A Car Accident Can Leave Victims Paralyzed

Car accidents can range from relatively minor to extremely serious. A serious car accident often begets serious injuries, including paralyzation. When a car accident victim is paralyzed, he or she permanently loses the ability to control part of his or her body. Such an injury is obviously life-altering. If you or someone you love has been paralyzed in a car accident caused by another motorist’s negligence, consult with an experienced Round Rock car accident lawyer today.

Paralyzation

The Mayo Clinic shares that the spinal cord allows us to control our limbs effectively and that after a spinal cord injury, one’s ability to maintain this control depends upon where the injury is located on the spinal cord and on the severity of the injury. The spinal cord injury’s severity is based on whether it is complete or incomplete. A complete injury means that a person’s ability to experience sensations and his or her ability to control movement is completely and permanently gone, and an incomplete injury means that some sensory function below the injury site is retained.

The symptoms associated with a spinal cord injury can come in many forms, including:

  1. The loss of movement
  2. A loss of sensation or altered sensations, including the ability to experience heat, cold, and touch
  3. Exaggerated reflexes or spasms
  4. The loss of bladder or bowel control
  5. Intense pain or stinging caused by damaged nerve fibers in the spinal cord
  6. Difficulty breathing, coughing, and/or clearing one’s lungs

Brain injuries can also lead to paralysis in a specific area of the body, and this type of paralysis sometimes improves with time and treatment.

The Cost of a Paralyzing Injury

An injury that leads to paralyzation is generally so serious that it is difficult to adequately calculate the associated damages. The basics, nevertheless, typically include:

  1. Spinal surgery and aftercare
  2. Trauma care
  3. Rehabilitation, which often encompasses physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychological counseling
  4. Long-term care, including home health care
  5. Prescription medications, including antibiotics and painkillers

In addition to the astronomical medical expenses associated with a paralyzing injury, there is often the loss of wages into the future. Further, many people who suffer from paralysis experience not only a decreased earning potential, but also an altered career trajectory. A paralyzing injury is life-altering and, as such, it can be difficult to adequately calculate the resulting emotional damages. Finally, there are hidden costs associated with injuries of this seriousness, including physical home adaptations, travel expenses (hotels, parking, and dining out, for example), and more.

If a Negligent Motorist Leaves You Paralyzed, You Need an Experienced Round Rock Lawyer on Your Side

If another driver’s negligence leaves you or someone you care about paralyzed, attorney Elissa Henry at Elissa I. Henry Law Firm, PLLC, in Round Rock, Texas, has the experience, skill, and compassion to fight for your rights and for the compensation necessary to rebuild your life after an injury of this magnitude. We’re here to help, so please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at (512) 766-4529 for more information today.