Trauma resulting in the loss of the use of your limbs will change your life forever. A quadriplegia injury, which is paralysis below the neck, is perhaps the most devastating of all. One moment, you have full function and feeling throughout your body. The next, you’re struggling to cope with an injury that will touch on every aspect of your life. In San Diego, you have the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit to recover monetary damages from the person who is responsible for causing your tragic injury.
Contact Injury Trial Lawyers, APC to find out how we can help you maximize the settlement or award you receive. Our San Diego quadriplegia injury attorney have over 14 years of experience handling all complex personal injury matters. During this time, we have successfully recovered millions in compensation for our severely injured clients. Call us today to schedule a free consultation and to find out how we can help you, too.
What is Quadriplegia?
Damage and trauma to the spinal cord often result in paralyzing injuries. The specific type of paralysis that will result depends on where the spinal cord is harmed. Generally speaking, the part of the body below the point of injury will be affected by the spinal cord injury. So, the higher on the spine damage occurs, the more devastating the resulting injury.
Quadriplegia, which is also known as tetraplegia, occurs when the upper part of the cervical spine becomes damaged. Since the cervical spine sits at the top of the spinal column, injuries often result in paralysis below the neck.
Quadriplegic injuries can be complete or incomplete. Complete quadriplegia results in the total loss of movement and sensation in the body below the neck. Incomplete quadriplegia results in partial loss of movement and sensation in the body below the neck. While incomplete quadriplegia injuries are much less common, victims may still be able to move some part of their body and/or retain some degree of physical sensation and feeling.
Consequences of Quadriplegia
Quadriplegic injuries are a form of paralysis. However, quadriplegia can involve much more than the loss of motor function and sensation. The spine is responsible for conveying communications from the brain to the rest of the body. When the spine is damaged, the body’s ability to perform necessary and normal functions is compromised. As a result, there can be many debilitating and embarrassing consequences of quadriplegia, including:
- Loss or limitation of movement below the neck
- Loss or limitation of physical sensation
- Loss of ability to control the bowels and bladder
- Difficulty breathing
- Inability to regulate body temperature
- Soft tissue damage and death
- Poor circulation
- Chronic pain
- Sexual dysfunction
- Susceptibility to infection
- Fluid retention, and
- Dangerous weight gain.
If you have suffered an injury to your spinal cord in a San Diego accident it is important to seek immediate medical attention. Damage to the spinal cord, if left untreated, can have traumatic and life-threatening consequences.
Causes of Quadriplegia
Quadriplegia occurs when the highest part of the spinal cord becomes severed or damaged. The spine is most vulnerable in accidents where a victim is unexpectedly subjected to sharp, sudden, and violent movement. Statistics show that the leading causes of quadriplegia include car accidents (37 percent) and falls (30 percent).
Other causes of quadriplegia include:
- Recreational vehicle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Defective products, and
- Medical malpractice.
Have you been involved in a San Diego accident and suffered a spinal cord injury? Call Injury Trial Lawyers, APC for help filing a personal injury lawsuit for damages. We offer a free consultation, so do not hesitate to call us for help today.
How a Personal Injury Lawsuit Can Help Quadriplegic Injury Victims
Suffering a quadriplegic injury can be incredibly devastating for you and your family. Your injury may require extensive medical care, including multiple surgeries, rehabilitation, and consultations with specialists. This will not be inexpensive. In the first year after an accident the average cost of recovery ranges from between $300,000 to $1,000,000. In each following year, the costs can range from $42,000 to $300,000. Since quadriplegic injuries often affect your ability to work, thinking about these financial costs can be overwhelming.
If someone else is responsible for causing your accident and injury, you have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover monetary damages. The settlement or award you get from your lawsuit can be instrumental in covering the costs of your quadriplegic injury.
Damages Available to San Diego Quadriplegia Injury Victims
In California, accident victims are typically able to recover both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are awarded to compensate you for the verifiable financial costs of your accident and injury. These can include present costs as well as reasonably calculable future costs. Examples of economic damages include those for:
- Medical bills
- Surgery
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- Medical equipment
- Medically-necessary home alterations
- Temporary and/or permanent disability, and
- Lost wages.
Non-Economic Damages
The consequences of your accident can be wide-ranging. Some of these consequences will generate specific and quantifiable financial costs. Others will not. Non-economic damages are awarded to compensate for these hard-to-value consequences of a devastating injury. Examples of non-economic damages include those for:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress, including anxiety and depression
- Embarrassment
- Disfigurement and scarring, and
- Loss of sexual relations.
If you want to make sure that you are able to recover all of the damages to which you are entitled it is important to speak with an experienced attorney. Call Injury Trial Lawyers, APC today for help getting the money you deserve.
When Can I File a Quadriplegia Injury Lawsuit in California?
You have the right to demand compensation from someone if they are responsible for causing your accident and quadriplegic injury. However, you only have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit for damages. The statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the date of your accident. If you don’t file your claim on time you can be prevented from getting the money you need and deserve.
There may be special circumstances that cause the statute of limitations to change. For example, claims against the government must be filed within 180 days of your accident. On the other hand, if you cannot find the person responsible for your harm, you may have additional time to file a claim. The best thing you can do after your accident is speak with an attorney. We will make sure that your claim is filed on time and that you are fairly compensated for your injury.
Speak with a San Diego Quadriplegia Injury Attorney Today
Have you been involved in a San Diego accident and suffered a quadriplegic injury? Contact Injury Trial Lawyers, APC to find out how we can help you file a personal injury lawsuit for damages. The money you get from your lawsuit can make a world of difference in your recovery.
Our San Diego quadriplegia injury attorney have over 14 years of experience handling complex personal injury matters. We know that a devastating injury can change your life forever and will fight to hold the responsible party accountable for their actions. You have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit, and we can help you maximize the compensation you receive. Call us to set up your free consultation. We will review your case, explain your rights, and answer the questions you have.