Spinal cord injury in Phoenix: care options, long-term costs and time limits

Phoenix has at least five state-designated Level I trauma centers, including Valleywise and Banner University Medical Center. Barrow also runs a spinal cord injury clinic. Money questions can wait a few days, but the clock runs. The general limit to sue a private party is 2 years. A claim against a city or county is due in 180 days.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (30)

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Road map of Phoenix showing the I-10 and I-17 split, a stretch where ADOT counted nearly six crashes a day
At least 5 Phoenix hospitals hold state Level I trauma status. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Where is a spinal cord injury treated in Phoenix?

Start at a trauma center. The state lists at least five Level I centers in Phoenix. One of them, St. Joseph's, shows a designation date of 11/20/26, so call to confirm its status.

HospitalAddressState designation runs to
Valleywise Health2601 E. Roosevelt12/19/27
St. Joseph's350 W. Thomas Rd.11/20/26
Banner UMC Phoenix1111 E. McDowell Rd.11/18/27
HonorHealth John C. Lincoln250 E. Dunlap Ave.04/24/27
HonorHealth Deer Valley19829 N. 27th Ave.06/13/28

For rehab, Barrow has a 46-bed inpatient neuro-rehabilitation unit. Its spinal cord injury wellness clinic says it is Arizona's only clinic that gives these evaluations with several specialists in one visit. A doctor trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation usually leads the rehab team.

How do spinal cord injuries happen in Phoenix?

Nationally, vehicle crashes and serious falls are the most common causes. Phoenix roads add to that. The city counts 830 fatal and serious injury crashes a year, on average from 2020 through 2024. ADOT's 2024 numbers for Phoenix show 15,057 people injured in reported crashes.

Signs include numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, and loss of bladder or bowel control. After a crash or fall, call 911 and do not move the person unless there is danger.

What does life look like in the first years after a spinal cord injury?

Every injury is different, so use these as planning facts, not predictions. In one national database, 18 percent of people with a traumatic spinal cord injury were employed at year one. About 29 percent were re-hospitalized in a given year.

Costs reach past the hospital bill. A national study put indirect costs, such as lost work, at an average of $97,787 a year in 2025 dollars. A claim should account for years of care and lost income, not only the first stay.

Who handles money and decisions if the injured person cannot?

Maricopa County Probate Court appoints guardians and conservators for people who need help with decisions. Ask about this early if a spouse or parent must sign for the injured person.

Arizona gives a person who cannot act for themselves 180 days after the disability ends to give notice to a public body. A provider may hold a lien on your injury recovery. If Medicare paid, it must be repaid from a settlement or judgment.

How long do I have to bring a spinal cord injury claim in Phoenix?

A spinal cord injury suit against a private party generally has a 2-year limit. If the City of Phoenix is involved, file within 180 days with the City Clerk Department, 15th Floor, 200 W. Washington Street. The notice must state a specific settlement amount and the facts behind it. The suit itself then has a one-year limit.

Arizona's constitution does not let lawmakers cap injury damages. Blame assigned to you reduces your award by that share.

Questions

Is there a children's trauma center in Phoenix?

Yes. Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E. Thomas Rd., holds the state's Level I designation for pediatric trauma.

Can a family member talk to the hospital for me?

Hospitals need your consent or legal authority. Valleywise's records office is (602) 344-5266 and answers requests within 30 days.

Can I still sue if I was partly at fault?

Often yes. Arizona cuts your award by your share of fault.

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Sources (30)

  1. Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “Valleywise Health 2601 E. Roosevelt, Phoenix, AZ 85008 12/19/24 12/19/27”
  2. Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “Banner - University Medical Center 1111 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85006 11/18/25 11/18/27”
  3. Barrow Neurological Institute, Spinal Cord Injury Wellness Clinic, checked 2026-11-09. “only clinic providing comprehensive evaluations for individuals with spinal cord injuries with multiple specialists in a single visit”
  4. A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
  5. A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
  6. NINDS, checked 2026-11-09. “Motor vehicle accidents and serious falls are the most common causes of SCI in the U.S.”
  7. National SCI Statistical Center, checked 2026-11-09. “Since 2015, about 29% of persons with tSCI are re-hospitalized at”
  8. Maricopa County Superior Court, Guardianships and Conservatorships, checked 2026-11-09. “The Probate court appoints guardians and conservators for these persons”
  9. A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “The claim shall also contain a specific amount for which the claim can be settled and the facts supporting that amount.”
  10. Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85013 11/20/24 11/20/26”
  11. Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “250 E. Dunlap Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85020 04/24/24 04/24/27”
  12. Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center 19829 N. 27th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85027 05/17/25 06/13/28”
  13. Barrow Neurological Institute, Inpatient Neuro-Rehabilitation, checked 2026-11-09. “Our 46-bed inpatient neuro-rehabilitation unit”
  14. NINDS, checked 2026-11-09. “A doctor specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation usually leads the rehabilitation team.”
  15. City of Phoenix, 2025 Road Safety Action Plan Annual Report, checked 2026-11-08. “830 fatal & serious injury”
  16. ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, checked 2026-11-08. “| Phoenix | 37,472 | 265 | 10,449 | 26,758 | 278 | 15,057 | 1,351 | 95 | 822 |”
  17. NINDS, checked 2026-11-09. “Numbness, tingling, or a loss of (or changes in) sensation in hands and feet”
  18. NINDS, checked 2026-11-09. “Loss of bladder and bowel control”
  19. National SCI Statistical Center, checked 2026-11-09. “Since 2015, 18% of persons with tSCI are employed at year 1”
  20. National SCI Statistical Center, checked 2026-11-09. “indirect costs averaged $97,787 per year in 2025 dollars”
  21. A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “a minor or an insane or incompetent person may file a claim within one hundred eighty days after the disability ceases”
  22. A.R.S. § 33-931, checked 2026-11-09. “is entitled to a lien for the care and treatment or transportation of an injured person”
  23. CMS, checked 2026-11-09. “because it must be repaid to Medicare when a beneficiary receives a settlement, judgment, award, or other payment”
  24. phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “Be filed with the City Clerk Department within 180 days after the cause of action accrues,”
  25. phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “a copy of the claim form to: City of Phoenix City Clerk Department 200 W. Washington Street, 15th Floor Phoenix, AZ 85003”
  26. A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
  27. Ariz. Const. art. 18, § 6, checked 2026-11-09. “the amount recovered shall not be subject to any statutory limitation”
  28. A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
  29. Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-09. “| Phoenix Children’s Hospital | 1919 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, | AZ 85016 08/31/25 | 08/31/28 |”
  30. valleywisehealth.org, checked 2026-11-08. “Contact our Release of Information office at (602) 344-5266.”

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