Are you paralyzed due to an accident at work or in a car? Regardless of the cause of your condition, you may be entitled to compensation if you were injured due to the negligence of another party. Paralyzed individuals require the assistance of devoted caregivers to live independently.
If you are paralyzed due to someone’s negligence, you can contact our personal injury attorneys for legal representation. A paralysis lawyer in Los Angeles, CA from Haffner Law will pursue a personal injury claim on your behalf, acting in your best interests. We will recover current and future medical expenses as well as other monetary and non-monetary damages.
Contact our law office immediately to receive the compensation you deserve.
Why Do I Need a Paralysis Attorney in California?
If you or a loved one has been paralyzed as a result of a traumatic accident, it is important to seek the assistance of a paralysis lawyer in Los Angeles, CA. We can help you receive fair and full compensation for your losses. We are knowledgeable in California’s personal injury laws and will work hard to ensure you get the best possible outcome.
Paralysis can be caused by a variety of different accidents, including car accidents, slip and fall accidents, medical malpractice, and even defective products. Depending on the cause of the paralysis, you may be entitled to receive compensation from a variety of parties. Our Los Angeles paralysis attorney can investigate the circumstances of your case to determine who is liable for the damages you have suffered.
Our personal injury attorney is familiar with the legal process and understands the most effective strategies for recovering compensation. We will review all relevant evidence, gather witness statements and medical records, and evaluate the full extent of your damages. We can also help you with insurance claims. Insurance companies often try to deny or reduce valid claims, leaving the injured person with no recourse. We can represent you in discussions with the insurance company and ensure that your rights are protected.
Finally, we can also assist you with filing a lawsuit against the responsible parties. It is important to understand that there are deadlines to file a lawsuit, so it is important to work with your paralysis attorney as soon as possible. With the help of our Los Angeles paralysis attorney, you can focus on recovery and rebuild your life.
What Constitutes Paralysis?
Paralysis occurs when a person loses sensation and mobility in their body. California considers paralysis-causing injuries to be catastrophic. Paralysis occurs when the damaged nerves of the spinal cord cease to function properly. This condition is a result of damage to the nervous system, particularly spinal cord injuries.
What Are the Most Common Types of Paralysis?
Paralysis is the loss of strength or mobility in a body part. It is the loss of muscle function in a portion of the body that results from nerve damage and improper communication between the brain and muscles. Depending on the location of the injury, the paralysis may be partial or total, temporary or permanent.
Numerous paralysis injuries result from motorcycle, vehicle, and construction accidents. Various forms of paralysis include:
Monoplegia
A small portion of the body is paralyzed and has no sensation. Typically, these individuals regain sensation in all but one of their extremities.
Hemiplegia
One side of the body is partially or completely paralyzed. In most cases, this type of paralysis follows a stroke, which can be exacerbated by an injury.
Paraplegia
This type affects the trunk, legs, and pelvic organs of the lower body. Numerous accident victims with spinal cord injuries will suffer from this type of paralysis. It may be temporary, but in most cases, it becomes permanent if the individual has not regained mobility or function after a few months.
Quadriplegia
When a paralyzed patient loses all mobility in all four limbs, the condition is known as quadriplegia. The severity of this condition depends on the location of the injury, the forces that caused the injury, and the length of time since the injury. Some individuals with this condition may have difficulty breathing on their own.
Partial Paralysis
This is a condition in which you have partial sensation in your body parts and possible control over your paralyzed muscles.
Diplegia
This term refers to the paralysis of the same body parts on both sides, such as both arms or legs.
Complete Paralysis
This describes the complete inability to move or control muscles, as well as the absence of muscle sensation.
Locked-In Syndrome
The term “locked-in syndrome” refers to a condition in which all body muscles except those controlling eye movement are paralyzed.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Paralysis?
There are many ways to sustain a spinal cord injury:
Motor Vehicle Collisions
Motor vehicle accidents can leave you paralyzed. Even low-speed collisions can cause nervous system damage and spinal cord injuries. When that happens, there’s a strong chance you’ll live the rest of your life in a wheelchair and need help with basic everyday tasks. It is crucial to consult with a paralysis lawyer in Los Angeles, CA as soon as possible to ensure you will receive justice and maximum compensation.
Plane or Train Accidents
Airplane and train crashes occur less frequently than automobile collisions, but the consequences can be equally devastating. Typically, injured parties have legal recourse against the airline or railway. These service providers are considered “common carriers,” and California law imposes special obligations on them. Seek legal advice from a Los Angeles paralysis attorney to know your legal options.
Workplace Accidents
Regardless of your occupation, workplace accidents can occur. Workers who become paralyzed at work are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. However, these benefits do not cover all losses. Pain and suffering are not compensated, and wage loss is typically limited by a formula. Therefore, you must consult with our personal injury attorney to determine if you also have a personal injury claim.
Sport-Related Accidents
Some of the most well-known instances of paralysis have resulted from sports injuries. Horse riding, football, and hockey are just a few of the sports that can cause catastrophic injuries that may result in permanent paralysis. Sports injuries present particular legal challenges, and legal help from a paralysis lawyer in Los Angeles CA is crucial.
Medical Malpractice and Birth Injuries
Unfortunately, medical professionals who are supposed to help you can cause paralysis. For instance, paramedics are trained to carefully transport patients with suspected spinal cord injuries. If these protocols are not followed, the injury could be exacerbated, and a minor injury could result in permanent paralysis. When this occurs, the victim has a medical malpractice claim against the negligent provider and may file a claim with the provider’s malpractice insurer.
What Are the Common Symptoms of Paralysis?
The severity and types of symptoms a person experiences are greatly dependent on their injuries and type of paralysis. Depending on the situation, the following symptoms may manifest gradually, intermittently, or suddenly:
- Loss of sensation below the site of injury to the brain or spinal cord. In some cases, this loss of sensation is total and permanent. In some cases, sensations are diminished or intermittent.
- Incapacity to move the limbs below the injury site. The majority of paraplegics and quadriplegics will never regain complete muscle strength and control.
- Muscle atrophy can cause complications such as chronic pain.
- Spasticity of the paralyzed muscles, resulting in sudden, uncontrolled movements.
- A decline in sexual function or fertility.
- Psychological effects, particularly depression and anxiety.
- Respiratory infections, which are the leading cause of death for spinal injury survivors, are the leading cause of death.
What Are the Possible Complications of Paralysis?
Losing the ability to move is a devastating consequence, but paralysis is also closely associated with life-threatening secondary health issues, such as the following:
Changes in Bladder Control
Although paralysis does not prevent the bladder from storing urine, the damaged spinal cord will no longer transmit messages to the brain. As the spinal cord is the center for sending messages from the brain to the rest of the body, damage to the spinal cord frequently results in problems with bladder control. This lack of control is linked to chronic urinary tract infections and can lead to kidney infections and bladder stones.
Changes in Bowel Control
While paralysis will likely leave your stomach and intestines functioning similarly to before, you will need to learn how to regulate and optimize your bowels for the sake of your health and comfortable daily living.
Changes in the Circulatory System
Circulatory issues accompany paralysis, which can cause swelling of the extremities and increase the risk of developing life-threatening blood clots, such as a pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis. Additionally, paralysis can cause a potentially lethal rise in blood pressure, which must be closely monitored.
Muscle Tone Changes
Paralysis can cause significant changes in one’s muscle tone, which can result in uncontrollable muscle tightening or movement (known as spasticity) or loss of tone, which renders one’s muscles soft and limp (known as flaccidity).
What to Do Following a Paralysis Injury Accident in California?
Assess the Situation
After any type of accident, it is essential to conduct a thorough injury assessment. Damage to the spinal cord and other latent injuries are not always immediately apparent. Moving can result in additional harm and permanent disability.
Call the Police
Accident victims who have been injured must take the necessary steps to aid their personal injury attorney in building the strongest possible case. The beginning of this is a police report. No matter how minor an accident may appear, victims should never leave the scene. Always wait for the police to arrive and provide a truthful account of what transpired.
Take Notes of Medical Bills and Other Expenses
Medical records detail how a patient was injured and what is necessary for his or her recovery, be it surgery, medication, physical therapy, or adaptive equipment. In addition to any other documentation about the accident, victims must maintain records of all care received.
Consult a Personal Injury Attorney
Before speaking with the insurance company, accident victims should schedule a consultation with a personal injury lawyer. Our Los Angeles paralysis attorney begins building a case based on who was at fault and the extent of the damages after learning more about the accident. The key to achieving justice and regaining peace of mind is taking legal action to hold a reckless driver or other negligent parties liable.
Who Can Be Held for Your Paralysis Injuries?
As with other personal injury liability claims, the court will determine who is responsible for a paralysis injury by determining who is at fault. Any person who causes harm to another through negligence, recklessness, or intent is liable.
Vehicle collisions are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries that result in paralysis. If drivers were driving under the influence, speeding, or violating other traffic laws when they caused an accident, they are likely responsible for the resulting injuries. Medical errors are another frequent cause of paralysis. Doctors and other medical professionals are liable if they fail to perform their duties with reasonable care.
Proving who is at fault can be a difficult endeavor. Consult a paralysis lawyer in Los Angeles, CA for assistance in determining how to prove your case.
How to Prove Negligence in a Paralysis Accident Lawsuit?
Establishing liability in paralysis-related injury cases requires demonstrating the defendant’s negligent conduct. Negligence occurs when a person fails to act as a reasonable and prudent person would in similar circumstances. Typically, this requires proof of four elements:
- The defendant owed a duty of care to the plaintiff
- This duty was violated
- This breach of duty caused injury to the plaintiff
- The harm is quantifiable in terms of compensable damages
In many instances, our personal injury attorney can use laws, regulations, and even industry standards to demonstrate what actions or inactions are reasonable under the circumstances.
When a paralysis injury occurs in a highly regulated industry, such as oil and gas, mining, excavation injuries, construction, or trucking, our Los Angeles paralysis attorney will examine the rules and regulations to determine if there are already safety rules in place that we can highlight to the jury while the jury determines if the injury was caused by negligence.
What Damages Are Available in Paralysis Injury Cases?
The most important question for the majority of injury victims is how much they will recover in a personal injury lawsuit. This is dependent upon the extent of your personal losses. Here are some of the most frequently compensated losses for paralysis victims:
Medical Fees, Equipment, and In-Home Care
Your medical expenses include all of your past medical bills as well as all of the projected future medical expenses you will incur due to your injuries. Paralysis necessitates lifetime care. These projected future medical costs may be substantial. Additionally, victims are entitled to compensation for their medical equipment (such as wheelchairs and breathing machines) and any necessary in-home care.
Readjustments to the Home
Numerous paralysis sufferers must install ramps or lifts in their homes to accommodate their wheelchairs. You may also need to widen hallways, install grab bars, and make other costly home modifications. Additionally, you may require a modified vehicle or special transportation arrangements.
Psychotherapeutic Counseling
A permanent injury can have devastating consequences. Every aspect of life is affected by the loss of normal physical functions. Numerous victims require assistance adjusting to changes in their work, marriage, relationships, and identity. This is a reimbursable expense related to your injury.
Rehabilitation
Almost every victim of paralysis will require rehabilitation to adapt to their new physical limitations. Occupational therapy can assist in regaining the ability to perform tasks such as eating and writing. Physical therapy can restore strength and assist you in utilizing other muscles to enhance your mobility. Vocational rehabilitation can assist you in acquiring new skills and locating work that meets your needs. These are additional costly services related to your injury.
Other Medical Complications
Numerous paralysis patients experience a variety of secondary medical complications. Several examples include bowel disorders, loss of bladder control, circulatory disorders, sexual disorders, chronic pain, and depression. Sadly, these complications also reduce the life expectancy of many paralysis patients.
Your medical complications entitle you to compensation for the pain and suffering they have caused. Additionally, you may be compensated for your decreased life expectancy. Even though this is a difficult loss to prove, it is a strong claim to present to a jury.
What is California’s Statute of Limitations for Paralysis Lawsuits?
The clock begins ticking immediately on crucial evidence, so the sooner you contact our Los Angeles paralysis attorney to investigate your case, the better. Haffner Law can assist in investigating what transpired.
California’s statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit is two years, so it is crucial to contact a paralysis lawyer in Los Angeles, CA immediately. You may have up to three years from the initial surgery or one year from the injury’s discovery to file a medical malpractice claim, while birth injury claims can be filed until the child turns 18.
Talk to Our Experienced Los Angeles Paralysis Attorney Today
Haffner Law has provided accident and malpractice victims in California with compassionate advocacy for years. We cannot undo the paralysis, but we can hold individuals accountable for their actions and provide some relief from the escalating financial hardship that has befallen you since that tragic day.
In cases involving motor vehicle collisions, premises liability, and more, our Los Angeles paralysis attorney recruits medical experts, crash reconstructionists, insurance adjusters, private investigators, and safety inspectors, among other valuable witnesses, to strengthen your claim for maximum compensation. Contact us today for a free case review.
