Although several medical conditions lead to paralysis, the most devastating reason is when another person acts recklessly and causes an accident that immobilizes an innocent, formerly healthy person. Paralysis usually requires dramatic and expensive lifestyle changes, including skilled nursing care, home health aides, and specialized equipment.
Our skilled catastrophic injury attorneys will look to the other person’s insurance to recover compensation from the person who caused an accident resulting in your paralysis. If an insurance settlement does not cover your injuries, a Walterboro paralysis injury lawyer could file a lawsuit and convince a jury you need substantial reimbursement.
The Science Behind Paralysis
The human body has integrated systems signaling each other to perform the functions of life. Nerves prompt muscles to move, allowing people to perform various tasks, from swallowing food to running a marathon. Unfortunately, when the nerve-to-muscle signals are interrupted, paralysis occurs.
When paralysis affects a small area of the body, such as a hand, foot, or vocal cords, it is localized. If a more significant segment of the body becomes paralyzed, the medical community could distinguish it as:
- Diplegia or mirror paralysis, such as both legs
- Monoplegia, paralysis of one limb
- Hemiplegia, paralysis of one side
- Paraplegia, paralysis of the lower body
- Quadriplegia or tetraplegia, paralysis of the entire body below the neck
Paralysis leaves those affected with lifelong physical and emotional challenges with a need to pay for specialized care. This demands decisive action to recover adequate compensation from the parties that caused the incident. A seasoned lawyer in Walterboro could determine responsible parties and create a plan to recover reimbursement.
Common Paralysis Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents cause more paralyzing injuries than any other type, with alcohol a factor in many collisions. Other paralyzing accidents include sports and recreational activities, slip and falls, violent crimes, and accidents in dangerous professions such as high-rise construction work. A compassionate attorney in Walterboro understands the accidents that could lead to paralysis and how to secure payments for losses.
Available Compensation After an Immobilization Injury
Compensatory damages include economic and non-economic losses. Calculable losses include medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and any retrofitting a paralysis patient would have to do to a home or vehicle. Any home health or help with housekeeping would also count as economic damages.
Non-economic damages relate to the emotional and psychological losses the patient is suffering, to which the jury assigns a monetary value. For example, the stress from having to live with paralysis, the loss of fully interacting with family members, and the feelings of helplessness could all qualify as non-economic losses. A lawyer in Walterboro knows how to calculate the dollar amount for both types of losses sustained after a paralysis injury.
Punitive Damages
Injured individuals who recover compensatory damages and prove the at-fault party acted maliciously, willfully, or recklessly may be able to collect punitive damages. Compensatory damages reimburse harmed parties for their losses, and punitive damages punish and dissuade defendants from committing egregious acts in the future. The state limits punitive damages to three times the compensatory damages award or $500,000, whichever is more.
A Walterboro Paralysis Injury Attorney is Your Legal Advocate
Your health is a fragile gift, and you protect it by taking care of yourself and avoiding risky situations. Unfortunately, others may not be as vigilant about your safety. State law obligates people to act reasonably and not subject others to danger.
If an accident occurs, and you suffer a devastating injury that leaves you paralyzed, we could help. Whetstone Perkins & Fulda believes people who act carelessly or recklessly and harm someone owe that person compensation to put their life back together. If this is your situation, a Walterboro paralysis injury lawyer is waiting for your call.