Butte, MontanaButte Spinal Cord Injury
Butte Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers: Paralysis, Tetraplegia and Back Injuries from Crashes, Falls and Work Accidents in Butte
Boland Aarab PLLP.
A spinal cord injury caused by someone else’s negligence in Butte can support a claim for a lifetime of care, lost earnings and the loss of the life you had. The case is usually heard in the Second Judicial District Court in Butte or the federal Butte Division. Most claims must be filed within three years.
Did you or a loved one suffer a spinal cord injury? Contact Boland Aarab PLLP for a free consultation at (406) 315-3737.
How do spinal cord injuries happen around Butte?
Nationally, vehicle crashes (37.1%) and falls (32.5%) have caused most traumatic spinal cord injuries since 2015 (NSCISC, 2026). Both are part of daily life in and around Butte.
- Rollovers and high-speed crashes on the mountain interstates, especially on Homestake and Elk Park passes in winter, where a vehicle that leaves the road can roll down a steep embankment.
- Falls from height at work, from haul trucks and equipment at mine and industrial sites, from rail cars and ladders, from roofs and scaffolds on construction jobs, and from utility poles.
- Falls on ice. Butte’s steep Uptown streets and sidewalks, and icy parking lots and stairs, produce falls that can cause spinal fractures, especially for older adults. A property owner or manager who fails to clear ice can be responsible.
- Diving, recreation and off-road accidents in the lakes, rivers and mountains around Butte, including defective ATVs and snowmobiles.
What does life with a spinal cord injury look like in Butte?
A spinal cord injury is measured over decades, and Butte’s setting shapes what a person will need.
- Winter mobility. Five or six months of snow and ice make wheelchair use outdoors difficult. A person may need a vehicle with a lift or ramp, reliable snow removal at home, and help getting to appointments.
- Specialized rehabilitation is far away. Acute care usually starts at St. James Healthcare, DPHHS’s ACS Level III / State Area Trauma Hospital in Butte (DPHHS, Nov. 2025), with transfer to a Level I or II center and often to a dedicated spinal cord injury rehabilitation program outside the region. Follow-up visits for years may mean long trips.
- Housing. Many Butte homes have steep entries and multiple floors. A ramp may not be enough; a home may need a lift, a first-floor bedroom and bathroom, or replacing altogether.
- Work. Many jobs in Butte require standing, climbing and lifting. Returning to the same work is often not possible.
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates lifetime costs of $6,419,617 for high tetraplegia injured at age 25, in 2025 dollars, not counting lost wages (NSCISC Facts and Figures at a Glance, 2026). Each person’s needs are different, which is why we build a life-care plan specific to the client, where the client lives.
What happens after a spinal cord injury in Butte?
The report. Crashes on the interstates are usually investigated by the Montana Highway Patrol; crashes and falls in town are handled by the Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Department. Work injuries are reported to the employer and, depending on the workplace, may involve MSHA or OSHA.
Preserve evidence. Keep the vehicle, the ladder, harness or equipment, and photographs of the scene, including ice or a defect. Write down witnesses’ names.
Early legal steps. We send preservation demands, gather the medical records, and bring in the experts: spinal cord injury physicians, a life-care planner, and an economist to value lost earning capacity. For work injuries, we identify third parties beyond the employer.
The court. A Butte case filed in state court goes to the Second Judicial District Court, Silver Bow County (§ 3-5-101(2), MCA), at the Silver Bow County Courthouse on West Granite Street. Cases against out-of-state companies are often removed to the U.S. District Court, Butte Division, at the Mike Mansfield Federal Courthouse, 400 North Main Street (mtd.uscourts.gov). If ice on public property or a road defect played a part, claims against Butte-Silver Bow or the State require written notice (§ 2-9-301, MCA).
Montana law that applies
In brief. See our Montana spinal cord injury lawyer page for more.
- Montana allows damages for harm “certain to result in the future” (§ 27-1-203, MCA), including future care, equipment and home modifications.
- Most injury claims must be filed within 3 years (§ 27-2-204, MCA).
- Your own share of fault reduces your recovery but does not bar it unless it is greater than the defendants’ combined (§ 27-1-702, MCA).
Why hire a Great Falls firm for a Butte case?
Spinal cord injury cases require a team of experts and a lawyer willing to try the case, because the future damages are large and defendants contest them. We are based in Great Falls, take these cases statewide, and come to you: our attorneys travel to Butte to meet at your home or hospital, and for depositions, hearings and trial.
Our office is in Great Falls, not Butte, and we have tried jury cases in Cascade, Phillips, Meagher and Yellowstone Counties.
The Boland Aarab Way
- Built for trial: more than 4,000 hours in the courtroom and more than a dozen jury trials.
- We defend what we win. Our appellate record reaches back to 1977, and we had a Phillips County verdict reinstated by the Montana Supreme Court (Voegel v. Salsbery, 2023 MT 137).
- Federal court experience: more than 40 District of Montana cases over nine years.
- Your lawyers answer your calls.
We also handle catastrophic injury cases in Butte and truck accident cases in Butte. See our Butte personal injury page.
Contact Boland Aarab PLLP for a free consultation at (406) 315-3737.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover the cost of a wheelchair van and snow removal in Butte? Yes, if they are reasonably needed because of the injury. A life-care plan documents those costs over your lifetime.
I fell on an icy sidewalk in Uptown Butte and broke my back. Who is responsible? Possibly the property owner or manager responsible for clearing it. If the sidewalk is public, a claim against Butte-Silver Bow requires written notice, so talk with a lawyer quickly.
My rehabilitation will be out of state. Does that affect my case? It affects the damages, including travel and time away from home, but not where the case is filed. A Butte injury is generally filed in Butte.
I was hurt at work in Butte. Can I sue? Usually not your employer, but you may be able to sue a third party, such as an equipment maker, a contractor or a site owner, while keeping your workers’ comp benefits.
How long do I have? Generally three years for most injury claims in Montana, with shorter deadlines for some claim types.
Our attorneys: Caitlin Boland Aarab · Samir F. Aarab
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
