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Paralytic injuries cause significant, often permanent, changes to a person’s functioning and lifestyle. The paralyzed person might be unable to work certain jobs or participate in activities they formerly enjoyed. Depending on the circumstances, their entire family life could be affected by the injury. A seasoned catastrophic injury attorney could assist you.
When paralysis results from someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to money damages. A Hazel Crest paralysis injury lawyer could advise you and your family about the process of pursuing a case for damages. It makes sense to learn about all available options as soon after the injury as possible so that the family can start planning their future.
Stroke, birth injury, and diseases like multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy could cause paralysis, in addition to external accidents. Incompetent medical treatment might also play a role in some of these outcomes.
A significant percentage of paralytic injuries in the United States result from accidents that damage the spinal cord or the head. Some of the more common types of accidents that could lead to paralysis include:
When a person loses the full functioning of one or more of their limbs because of an accident, it is likely that someone’s negligence contributed to the situation. A local paralysis injury attorney could investigate the circumstances of an incident to identify potentially negligent parties.
Accidents sometimes occur because of a combination of factors that involves the negligence of more than one person, including the plaintiff. In such a case, 735 Illinois Compiled Statutes §2-1116 says that the negligent plaintiff could still receive damages but the amount they receive will reflect their degree of fault.
For example, if the defendant was texting and veered over the centerline to hit the plaintiff head-on, then the accident is clearly the fault of the texting driver. However, if the plaintiff was speeding at the time, and the speed contributed to the severity of their injuries, they also hold some responsibility.
At a trial, the judge or jury will decide how much blame each party bears for the accident. If they find the injured person is more than 50 percent responsible, they cannot recover damages. If they were less than 50 percent responsible, the judge will adjust the final payment by the percentage of fault.
Paralysis can have a big impact on the financial security and wellbeing of the injured person and their family. Damages attempt to compensate for these impacts and provide a family the means to care for their loved one and support themselves financially. A Hazel Crest paralyzing injury lawyer could help a family document all the expenses and lifestyle adjustments the accident has brought and use this evidence to support a claim for damages.
Damages typically include payments for medical expenses, including the cost of future treatment related to the injury, various kinds of rehabilitation, and renovations to the home that might be required to accommodate a wheelchair. If the injured person was employed and cannot continue in their former employment, damages could include lost wages and employment benefits, as well as compensation for reduced future earning potential.
They could seek financial relief for their pain and suffering, mental anguish, embarrassment and humiliation, lost ability to enjoy hobbies and other activities, and other intangible losses. Family members could seek damages for losing their loved one’s consortium, companionship, and support.
Families dealing with paralysis have a lot of stressors to cope with and adjustments to make. Do not add to your burden by taking on the task of negotiating with negligent parties or their insurance companies. You could be tempted to accept an insurer’s early offer just to put the matter behind you but this is rarely the best decision. Allow a Hazel Crest paralysis injury lawyer to handle the process of seeking compensation. To give yourself the best chance of receiving fair and adequate compensation, schedule a case review as soon as possible after an injury.