An Altoona accident resulting in paralysis could occur when you least expect it. Without warning, ordinary acts like climbing stairs or merging onto the highway can suddenly result in a permanent injury. When these injuries impact the head or neck, the potential for paralysis increases dramatically.
If you are recovering from a paralysis injury due to another person’s negligence, you might benefit from a qualified catastrophic injury attorney. An Altoona paralysis injury lawyer might be able to help you hold the negligent party accountable and recover the compensation you need.
To many, paralysis means the total inability to feel or move a part of the body. While that is often the case with paralysis, it is not that simple. In some cases, paralysis can only affect certain parts of the body. In other cases, the symptoms attributed to paralysis can come and go.
While there are many potential causes of paralysis, one of the most common is from neck or back injuries. When these injuries occur, an Altoona attorney with experience in paralysis lawsuits might be able to help a plaintiff obtain monetary damages to compensate them for their injuries.
Paralysis injuries generally fall within four broad categories:
Monoplegia is the name for paralysis that impacts a single body part – typically an arm or a leg. Most cases of monoplegia result from genetic issues like cerebral palsy. However, these injuries can occur due to injury in some situations. These injuries include nerve damage, traumatic brain injuries, or nerve impingement.
Hemiplegia is the loss of feeling or use of both limbs on one side of the body. This rare paralysis injury is most commonly associated with cerebral palsy. This form of paralysis can occur due to injury, however. The onset of hemiplegia is often gradual, beginning with numbness or tingling before shifting to the loss of feeling in the affected limbs.
The loss of motor skills or feeling from the waist down is known as paraplegia. An injury typically causes this form of paralysis to the spine. While monoplegia and hemiplegia are often temporary, most cases of paraplegia are permanent.
Quadriplegia, referred to by some as tetraplegia, involves paralysis from the neck down. This injury is often permanent and typically stems from a neck injury. However, with treatment, it is possible in rare cases to make a full recovery.
The timeframe in which to file a paralysis injury lawsuit is limited. Pennsylvania has adopted a statute of limitations. This statute sets time limits for filing a lawsuit. If a plaintiff fails to timely file his or her lawsuit, the court can dismiss it permanently, regardless of its merits. A plaintiff in an Altoona paralysis injury case generally has two years from the date of the injury in which to file suit.
The statute of limitations can bring an end to even the strongest paralysis injury claim. A skilled paralysis injury lawyer in Altoona could help a plaintiff comply with this important deadline.
Because of the potential for life-long care, the cost of living with paralysis can be high. When these injuries occur due to another’s negligence, the injury victim should not have to shoulder the exorbitant cost of medical treatment.
You may have the right to pursue damages against the person or injury that caused your paralysis. An experienced Altoona paralysis injury lawyer could guide you through the process, from filing suit to negotiating a settlement. To get started, contact us and schedule your consultation with the personal injury lawyers at Marcus & Mack today.
