IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.
Colorado Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers
We represent paralyzed Coloradans and their families across every county, building cases sized to the real lifetime cost of a spinal cord injury. You pay nothing unless we win.
No fee unless we winA spinal cord injury changes a family's finances for decades, and the first insurance offer almost never reflects what a lifetime of care actually costs in Colorado.
- The neurological level of injury, from cervical (C1-C8) to sacral, determines the degree of paralysis and the lifetime care cost, which the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center's 2025 data sheet estimates can range from about $3 million for paraplegia to more than $6.2 million for a high cervical injury for a 25-year-old, in 2024 dollars, before Colorado-specific healthcare cost adjustments.
- The ASIA Impairment Scale grades an injury as complete or incomplete. That single distinction drives both the medical prognosis and the dollar value of a claim, and insurers routinely settle on optimistic recovery projections that rarely hold.
- Colorado follows modified comparative fault (C.R.S. 13-21-111). You can still recover as long as you were less than 50 percent at fault, and your award is reduced by your share.
CGH Injury Lawyers represents people living with paraplegia and tetraplegia and their families across every county in Colorado. We work with life care planners, neurologists, and economists to build a damages model that reflects 40 to 60 years of real cost, with no upfront fees and a free first consultation.
The financial reality
Lifetime care costs by injury level
Estimated lifetime cost of care for a spinal cord injury at age 25, before indirect losses like lost wages. Colorado families should expect the higher end of these national ranges.
- $3M Paraplegia, estimated lifetime care
- $4.5M Low tetraplegia (C5-C8), estimated lifetime care
- $6.2M High tetraplegia (C1-C4), estimated lifetime care
Cost ranges from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center's 2025 data sheet, in 2024 dollars, assuming injury at age 25. Individual costs vary with injury level, age, and complications. These are not settlement figures.
The medical framework
Understanding spinal cord injury levels
The spinal cord is divided into four regions, and where the injury occurs decides what abilities are preserved and what functions are lost. Each level corresponds to a different lifetime care cost.
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Cervical (C1-C8): high tetraplegia
Injuries to the neck region affect all four limbs. C1-C4 injuries are the most severe and often require ventilator support and 24-hour attendant care. C5-C8 injuries allow progressively more arm and hand function, and by C7-C8 many people operate a manual wheelchair independently.
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Thoracic (T1-T12): paraplegia
Thoracic injuries paralyze the legs while arm and hand function remain intact. T1-T6 injuries affect trunk stability and sitting balance. Lower thoracic injuries preserve more trunk control, and most people live independently with home modifications and adaptive equipment.
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Lumbar and sacral (L1-S5): lower function loss
Many people with these injuries retain some leg movement and may walk with braces. They often face bowel and bladder dysfunction and ongoing management. Lifetime costs are lower than cervical or thoracic injuries but still significant for supplies, medication, and periodic surgery.
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The ASIA Impairment Scale
The ASIA scale grades injuries from A to E. ASIA A is a complete injury with no motor or sensory function below the neurological level. ASIA B through D are incomplete injuries with varying preserved sensation or movement. This grade drives both prognosis and cost projection.
What the diagnosis means
Complete vs. incomplete spinal cord injuries
A complete injury means the cord is damaged to the point where no signals pass through the injury site, with no motor control or sensation below it. An incomplete injury means some neural pathways remain, so a person may have sensation without movement, movement without sensation, or patchy function.
Incomplete injuries create a planning problem. The extent of recovery often is not known for 12 to 18 months after the injury. A sound life care plan accounts for both the chance of improvement and the reality that many people plateau far short of independence. Insurance companies exploit that uncertainty, offering settlements based on optimistic projections that rarely materialize.
The Colorado context
Why Colorado spinal cord injuries cost more
Most spinal cord injury resources ignore the cost pressures unique to this state. Colorado families should add roughly 12 to 18 percent to national averages for Denver metro cases.
Altitude and weather
- Thin air at 5,280 feet strains compromised respiratory systems and raises pneumonia risk
- Power wheelchairs need heated storage to survive subzero battery failure
- All-wheel-drive vehicle conversions cost more than standard adaptations
- Winter closures on the I-70 corridor cut mountain families off from specialized care
Housing and the Craig Hospital ecosystem
- Accessible home modifications are a major expense in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs
- Split-level homes common in older Denver neighborhoods often cannot be economically modified
- Craig Hospital in Englewood is a top spinal cord rehabilitation center, and many families relocate to stay near its services
- Relocation means lost support networks, job changes, and moving costs on top of the injury
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Economic damages
What a life care plan recovers
A life care plan is a document built by certified planners, usually nurses or rehabilitation specialists, that projects every future medical and non-medical need. In a legal case it becomes the foundation for economic damages, and it is the difference between what insurance wants to pay and what life with a spinal cord injury actually costs.
Economic damages
- Power wheelchair replaced about every five years
- Attendant care for 12 hours of daily care in Denver, part of recurring expenses the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center puts at $55,900 to $244,879 per year after the first year, depending on injury level, in 2024 dollars
- Vehicle modification and home modification in the Denver metro
- Medical supplies, medication, equipment maintenance, and ongoing therapy
- Lost wages, lost benefits, and reduced earning capacity
Non-economic damages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium for a spouse or family
Sound life care plans account for inflation using the Medical Consumer Price Index, which historically runs 3 to 4 percent a year, higher than general inflation. Defense attorneys challenge every line item, arguing that cheaper equipment is enough or that family members can provide care for free. We build the plan to survive that fight.
Insurance realities
Why initial settlements fall short
In the weeks after an injury, when a family is overwhelmed, insurers present offers that sound substantial. A $1 million settlement can feel life-changing, but for someone with low tetraplegia (C5-C8) facing more than $4.5 million in lifetime costs under the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center's 2025 data sheet, in 2024 dollars, it falls short by roughly $3.5 million. Once a settlement is accepted, it is final. There is no going back when the money runs out in 15 years and 25 more years of care remain.
Common insurer tactics
- Offering a quick settlement before the full extent of the injury is known.
- Disputing the need for quality-of-life equipment like environmental control systems.
- Arguing a generic wheelchair is enough when custom seating is medically necessary to prevent pressure sores.
- Inflating your share of fault to exploit Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111), under which a person found 50 percent or more at fault recovers nothing.
How it works
How we handle a spinal cord injury case
Our spinal cord injury cases run on a contingency fee. You pay nothing upfront, we front all case costs, and we are paid only if we recover. Most cases settle through negotiation, but we prepare every case for trial.
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Free case evaluation
We review how the injury happened, explain your rights, and answer your questions at no cost and no obligation.
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Liability investigation
We look beyond the obvious parties for every responsible entity and insurance source, whether the injury came from a crash, a fall, a medical error, or a defective product.
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Build the life care plan
We bring in life care planners, neurologists, spinal specialists, and economists to document the full medical and financial impact across 40 to 60 years.
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Demand and negotiation
We send a documented demand built on the life care plan and negotiate from a position of trial readiness, not from a willingness to take the first offer.
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Litigation and trial
When an insurer refuses fair compensation for a catastrophic injury, we are prepared to take your case to a Colorado jury.
Spinal cord injury cases are complex and may take one to three years or more. We tell you honestly where your case stands at every stage, and you have direct access to a senior attorney throughout.
Your team
The team handling your case
CGH Injury Lawyers is a Colorado firm founded in 2016, formerly Cheney Galluzzi & Howard. Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). Every spinal cord injury case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney working alongside the medical and economic experts these cases require.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about Colorado spinal cord injury claims
How much does a spinal cord injury cost over a lifetime in Colorado?
National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates from its 2025 data sheet for an injury at age 25 range from about $3 million for paraplegia to more than $6.2 million for a high cervical injury, in 2024 dollars. Colorado families should expect the higher end because of elevated healthcare costs, weather-related equipment wear, and a competitive housing market that drives up the cost of accessible home modifications. These are care-cost estimates, not settlement figures.
What is the difference between a complete and incomplete spinal cord injury?
A complete injury means no motor or sensory function is preserved below the level of injury, graded ASIA A. An incomplete injury, ASIA B through D, leaves some neural pathways intact, so a person may keep sensation without movement or patchy function. Incomplete injuries are harder to value because the extent of recovery often is not clear for 12 to 18 months.
What is a life care plan and why does it matter to my claim?
A life care plan is a document built by certified planners that projects every future medical and non-medical need, from a power wheelchair replaced every five years to attendant care and home modifications. In a legal case it becomes the foundation for economic damages. Without one, an insurer's low offer looks reasonable; with one, the real lifetime cost is on the record.
Should I accept the insurance company's first settlement offer?
Be cautious. Early offers often arrive before the full extent of the injury is known and represent a fraction of actual lifetime costs. A $1 million offer can fall millions short for a tetraplegia case. Once accepted, a settlement is final, so it is worth having an attorney value the claim against a life care plan first.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault for my injury?
Yes, in most cases. Colorado follows a modified comparative fault rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111). You can recover as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurers often inflate the injured person's fault to reduce or eliminate a payout, and an attorney can challenge that.
How long does a spinal cord injury case take?
Spinal cord injury cases are complex and commonly take one to three years or longer. The timeline depends on the severity of the injury, how clear liability is, and the treatment process. Most cases settle through negotiation, but we prepare each one for trial in case an insurer refuses fair compensation.
Do I pay anything upfront for a spinal cord injury lawyer?
No. We work on a contingency fee, so there are no upfront costs. We front all case expenses, including medical experts and life care planners, and those costs are deducted from the recovery only after we win. You owe no fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
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IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.
You face decades of care. We handle the case.
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