If you’ve been paralyzed because of injuries sustained in a serious accident, you may be coping with many questions and fears at this very moment. Will I ever get back to my normal life? How can I afford my medical treatments? Who will care for my family? If your loved one is the person who has suffered a paralyzing injury, you may have just as many fears and questions. But, while the chances of recovery and a fulfilling life may seem slim, there is hope for a better future.
At Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers, our Maryland paralysis injury lawyers have helped countless clients recover from their devastating losses and improve their quality of life. Through our successful legal representation, you can hold the people who caused your injuries responsible and receive the compensation needed to live a life unburdened by the financial and emotional strain that would get in the way of properly coping with your paralysis.
Call us today at (301) 932-9997 for a free case evaluation with one of our catastrophic injury lawyers for insight into your injuries and legal options.
The Costs of Paralysis
There are many types of paralysis and its effects can vary from case to case. However, these injuries always severely inhibit a victim’s physical capabilities. Frequently, these injuries damage the nervous system. And, while nerve damage in limbs can lead to the paralysis of a single arm or leg, spinal cord damage is more frequent and more serious.
In these cases, a victim will lose function of every part of the body below the site of the injury. The higher the injury on the spinal cord, the more of the body will be affected. This paralysis can either be incomplete, which causes numbness and difficulty functioning, or complete, which ends all feeling and function in the paralyzed parts of the body.
The most serious types of paralysis come in two forms: paraplegia and quadriplegia.
What Is Paraplegia?
When the spinal cord is injured at the thoracic level or below, the functions of the hands, arms, neck, and lungs are typically not affected. However, the abdomen, hips, legs, bladder, and bowels may all be paralyzed, depending on how far up the injury is on the spinal cord. Not only will you be unable to control these parts of your body, but you may suffer various related complications, such as pressure sores, pneumonia, and thrombosis.
Treatments depend on how severe your injury is, but will work to restore your physical capabilities as much as possible. Rehabilitation will work to restore your strength and range of motion while also teaching you how to safely use a wheelchair and perform daily activities safely.
What Is Quadriplegia?
When a person suffers damage to the spinal cord in the cervical section, the trauma that results is typical classified as quadriplegia (also known as tetraplegia) due to it affecting all four limbs. Arm and leg function can be either partially or completely disabled depending on the severity of the injury and the portion of the spine that was hurt. While some types of quadriplegia will have all of the effects of paraplegia with some difficulty in hand movement, many involve complete loss of arm movement.
Additionally, quadriplegia victims may be unable to breathe on their own and require a ventilator at all times. Because of the severe nature of quadriplegia, most survivors will require all-day medical care and assistance in order to eat, get dressed, and perform various daily functions. Rehabilitation and medical procedures are possible, but full recovery may not be possible.
How Can You Cope with Paralysis?
Whatever the extent of your injuries, suffering paralysis will mean that all aspects of your life will be affected. Additionally, medical treatments and rehabilitative care for paralysis are necessary, and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Being unable to work and having incredibly high medical bills can be overwhelming for anyone, especially those coping with devastating injuries, and your insurance coverage may not be able to pay for it all.
However, victims of these accidents caused by other people have the possibility of finding a way to pay for it all. Paralysis injuries are often suffered in severe accidents, such as car crashes or falls, many of which are caused by someone other than the victim.
Whether your accident was caused by a reckless driver, the owner of a dangerous property, the manufacturers of a defective product, or someone else, you can hold them responsible and receive compensation that can pay for your past and future financial needs.
Maryland Injury Attorneys Dedicated to Recovery
At Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers, our Maryland catastrophic injury attorneys know the needs of victims and the steep costs of injuries. Through our help, you can hold at-fault parties responsible for your losses and have the chance at the best recovery possible.
Start your case off right with a call to us at (301) 932-9997 and receive a no-cost consultation on your injuries and legal rights today.