Santa Clarita Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
Dedicated Personal Injury Lawyer in Santa Clarita, Valencia, Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, Stevenson Ranch, Castaic, Val Verde, Antelope Valley, Palmdale, Lancaster, the San Fernando Valley, and the Greater Los Angeles Area
Have you been injured by someone else’s negligence? Get honest answers about your case for free, no obligation.
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident, or a slip-and-fall caused by someone else’s negligence, contact a Santa Clarita spinal cord injury attorney right away.
A spinal cord injury has dramatic and immediate consequences, and the decisions you make in the days and weeks that follow can shape the outcome of your case for years to come. The Mason Law Firm has the insider insurance-defense experience to help you fight back and get compensated.
Call 661-270-5677 for a free consultation, or contact us for a free case review online here.
Why Injured Families Across Santa Clarita Choose The Mason Law Firm
- Nearly a decade of insurance defense experience — I know how insurance companies build their defense before you do
- AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell: the highest possible rating in legal ability and ethical standards
- SuperLawyer: Mason Rashtian has been selected to Super Lawyers for five consecutive years, from 2023 through 2027. Super Lawyers uses a peer-influenced, research-driven selection process to recognize no more than 5% of attorneys each year. This distinction reflects Mason’s professional achievement and longstanding commitment to representing personal injury victims.
- Los Angeles County Superior Court Settlement Officer: trusted by the court system to help resolve complex cases
- Free, no-obligation consultations: you pay nothing unless we win your case
- Local to Santa Clarita: serving Valencia, Canyon Country, Saugus, Newhall, Stevenson Ranch, and clients throughout LA, Ventura, and Kern Counties
What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
A sudden, violent blow to the back can fracture or dislocate vertebrae, or result in displaced bone fragments, disc material, or torn ligaments that bruise or tear the delicate tissue of the spinal cord.
The spinal cord is the body’s central communication highway, carrying signals between the brain and nearly every system that keeps a person functioning. When that highway is damaged, the consequences ripple outward far beyond the injury site.
Spinal cord injuries can cause full or partial loss of motor control and sensation, leaving a victim paralyzed in the lower extremities (paraplegia) or in all four limbs (quadriplegia/tetraplegia).
Because the spinal cord regulates breathing, bladder and bowel control, body temperature, cardiovascular function, and sexual function, victims often face an ongoing range of secondary health complications, chronic pain, pressure sores, respiratory infections, blood clots, and autonomic dysreflexia among them.
Severity generally depends on two factors:
- Where along the spine the injury occurs, and
- Whether it is complete (total loss of function below the injury site) or incomplete (some function remains).
Injuries higher up the spine, in the cervical or neck region, typically produce more widespread impairment than injuries lower down in the thoracic or lumbar regions.
Examples of Spinal Cord Injuries through the spine include:
Cervical spine injuries
Cervical spinal cord injuries occur in the neck region and can result in tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia, affecting both arms and both legs. The extent of impairment depends on the level and severity of the injury.
Thoracic spine injuries
Thoracic spinal cord injuries affect the mid- and upper-back region (T1–T12) and may cause paraplegia, affecting the trunk and lower limbs while generally preserving arm and hand function. Because the rib cage provides added stability and protection, substantial force is often required to injure this region.
Lumbar spine injuries
Injuries involving the lumbar region may affect the lower end of the spinal cord or the cauda equina nerve roots. Depending on the level and severity, they can cause weakness or paralysis of the legs, although some movement and sensation may remain.
Sacral spine injuries
Injuries affecting the sacral spinal cord segments or sacral nerve roots (S1–S5) can impair sensation and function in the hips, groin, buttocks, and lower limbs. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, they may also cause leg weakness and loss of bladder, bowel, or sexual function.
Spinal Cord Injuries by the Numbers
- ~18,000 new spinal cord injury cases reported in the U.S. each year*
- ~300,000 people currently living in the U.S. with a spinal cord injury*
- ~40% of cases caused by motor vehicle accidents
- ~30% of cases caused by falls
Figures according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) and do not include cases where the victim passed away at the scene before ever reaching a hospital.
The remainder of cases stem from acts of violence, sports and recreation injuries, medical or surgical complications, and other causes.
Most spinal cord injury cases proceed under a negligence theory, due to the responsible party’s carelessness, whether a driver, a property owner, or an employer.
Others proceed under a defective products theory, such as a seatbelt or airbag that failed to perform as designed. Identifying the correct legal theory early determines who can be held liable and what evidence must be preserved before it’s lost.
How a Spinal Cord Injury Affects Victims and Their Families
The impact of a spinal cord injury on the victim, and everyone who loves them, can be devastating.
Beyond the emotional toll, families frequently face a lifetime of medical expenses and the need for ongoing assistive care. Daily routines that were once automatic can require complete reimagining, often alongside a new world of medical terminology, insurance disputes, and long-term care planning.
What Fair Compensation Should Cover
- Medical expenses already incurred, plus projected future medical care and rehabilitation
- Assistive devices, such as motorized wheelchairs
- Home modifications, such as access ramps, widened doorways, and stair lifts
- Lost income and diminished future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering, often extraordinarily significant given how permanent and life-altering these injuries are
Calculating pain and suffering requires a thorough understanding of how the injury has changed a victim’s independence, relationships, and day-to-day life — not just a tally of medical bills.
Call 661-270-5677 for a free consultation, or contact us for a free case review online here.
Why the Right Attorney Matters in a Spinal Cord Injury Case
Spinal cord injury cases are among the most complex, high-stakes matters in personal injury law. Insurance companies know these claims can involve seven-figure damages, and they typically respond with an aggressive, well-funded defense.
Choosing an experienced Santa Clarita personal injury lawyer who understands how insurers evaluate and fight catastrophic injury claims can make a meaningful difference in your outcome.
Meet Your Attorney: Mason Rashtian
The Mason Law Firm is led by Santa Clarita spinal cord injury lawyer Mason Rashtian, who is AV Preeminent peer-review rated with Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.
Before opening his own practice, Mason spent nearly a decade working as an insurance defense attorney, representing drivers, truck drivers, general contractors, property owners, and bus companies.
In that role, he was routinely hired to defend against personal injury lawsuits, meaning he knows, from the inside, exactly how insurance companies build their defense, minimize payouts, and pressure injured victims into early, inadequate settlements.
Mason now puts that insider knowledge to work for injured people and their families as a trusted Santa Clarita personal injury attorney, representing clients throughout Valencia, Canyon Country, Saugus, Newhall, Stevenson Ranch, and the surrounding communities of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Kern Counties.
Whether your spinal cord injury resulted from a car accident, a fall, or a defective product, Mason brings a unique perspective because he knows how defense attorneys and insurance companies think, and how to counter them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire a spinal cord injury lawyer?
The Mason Law Firm handles spinal cord injury cases on a contingency-fee basis. There’s no upfront cost, and you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
How long do I have to file a spinal cord injury claim in California?
California’s statute of limitations generally gives injury victims two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit against private individuals and companies.
However, claims against government/public employees or entities are much shorter and require that a claim be submitted within six months from the date of the incident and one year from the date of rejection of said claim.
So, it’s best to speak with an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.
What if the accident was partly my fault?
California follows a pure comparative fault rule, meaning you may still recover compensation even if you were partially at fault, however your award is simply reduced by your percentage of fault.
Do I need to go to court?
Many spinal cord injury cases settle before trial, but Mason prepares every case as though it will go before a jury, which puts pressure on insurers to offer a fair settlement.
📞 Call 661-270-5677 for a free consultation.
“We Meet Our Clients by Accident!” and “We Put Personal in Personal Injury Law.”
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