Being suddenly unable to move all or even just a part of your body can be terrifying. When you are paralyzed, your life changes. You might no longer be able to go to work, take part in fun activities with friends and loved ones, or even take care of yourself.
However, a catastrophic injury lawyer might be able to help you pursue legal justice in a personal injury lawsuit if someone else did something to cause your paralysis. A well-informed St. Louis paralysis injury lawyer could meet with you to explain your legal rights and help you make decisions about your future.
Doctors classify paralysis as what occurs when a patient loses feeling or sensation in all or parts of their body. People who suffer a paralysis injury do not all have the same experiences. The degree of paralysis can vary significantly based on an injury’s location, severity, and duration.
People experience different degrees of paralysis depending on the area of the body that is affected. Some patients experience monoplegia, in which one area of their body is impacted, such as one hand or their face. Other patients experience hemiplegia, in which they cannot control one side of their body, such as when a person suffers a serious stroke. Paraplegia occurs when a patient has limited or no sensation or motor control below the waist, while quadriplegia happens when a patient experiences impaired motor control or feeling in their entire body from the neck down.
Paralysis injuries can be complete or incomplete. When a patient experiences complete paralysis, they retain no sensation or voluntary motor control over the affected body part. Complete paralysis typically occurs when a patient suffers a complete spinal cord injury, in which the nerves on the patient’s spinal column are completely severed. When a patient experiences incomplete paralysis, the nerves on their spinal column are not fully destroyed. They can typically feel their affected body part and might be able to partially move it. However, people with incomplete paralysis can experience chronic pain, muscle twitching, and other problems due to extensive nerve damage.
Some people are able to recover from their paralysis with quality and costly medical care, including surgery, physical therapy, and drugs. Other people experience permanent paralysis.
A compassionate local attorney from St. Louis understands the varying impact that different degrees of paralysis injuries can have on a patient. The dedicated legal team at McCready Law could work closely with the patient, their family, and their doctors to learn about their needs and fight for a full and fair recovery.
Most paralysis injuries occur from severe trauma to a patient’s spine, which can cause damage to the nerves that affect their ability to control certain parts of the body.
Most commonly, people experience paralysis after the following types of incidents:
A determined St. Louis attorney could skillfully examine the facts of an incident to learn why it happened and identify who bears potential legal liability for a patient’s paralysis.
If you or your loved one experienced paralysis due to another party’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional bad conduct, you need to understand your legal options. You might be eligible to seek legal relief from the party responsible for harming you by filing a legal claim for financial damages. Contact a knowledgeable St. Louis paralysis injury lawyer to discuss your next steps.