Serving the seriously injured
in Durham and across NC
A spinal cord injury can change how you move, work, and live. Our Durham spinal cord injury lawyers fight for the lifelong care and full compensation you need.
There’s no template for rebuilding your life after a spinal cord injury. The routines you relied on, the job you trained for, the way people look at you, it all shifts. And while the world keeps moving, you’re stuck in a system never built with your needs in mind.
At Johnson & Groninger, PLLC, we’re not in the business of false promises or one-size-fits-all cases. We’re here to get you results that reflect your reality, whether that means long-term care, adaptive technology, loss of income, or the cost of losing the future you planned. We know Durham. We know spinal cord cases. And we know how to make the people responsible pay attention.
There’s a reason spinal cord injuries are considered catastrophic injuries. This isn’t just a “back injury.” The spinal cord is the control center for movement, sensation, and function throughout your body. Damage to it can affect everything from walking to breathing to basic independence.
The outcomes depend on where the injury hits and how hard.
This is the most fragile, most high-stakes area. When the cervical spine is injured, we often see quadriplegia—paralysis from the neck down. Sometimes it affects breathing. Sometimes it means 24-hour care. These are the cases where life is changed most dramatically, not just for the person hurt, but for their entire family.
Here, the arms often remain functional, but the lower body is affected. That can mean paraplegia, with loss of mobility, core stability, and control over things most people take for granted—like bladder and bowel function.
Injuries lower on the spine may preserve some movement, but still impact the legs and pelvic systems. Even if a person can walk again someday, it might not be without a brace, walker, or cane. In some cases, spinal damage is accompanied by a brain injury, making recovery even more complex and requiring more specialized care.
Here’s a truth we often have to explain to clients: just because there’s some movement or feeling doesn’t mean the injury is “mild.” With an incomplete spinal cord injury, there may be a chance at regaining more function, but it depends on the pathways left intact and the work done in rehab. With a complete injury, everything below the site of damage is offline. No signals. No movement. No sensation.
Either way, recovery isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about adapting. Rebuilding. Finding new footing—literally and emotionally.
This isn’t just about paperwork or deadlines. It’s about having someone in your corner while you’re figuring out how to live with an injury that’s changed everything. Here’s what we do—and how we stay with you through it.
We’re not here for quick fixes. We’re here for the long haul, and we don’t back off until the work is done.
The legal system isn’t built to be easy. And when you’re dealing with a spinal cord injury, it can feel like the odds are stacked against you from the start. That’s why understanding how North Carolina law works, specifically for personal injury claims, matters more than you might think.
Here’s what you need to know:
Under the statute of limitations in North Carolina, you have three years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. That’s your window. Miss it—even by a day—and you lose the right to ask for compensation, no matter how badly you were hurt or how clearly someone else was at fault.
This is why we tell people: Call us early. You don’t have to do everything immediately, but you need to protect your case before time runs out.
North Carolina is one of the few states still using contributory negligence. This means that if you’re found even 1% at fault for what happened, you could be completely barred from recovering anything.
That’s not just frustrating. It’s dangerous. And it’s exactly why you need an experienced personal injury attorney in Durham, someone who knows how to build a case airtight enough to survive that kind of scrutiny.
If your spinal cord injury happened on the job, you’re likely looking at workers’ comp first. But that’s not always the end of the story.
We dig deeper. Sometimes, there’s a third party involved—a subcontractor who didn’t follow safety protocol, a manufacturer that built defective equipment, or a property owner who didn’t maintain their site.
If someone other than your employer contributed to your injury, we go after them, too. Because limited compensation isn’t good enough when the damage
When you’re facing something as serious as a spinal cord injury, the lawyer you choose isn’t just handling a case—they’re helping you fight for what comes next. We don’t take that lightly. Here’s what working with us actually looks like:
A spinal cord injury changes everything. You deserve a law firm that understands that—and is ready to step up for what matters next.
A spinal cord injury doesn’t just bring pain—it brings questions, bills, and a future that suddenly looks uncertain. It’s a lot to carry, and no one should be expected to handle it alone. If you’re trying to figure out what to do next, we’re here to help.
At Johnson & Groninger PLLC in North Carolina, we’ve worked with people across Durham who’ve been through life-altering injuries and didn’t know where to start. Our job is to make sure you’re not navigating the legal side of this alone. We’ll walk you through your options, help you understand your rights, and fight for what you need moving forward.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a Durham personal injury lawyer who understands what you’re facing and knows how to help. There’s no pressure—and no cost unless we win.
We represent clients statewide, with offices in Durham and Charlotte. Whether you’ve been injured at work or hurt in a crash, we’ll meet you where you are.
