FOLLOW US ON
Injuries that cause paralysis often leave individuals and their families with many questions and difficult changes to their lives. When you or a close family member sustain a paralysis injury, it is critical to find a compassionate catastrophic injury attorney to understand your legal options and recover compensation from the responsible parties.
No matter if your injuries caused complete or partial paralysis, compensation could help with the damages that follow. A Cook County paralysis injury lawyer understands the complexities of a claim and could help fight for your best interests.
Paralysis results in the loss of one’s ability to use a part of their body or limbs. These injuries are typically as either incomplete or complete. Incomplete paralysis means a person still has some sensation and motor control in the affected parts of their body and limbs, whereas an individual with complete paralysis has no movement or sensation in the affected areas.
Paralysis injuries are also often defined by the area of the spinal cord that sustains the damage. For instance, paraplegia is defined as damage to the lower region of the spinal cord that causes paralysis to the lower body and legs. Quadriplegia involves damage to the upper region of the spinal cord, causing paralysis to both the upper and lower parts of an injured individual’s body.
Someone suffering from quadriplegia could have issues with breathing on their own and require care throughout the day and night to ensure they can perform essential body functions. Paralysis injuries could require significant changes to a person’s life, including requiring handicap accessibility in their home and their mode of transportation. A Cook County paralysis injury attorney could help recover the compensation an injured individual requires to provide adequate care for the rest of their life.
In a typical paralysis injury claim, the recoverable damages often center on economic and non-economic damages. Due to the fact that paralysis injuries could drastically change someone’s life and future ability to work, the recoverable damages could be more significant in this type of case. Economic damages often relate to losses stemming from medical expenses and care, lost wages, and future earnings, which are typically easier to calculate.
Economic damages could result in significant recovery depending on the case’s circumstances; however, non-economic could also be significant, especially because of the permanent disability. Non-economic damages typically relate to a subjective measure of a person’s pain and suffering and are generally not easily calculated. Due to the subjective nature of non-economic damages, it is advised that a claimant seek the assistance of a legal professional.
Paralysis could result from a motor vehicle accident, medical malpractice, or another type of incident like a slip and fall. It is important to determine the cause of the accident because of the Illinois statutes of limitations, which has a deadline for filing a personal injury case within two years of the incident, according to 735 Illinois Compiled Statutes § 5/13-202. A Cook County paralysis accident attorney could investigate a case to make sure that all statute of limitations laws are met.
Paralysis often has life-altering effects on the injured individuals and their families because of the inability to perform certain tasks. If you or a close family member is faced with paralysis due to the negligence of another party, you should not risk dealing with a claim on your own. An experienced Cook County paralysis lawyer could investigate your case to help determine the potential legal options for securing a favorable result. Schedule your consultation today.