A spinal cord injury claim in Calgary is a plan for the rest of your life, turned into numbers: attendant care, equipment and its replacement, an accessible home and vehicle, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering assessed without the minor injury cap. Section B's $50,000 treatment limit is only a starting point. Claims generally must start within 2 years.
Last reviewed September 16, 2026. General legal information for Alberta, not legal advice.
Complete and incomplete injuries
A complete spinal cord injury means no movement or sensation below the level of injury. An incomplete injury leaves some function, which can change significantly during rehabilitation. The level of the injury matters too: an injury in the neck can affect the arms and breathing, while a lower injury affects the legs and trunk.
Because incomplete injuries can improve for many months, it is rarely wise to value the claim early. What matters first is protecting the deadlines and the evidence.
Care and rehabilitation at Foothills
In Calgary, acute spinal cord injury care is centred at Foothills Medical Centre. Rehabilitation continues through:
- the Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Clinic, a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist service offering comprehensive assessment and recommendations for people with spinal cord injuries; and
- the Tertiary Neuro Rehabilitation unit, an intensive inpatient program for people with neurological conditions, including spinal cord injury.
Spinal Cord Injury Alberta supports people in the community from its Calgary office at 600 Manitou Road SE.
Home, vehicle and daily life in Calgary
Much of the value of a spinal cord injury claim is the cost of making ordinary life possible again:
| Need | What the claim has to account for |
|---|---|
| Housing | Renovating the current home, or moving to one that can be made accessible |
| Winter access | Ramps, lifts, covered entries and snow clearing that a wheelchair user relies on |
| Transportation | An adapted vehicle, driving assessment and hand controls, or ongoing transport costs |
| Personal care | Attendant hours for daily routines, now and as you age |
| Equipment | Chairs, cushions, beds and lifts, and the cost of replacing them over decades |
Building the life care plan
- Treating team input on medical needs and likely complications.
- Occupational therapy home assessment to identify the changes your home needs.
- Vocational assessment of what work, if any, is realistic.
- Costing of every item, including replacement cycles.
- Present value calculations by an economist, so a lump sum can fund future costs.
Where the money comes from
Section B pays reasonable treatment and rehabilitation expenses incurred within 2 years, up to $50,000, including medically necessary equipment and home or vehicle modifications that your physician and the insurer’s medical advisor agree are essential, plus a weekly disability benefit for up to 104 weeks. A claim against those responsible funds the rest, up to their insurance. If the at-fault driver was uninsured or unidentified, the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Act may apply, with a 90-day notice requirement for hit and run claims.
Deadlines for Calgary spinal cord injury claims
Send the Section B claim form within 30 days of the crash. Start a lawsuit generally within 2 years of when the injury and its cause were known, filed at the Calgary Courts Centre, 601 5th Street SW. Serve it within 1 year of filing.
Spinal cord injury claims and Care-First
The dividing line is the date of your collision. The province says Care-First begins January 1, 2027, although the Act comes into force by proclamation.
Collisions before that date: section 103 of the new Act keeps the Insurance Act rules in place, so you can still sue the driver at fault and claim Section B.
Collisions after it: compensation comes mostly from benefits. Suing is limited to cases the Act names, including certain convicted drivers, vehicle and parts makers, liquor sellers and the road authority, and benefit disputes go to a new tribunal. Read the details.
Sources
- Alberta Health Services, Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Clinic, Foothills Medical Centre
- Alberta Health Services, Tertiary Neuro Rehabilitation unit, Foothills Medical Centre
- Spinal Cord Injury Alberta, Contact
- Minor Injury Regulation, Alta Reg 123/2004 (Alberta King’s Printer)
- Automobile Accident Insurance Benefits Regulation, Alta Reg 352/1972, Schedule A (Section B)
- Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Act, RSA 2000 c M-22
- Limitations Act, RSA 2000 c L-12
- Alberta Rules of Court, Alta Reg 124/2010 (Rules 3.26, 4.16, 4.33, 10.7)
- Court of King’s Bench of Alberta, Calgary Courts Centre
- Automobile Insurance Act, SA 2025 c A-47 (Care-First)
- Government of Alberta, Care-First auto insurance