section 241(6), which addresses broader construction site safety standards and may apply in additional circumstances.
What If the MTA or a Subway Accident Caused My Spinal Cord Injury?
When Medical Trust Leads to a Spinal Cord Injury
You go into surgery or treatment expecting to get better, not to have your life permanently altered by a preventable mistake. When a surgeon, anesthesiologist, or hospital fails to provide the basic level of care you deserve, the consequences are devastating.
Proving Medical Malpractice in New York
Proving that a medical professional was negligent requires more than just a bad outcome; it requires showing that their actions fell below the accepted medical standards. Our firm handles the heavy lifting, from securing expert medical witnesses to auditing surgical logs, so you can focus on your health while we hold the responsible parties accountable for their errors.
How Is the Value of a Spinal Cord Injury Claim Determined in New York?
The value of a spinal cord injury claim is driven primarily by the projected lifetime cost of the injury and the degree to which it affects the victim’s ability to work, live independently, and enjoy their life. These cases require expert projections, not estimates.
What Is the Difference Between Complete and Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury in a Legal Case?
A complete spinal cord injury results in total loss of motor function and sensation below the level of injury. An incomplete injury means some function remains. This distinction affects both the medical prognosis and the projected cost of care, which in turn affects the damages calculation.
Complete injuries, particularly at the cervical level involving the neck, typically produce the highest-value claims because they require 24-hour attendant care, ventilator support in some cases, and extensive adaptive equipment over a lifetime. Incomplete injuries vary widely, and the damages picture requires individualized expert analysis.
What Are the Lifetime Costs Associated With a Serious Spinal Cord Injury?
Serious spinal cord injuries generate lifetime costs that can reach several million dollars, depending on the injury level, completeness, the victim’s age, and the care required.
A serious spinal cord injury creates a financial burden that can reach several million dollars over a lifetime. We work with life care planners to ensure your claim accounts for every hidden cost:
- Home & Vehicle Adaptations: Costs for wheelchair ramps, widened doorways, accessible bathrooms, and modified vehicles.
- 24/7 Professional Care: In New York City, around-the-clock in-home assistance can exceed $150,000 annually.
- Specialized Equipment: High-end wheelchairs, hospital beds, and ventilator support, including maintenance and replacements.
- Ongoing Rehabilitation: Lifelong physical and occupational therapy to manage secondary complications and maintain mobility.
- Lost Economic Potential: Total loss of future earnings and the professional opportunities taken away by the injury.
These costs are documented by a life care planner, a specialist who projects the full schedule of care and costs over the victim’s expected lifetime. A vocational economist translates lost earning capacity into present-dollar values. Both experts are standard components of a serious SCI case at Omrani and Taub.
Call (718) 714-1515 to discuss what your spinal cord injury case may be worth.
What Compensation Can a Spinal Cord Injury Victim Recover in New York?
New York law allows spinal cord injury victims to pursue the full range of economic and non-economic damages their injury has caused. There is no cap on non-economic damages in most personal injury cases.
Does New York Law Allow Recovery for In-Home Attendant Care?
Yes. The cost of in-home attendant care is a documented economic damage in spinal cord injury cases. When a victim requires full-time care they cannot provide for themselves, the cost of that care over their remaining lifetime is a recoverable economic loss. In New York City, the annual cost of professional attendant care is significant, and over a lifetime it often represents the largest single component of the damages claim.
An attorney works with a life care planner and medical experts to project this cost accurately and present it in a form that a jury can understand and evaluate.
Can a Spouse or Partner File a Separate Claim for a Spinal Cord Injury?
Yes. New York law recognizes loss of consortium as a separate recoverable damage for the spouse or domestic partner of a seriously injured person. Loss of consortium refers to the impact the injury has had on the marital or domestic relationship, including the loss of companionship, support, and intimacy. In spinal cord injury cases, where the injury permanently changes daily life and the relationship between partners, these claims can be substantial. The spouse files their own claim alongside the injured victim’s primary claim.
How Long Do You Have to File a Spinal Cord Injury Lawsuit in New York?
Most spinal cord injury claims are governed by the three-year statute of limitations under New York Civil Practice Law and Rules Section 214, measured from the date of the injury.
Key exceptions narrow that window significantly. Claims against the MTA or other government entities require a Notice of Claim within 90 days of the incident. Medical malpractice SCI claims must be filed within two years and six months. Claims on behalf of minors are tolled, meaning paused, until the child turns 18.
The practical urgency is even greater than the legal deadline. Evidence from the accident scene, surveillance footage, construction site conditions, and medical records from the immediate post-injury period all degrade or disappear quickly. An attorney begins the case immediately to preserve what matters before it is gone.
Note: Recent legislative changes in New York may affect these deadlines; always consult with an attorney to verify the current statute for your specific case.
Do not wait. Call (718) 714-1515 now.
Ask Omrani and Taub
Q: Who pays for a spinal cord injury victim’s care while the lawsuit is pending?
A: No-fault insurance, also called Personal Injury Protection or PIP, covers up to $50,000 in medical expenses for motor vehicle-related SCI cases regardless of fault. When those benefits are exhausted, the victim’s own health insurance covers ongoing treatment. An attorney helps coordinate between these funding sources and the pending lawsuit so that care is not interrupted while the legal case is built.
Q: Can I sue the MTA if I was hurt on a New York subway and suffered a spinal cord injury?
A: Yes, but you must act within 90 days. Claims against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority require a Notice of Claim filed within 90 days of the accident. This is a strict procedural requirement, and missing it can bar your claim against the MTA entirely. An attorney files the Notice of Claim immediately and begins investigating the MTA’s liability while evidence is still available.
Q: How do you prove who was at fault for a spinal cord injury in New York?
A: Proof depends on how the injury occurred. Construction site falls are addressed by Labor Law Section 240, which imposes liability on property owners and contractors without requiring proof of specific negligence. Motor vehicle cases rely on police reports, witness statements, and vehicle data. Medical malpractice cases require an expert medical witness to establish that the standard of care was violated. An attorney builds the proof structure appropriate to the specific cause of the injury.
Q: What if my spinal cord injury was caused by someone with limited insurance coverage?
A: When the at-fault party’s liability coverage is insufficient, additional sources of recovery may include your own underinsured motorist coverage, known as UIM, on any applicable auto policy, as well as claims against additional liable parties such as a driver’s employer, a property owner, or a product manufacturer. An attorney investigates every potential source of compensation from the outset of the case.
How Omrani and Taub Builds Spinal Cord Injury Cases in New York
Since 1998, we have represented SCI victims from Queens to White Plains, cases involving construction falls, vehicle crashes, MTA incidents, and surgical errors. Here is what we bring to every case:
A full expert team, assembled from day one. Life care planners project the real lifetime cost of care. Vocational economists document what the injury took from your career. Medical experts establish the injury’s permanence in terms a jury understands.
Attorneys who have been doing this for 25+ years. Michael A. Taub is a former Army Reserve Officer and former President of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Trial Lawyers Association. Alex A. Omrani is a Hofstra Law graduate and Super Lawyers honoree. Both have spent their careers going up against large insurance carriers on behalf of seriously injured New Yorkers.
We handle everything so you can focus on your recovery. That means the Notice of Claim for government entity cases, every call with the insurance company, every piece of paperwork. You deal with your care. We deal with the case.
We come to you. If you cannot travel, we do. Our multilingual staff serves clients in Spanish, Russian, Farsi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hebrew, Bengali, Urdu, and Korean. We are available around the clock.
No fees unless we recover. Free consultations, any time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Spinal Cord Injury Cases in New York
How much does it cost to hire a spinal cord injury lawyer in New York?
Nothing upfront. Omrani and Taub handles spinal cord injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there is no legal fee unless we recover compensation for you. The initial consultation is free and available 24 hours a day. If you cannot travel due to your injuries, we come to you.
Can I file a spinal cord injury lawsuit if I am also receiving workers' compensation?
Yes, in certain circumstances. Workers’ compensation covers workplace injuries regardless of fault but limits what you can recover and bars most lawsuits against your employer. If a third party such as a contractor, equipment manufacturer, or property owner caused or contributed to your spinal cord injury, a separate personal injury lawsuit against that third party can run alongside your workers’ compensation claim. Construction site SCI cases frequently involve both claims simultaneously.
What if a child suffered a spinal cord injury in New York?
Children who suffer spinal cord injuries in New York receive additional legal protections. The statute of limitations is tolled, meaning it does not run, until the child turns 18.
A parent or guardian can file a claim on the child’s behalf at any time before that extended deadline. Any settlement on behalf of a minor requires court approval to protect the child’s interests.
Pediatric SCI cases also involve lifetime care cost projections spanning many more decades than adult cases, which typically results in the largest damages values.
What if a family member died from a spinal cord injury?
When a spinal cord injury results in death, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim under New York Estates, Powers & Trusts Law Section 5-4.1. Recoverable damages include the deceased’s lost future earnings and financial contributions to the family, loss of companionship, and conscious pain and suffering experienced between the injury and death.
The claim is filed by the estate’s personal representative on behalf of surviving family members. Omrani and Taub handles wrongful death cases arising from spinal cord injuries and guides families through every required step.
Talk to a New York Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer at Omrani and Taub P.C.
The question is what the rest of your life looks like, and who is going to be held accountable for what it costs.
The Law Offices of Omrani & Taub, P.C. has offices in Queens, Manhattan, and White Plains. We represent spinal cord injury victims and their families across New York City and Westchester County. The consultation is free. You pay nothing unless we recover.
Don’t Settle For Less, GET JUSTICE! Call (718) 714-1515 or contact us online to speak with a New York spinal cord injury lawyer today. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
80-01 Broadway, Elmhurst, NY 11373 | 488 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022 | 76 S Lexington Ave, White Plains, NY 10606
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