When one accident injures both the brain and the spinal cord, life can change in ways that are hard to put into words. A Hackensack brain and spinal cord injuries lawyer at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, P.C. builds a case that accounts for both injuries and for the decades of care that may follow.
We represent survivors and their families throughout Bergen County. These cases call for patience, resources, and a team that understands how the two injuries affect each other. Call us 24/7 at (201) 585-9111 to learn more about how we can help.
Why Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries Often Happen Together
The same force that damages the spine can injure the brain. High-speed crashes, falls from heights, and heavy objects striking a person often affect both at once, and the combination creates challenges that a single-injury case doesn’t.
High-Energy Crashes and Falls
Truck collisions, rollovers, and falls from ladders or scaffolds deliver enormous force to the head and neck. Survivors may face paralysis and cognitive problems at the same time, each one making recovery from the other harder.
The Brain Injury That Gets Missed
When a spinal cord injury dominates the emergency room, a brain injury can go unnoticed. Memory problems, mood changes, or trouble concentrating may surface weeks later, after the insurer has already formed its view of the case. Our Hackensack brain and spinal injuries lawyers look for signs of both from the start.
Why the Combination Matters
A person with both injuries usually needs more care, more therapy, and more support than either injury alone would require. The claim has to capture how the injuries interact, not just list them side by side. For example, a survivor learning to use a wheelchair may struggle more with therapy when a brain injury affects memory and focus.
I want to express my deepest appreciation to the firm “MAGGIANO, DiIGIROLAMO
& LIZZI P.C. and to Cristopher DiGirolamo, in particular, for professionally and timely manner. The most important result for me is the successful completion of the case.
I also wish to express my thanks to the paralegal Nirelly Echanique and to Katty, the nice lady at the front desk.
Without any hesitation, I would recommend your firm to others.
Many thanks for your fruitful work.
Excellent law firm. Thorough, attentive, discreet, flexible, loyal, and compassionate. They are excellent at representing their clients, listening to them, and fighting for their rights. I had the pleasure of working with Michael Maggiano, Esq., Joseph Maggiano, Lawyer Tom Boyle, Bernadette, and Stephanie. Thank you all for your dedication and hard work. I highly recommend choosing this firm to represent you.
The Office of Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi have been so helpful in my case that I just wanted to stress to anyone needing an attorney who has been in an accident that this office is the best. From the beginning of my case I was treated as number one. Mr. Maggiano and staff always kept me informed of the entire process of my case. I even had a driver, Juan, from their office, take me to my medical appointments because I no longer have an automobile. It just made me feel so much more relaxed. This is a law firm makes you feel right at home as soon as you come in. There were many times that I had questions and I would speak to Mariel, Mr. Maggianos’s paralegal and she would always be there to help
How Do Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries Shape a Personal Injury Claim?
Brain and spinal cord injuries shape a claim by affecting nearly every part of a person’s life, from mobility and memory to work and relationships. Insurers often try to separate the injuries and minimize each one. We show the full impact, whether you’re dealing with multiple injuries or a single serious condition, such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal cord injury.
Here’s what each injury can affect and how we prove it:
| Injury | What Can It Affect? | How We Prove It |
| Traumatic brain injury | Memory, focus, mood, judgment, and the ability to work | Neuropsychological testing, imaging, and testimony from family and coworkers |
| Spinal cord injury | Movement, sensation, independence, and daily care needs | Imaging, neurological exams, and therapy records |
| Both injuries together | Recovery, care needs, and long-term independence | A coordinated medical picture from treating physicians and life care planners |
What Happens in the First Months After a Catastrophic Injury?
The first months bring hospital stays, rehabilitation, and early contact from insurers, often all at once. Decisions made during that period can shape the entire case.
From Hospital to Rehabilitation
Many survivors move from a trauma unit to an inpatient rehabilitation program, then to outpatient therapy. Each stage creates records that describe the injury and the survivor’s progress. We gather them as they’re created, so nothing goes missing.
Early Calls From Insurers
Adjusters may contact the family while the survivor is still in intensive care. They may ask for recorded statements or offer to pay a few bills in exchange for a signed release. Families should talk with a Hackensack brain and spinal cord injuries lawyer before signing anything.
Preserving the Accident Evidence
Vehicles get repaired, job sites change, and video systems overwrite footage. We send preservation demands quickly and, when needed, bring in reconstruction or safety professionals while the evidence still exists.
What if a Survivor Can’t Speak or Make Decisions?
A legally authorized representative or court-appointed guardian usually speaks for a survivor whose brain injury limits their ability to make decisions. New Jersey’s courts can appoint a guardian for an adult who can no longer manage their own affairs. That guardian can make legal and financial decisions, including decisions about an injury claim.
Spouses, parents, and adult children often become the most important witnesses. They can describe the person their loved one was before the accident and the daily realities that followed.
Children With Catastrophic Injuries
When a child suffers a brain or spinal cord injury, the effects may unfold over many years as the child grows. Parents usually bring the claim, and a judge generally must approve any settlement for a minor. We plan for care, schooling support, and adult needs, not just the next few years.
Protecting Settlement Money
Some survivors rely on Medicaid or other needs-based programs for care. Planning tools, such as a special needs trust, can help protect eligibility for those benefits while preserving the recovery. We work with families and financial professionals to plan for that before a settlement closes.
Verdicts and Settlements
$850,000 - Unnecessary Surgery
A 54 year old salesman experienced foot disability due to unnecessary tarsal tunnel surgery by the podiatrist.
$650,000 - Inadequate Building Security
A young single woman was abducted and raped in a dimly lit, insecure hotel parking lot in 1994 and suffered severe and disabling post traumatic stress disorder.
$750,000 - Injury Aggravation
The crash caused a self-employed bagel store owner to suffer an aggravation of low back injury, resulting in surgery, urinary incontinence, and post traumatic stress disorder.
Insurance Limits and Catastrophic Injuries in New Jersey
Catastrophic injuries often exceed the limits of a single insurance policy. Finding every source of coverage can help decide whether a family gets enough to pay for lifetime care.
Coverage sources we look for include:
- The at-fault driver’s or property owner’s liability insurance.
- An employer’s commercial policy when a worker caused the crash.
- Umbrella or excess policies that sit on top of primary coverage.
- Your own Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage after a car crash.
- Other parties who shared responsibility, such as contractors or trucking companies.
Each additional policy can change what’s possible. We investigate coverage early, before anyone discusses settlement.
The Verbal Threshold Rarely Blocks These Cases
New Jersey’s verbal threshold limits some car accident claims, but the most serious brain and spinal cord injuries usually qualify under the permanent injury category. The state’s model jury charge on the threshold describes the categories, and objective medical evidence usually proves the injury is permanent in these cases.
Chronic Pain and Other Lasting Effects
Brain and spinal cord injuries often bring lasting effects beyond the primary diagnosis. Chronic pain, depression, sleep problems, and loss of independence can follow survivors for life.
Fibromyalgia and Widespread Pain
Some survivors develop widespread chronic pain after a traumatic accident, and some receive a fibromyalgia diagnosis. Doctors still debate whether and how trauma triggers the condition, so these claims depend on careful records.
Emotional and Relationship Changes
Brain injuries can change personality, patience, and the way a person relates to loved ones. Those changes count as real losses, and testimony from family members helps a jury understand them.
Counseling records, neuropsychological reports, and journals kept by caregivers can show how daily life changed in ways a medical chart alone can’t capture.
What Compensation Is Available in a Catastrophic Injury Claim?
Compensation in a catastrophic injury claim can cover the full cost of the injury over a lifetime, including medical expenses and any changes to your income.
Depending on the case, compensation can include:
- Past and future medical care, rehabilitation, and therapy.
- In-home nursing, attendant care, and equipment.
- Home and vehicle modifications for accessibility.
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity.
- Pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
When you’re dealing with a TBI or spinal cord damage, the largest expenses often lie in the future. Care costs can stretch across decades, so we ask treating physicians and life care planners to describe those needs in writing before any settlement discussion.
A Hackensack Team Built for Catastrophic Cases
Our Hackensack office sits at Court Plaza South, 201 Main Street, Suite 206, near the Bergen County Justice Center. Catastrophic injury cases demand time, investigation, and trial preparation, and we commit all three.
Here’s why Bergen County keeps coming back to Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, P.C.:
- Over $300 million for injured clients.
- Membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
- We work with neurologists, rehabilitation physicians, and life care planners.
- 24/7 availability
We recovered $6,200,000 for a commercial truck driver who suffered a disabling brain injury when another truck struck him on the side of the road. Every case depends on its own facts, and past results don’t predict future outcomes.
Call (201) 585-9111 to talk with us about your family’s situation.
FAQs: Hackensack Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries Lawyer
What if the emergency room didn't diagnose my brain injury?
A brain injury that the ER missed can still support a New Jersey claim. Many TBIs show symptoms days or weeks later, so follow-up care and testing often provide the diagnosis that connects the injury to the accident.
Can a TBI claim go forward if the survivor can't testify?
A New Jersey TBI claim can move forward even when the survivor can’t testify. A guardian or legally authorized representative can bring the case, and medical records, testing, and testimony from people close to the survivor can prove the injury and its effects.
What is a special needs trust?
A special needs trust holds money for a person with a disability while helping protect their eligibility for needs-based programs like Medicaid. Families often consider one before settling a catastrophic injury case.
How long do catastrophic injury cases take in Bergen County?
Catastrophic injury cases in Bergen County often take longer than ordinary injury claims because doctors need time to understand the survivor’s long-term condition. Settling too early can leave future care unfunded.
Should I accept a policy-limits offer?
Before accepting a policy-limits offer, families should confirm whether other insurance policies or responsible parties exist, because accepting can affect claims against them. The offer may or may not reflect the full value of a New Jersey catastrophic injury claim.
Planning for the Life Ahead
A catastrophic injury changes a family’s future, but it doesn’t have to leave that future unprotected. Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, P.C. fights for the resources survivors need, from care and equipment to financial security.
Call (201) 585-9111 or reach us through our contact page. We can meet you at our Hackensack office, at home, or at the hospital. Wherever you’re in recovery, we’ll explain your options in plain language and take the legal work off your family’s shoulders.
Fort Lee Office
Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, P.C.
201 Columbia Ave
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Phone: (201) 585-9111
