Individuals can suffer from paralysis for a wide variety of reasons. In some cases, paralysis is caused by some sort of traumatic event that affects the spinal cord. In other cases, paralysis can be caused by internal medical conditions such as strokes or heart attacks. However, is paralysis always permanent?
The reality is that paralysis is not always going to be a permanent condition. Here, our team of personal injury attorneys want to discuss how paralysis can affect individuals as well as the chances of recovery. In many cases, individuals who experience a traumatic event or a medical condition are able to regain partial or complete movement.
When we examine information available from the Mayo Clinic, we can see that there are various types of spinal cord injuries that occur. Namely, we can broadly define a spinal cord injury as either “complete” or “incomplete.”
When a person experiences a complete spinal cord injury, they lose all feeling and ability to control movement from below the site of the injury. When a person experiences complete paralysis below the site of the injury, we typically define this as either tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia, which refers to losing the ability to move the body from the neck down) or paraplegia (which refers to paralysis that affects the lower limbs and pelvic region).
If a person experiences an incomplete spinal cord injury, they will have some motor and sensory function below the affected injury area. There are various levels of incomplete spinal cord injuries individuals can experience.
All paralysis injuries range in severity. In some cases, paralysis is only temporary. It is not uncommon for individuals to regain function after undergoing emergency medical care and rehabilitation. There are various causes of temporary paralysis. Often, temporary paralysis is caused by an injury to a certain area of the body. Some of the most common causes of temporary paralysis include defective product incidents, slip and fall cases, vehicle accidents, sports accidents, medical mistakes, and acts of violence such as gunshot wounds.
Temporary paralysis can also be caused by genetic mutations that a person has had since birth or a new medical condition that a person has developed. For example, individuals who suffer from a stroke can experience temporary paralysis.
Even if a person experiences temporary paralysis, they are still going to have significant medical bills associated with the injury. This includes emergency medical bills, hospitalization costs, rehabilitation and physical therapy, medical devices, prescription medications, and more. In addition to these medical costs, individuals who suffer from temporary paralysis will likely have to take time away from work while they recover, which can lead to significant lost wages.
If the temporary paralysis was caused by the careless or negligent actions of another party, individuals should be able to recover compensation for their losses. We strongly suggest that spinal cord injury victims work with a skilled lawyer who can examine the facts of your case, determine liability of the other party, and handle all negotiations with insurance carriers and at-fault parties to recover total compensation for their losses.
John Torgenson is a highly experienced personal injury lawyer with over 20 years of practice in Arizona. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and his Juris Doctor from Notre Dame. John has a proven track record of securing substantial verdicts and settlements, including an $8.25 million recovery for a gunshot injury victim. His expertise has earned him AVVO ratings and recognition as a Super Lawyer.
John is also a sought-after lecturer on personal injury law, sharing his extensive knowledge with peers and aspiring attorneys. Beyond his legal practice, John is an avid golfer and actively supports organizations like the Military Assistance Mission, Arizona School for the Arts, Page Balloon Regatta, University of Arizona Foundation, Junior Achievement of Arizona, and the Tim Huff Pro Bono Golf Classic.
Passionate about advocating for injury victims, John dedicates his career to battling insurance companies and corporate interests, ensuring that the rights of those who are hurt are vigorously defended.
