Can You Sue for Emotional Trauma After a Spinal Cord Injury?

After a spinal cord injury, the damage isn’t just physical. As we’ve seen at our firm with these extremely serious cases, spinal cord injury and emotional trauma go hand-in-hand.

With these injuries, your entire way of life can change in an instant. So it makes perfect sense if you feel overwhelmed, anxious, angry, depressed—or all of the above.

As a Memphis personal injury lawyer with years of experience helping spinal cord injury survivors, I want you to know: the courts recognize this trauma as well. Yes, you can sue for emotional trauma after a spinal cord injury. And in many cases, you should.

Emotional Trauma Is a Real Injury

Insurance companies like to focus only on what they can see: X-rays, MRI scans, physical therapy bills. But emotional trauma is just as real and just as damaging.

Anxiety, depression, PTSD, fear of leaving the house, loss of independence—these are real consequences of a spinal cord injury. They can affect your relationships, your career, your sense of purpose, and your overall quality of life.

In personal injury law, emotional trauma falls under what’s called “non-economic damages.” These are losses that aren’t easy to put a price tag on, but they matter just as much as medical bills or lost wages.

How Emotional Trauma Fits Into a Lawsuit

When you sue for a spinal cord injury, you’re not just asking for money to cover your hospital stays and surgeries. You’re also asking to be compensated for the pain and suffering you’ve endured—and continue to endure—because of someone else’s negligence.

Emotional trauma is a major part of that suffering.

In a spinal cord injury lawsuit, your claim for emotional damages might include:

  • Anxiety and depression
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Sleep disturbances and nightmares
  • Fear of future medical problems
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Emotional distress from lifestyle changes (like needing a wheelchair, losing independence, or relying on caregivers)

Proving Emotional Trauma

Emotional trauma has a different burden of proof than other damages. With something that often happens internally, you can’t just submit a medical bill or receipt.

To get compensated for emotional trauma, you’ll need evidence. This could include:

  • Testimony from your doctor, therapist, or psychiatrist
  • Medical records showing diagnosis and treatment for emotional or psychological conditions
  • Your own testimony about how the injury has changed your daily life, your relationships, and your mental health
  • Testimony from family members, friends, or caregivers who have witnessed your emotional struggles

In addition, you can use medical and therapy records—which will already be a big part of your case—to back up the extraordinary impact your injury has had on your health and well-being.

As your lawyer, I would work closely with you and the right medical experts to build a strong case that tells the full story of your pain—both physical and emotional.

Why You Need a Lawyer Who Understands Spinal Cord Injury Cases

Not every lawyer knows how to properly value emotional trauma or fight for it effectively in court. Spinal cord injury cases are complex. You need someone who knows how to gather the right evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and, if necessary, present a powerful case to a jury.

I’ve spent my career standing up for people in Memphis who’ve suffered devastating injuries, including spinal cord injuries. I understand that your recovery isn’t just about physical healing—it’s about putting your whole life back together.

Darrell Castle downtown Memphis attorneyLegal Help with Spinal Cord Injury and Emotional Trauma

If you’re dealing with the emotional fallout of a spinal cord injury, don’t suffer in silence. Emotional trauma is a real part of your injury, and you deserve to be compensated for it. Filing a lawsuit can’t erase what happened, but it can help you get the financial support you need to move forward.

If you want to talk about your case—or even if you just have questions—reach out to my office. I’m here to listen, to advise, and to fight for everything you’re owed. You don’t have to go through this alone.

We offer a free consultation, no strings attached. And if you decide to work with us, we don’t get paid anything unless and until we win your case.

To get started, just contact us online today or give me a call at 901-327-2100. We look forward to speaking with you.