Paraplegia is a devastating personal injury that can result from an accident. Motor vehicle accidents and falls are the most prevalent causes of paraplegia. This type of injury can turn your life upside down and may lead to intensive medical treatment in both the short and long term. If you have suffered this type of injury, you may have a claim for financial compensation. Contact an experienced Wilmington personal injury lawyer at Horton & Mendez Injury Attorneys to learn more about a potential legal case.
Understanding Paraplegia and Its Causes
Paraplegia is a condition that affects your legs and sometimes your lower arms and is generally caused by an injury to the spinal cord. The severity of spinal cord injuries depends on two things:
- The location of the spinal cord injury: The higher on the spinal cord the injury occurs, the more severe it is. Paraplegia generally results from injuries that occur lower on the spinal cord, meaning that your upper body may continue to function with no issue.
- Whether the spinal cord injury is complete: A complete spinal cord injury would generally result in the total loss of function below the affected area. An incomplete spinal cord injury would still allow you some opportunity to rehabilitate and potentially regain some function as the injury heals.
Spinal cord injuries generally occur because of trauma to the spinal cord, such as a blow to the head or neck that causes vertebrae to break or compress the spinal cord. As a result, the spinal cord could be damaged or severed, and, therefore, your brain cannot pass messages to move to your legs.
Care for Paraplegia Injuries
When you are living with paraplegia, you may need help on a daily basis. Since you are not able to move on your own, you may require assistance from a caregiver to help with the activities of daily life. This may be a family member or another individual to come into your home every day to help you. Some paraplegics may require around the clock care, depending on the severity of their injuries.
It is crucial that you are aware of certain complications you may experience with paraplegia. If your movement is affected, you may be at risk for pressure sores skin irritations that occur when parts of your body are pressed against a hard surface like a bed or wheelchair. It is important that you change positions frequently, either on your own or with help, to keep the same part of your skin from contacting the surface.
You may also be more at risk of a urinary tract infection. Your condition may lead to urine retention, and bacteria can infect the urinary tract. A doctor may consider implanting a catheter to drain the urine, or you may require antibiotics to reduce the risk of an infection.
Rehabilitation for Paraplegia Injuries
The extent of your rehabilitation for paraplegia depends on the scope of your injuries. If you have suffered a complete spinal cord injury, you may not be able to regain all of the lost function. Your rehabilitation would be focused on building strength in the other parts of your body so you are better able to help yourself.
If your spinal cord injury is incomplete, you have a better chance of making some level of recovery. Your doctors may incorporate both short- and long-term treatment to manage your symptoms and help you recover as much as possible.
In the early days after your injuries, a doctor may perform surgery to stabilize the area and repair the spinal cord. They may also repair the vertebrae, compressing the spinal cord to relieve the pressure.
You may need to undergo a regimen of physical and occupational therapy to strengthen your body. Physical therapy can last for months or years as you slowly build up strength in the area.
Occupational therapy can help the rest of your body compensate for your spinal cord injury.
Compensation for Paraplegia Injuries
The requirement for any level of compensation is to show that someone else was to blame for your paraplegia. You also need to know how much compensation to seek because your damages can be significant.
Depending on what you did before your injury, paraplegia may mean that you are unable to work for the rest of your life. You may also feel the physical and emotional effects of paraplegia. You may need expensive medical equipment and even someone to help you with the daily activities of life.
Your compensation for a paraplegic injury may include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Embarrassment and humiliation
A personal injury lawyer will work with expert witnesses to establish and prove the amount of your damages. Your case can be worth a considerable amount of money, but you often need to fight for every dollar. Everything begins with fully understanding your prognosis. You would generally wait until the point of maximum medical improvement so you know the extent of your condition before you file a claim or lawsuit.
Reach Out to Our Wilmington Personal Injury Lawyers
The personal injury lawyers at Horton & Mendez Injury Attorneys are on your side every step of the way when you have suffered any type of spinal cord injury. Our lawyers are particularly helpful in determining compensation and then fighting the insurance company for it. Without the help of an attorney, it is immensely more difficult to obtain compensation. To schedule a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys, message us online or call us today at 910-405-7751.
