A single instance of immense force is all that is needed sometimes to injure a person’s spinal cord or brain and cause paralysis. Paralysis is a permanent condition that inhibits or totally eliminates a person’s ability to control their limbs and internal organs.
In the most extreme cases, a paralysis victim may have to rely on other people or machines to care for their day-to-day needs and vital bodily functions. Whenever these devastating injuries are the fault of another party, the victim has the right to demand compensation.
A Cook County paralysis injury lawyer could work with you to understand the effect this injury has had on your life and those of your family. Following that, your dedicated personal injury attorney could help you build a civil case and hold negligent and criminal defendants civilly liable for their actions.
The Medical Causes of Paralysis
Paralysis occurs when an injury prevents the brain or spinal cord from sending signals to other parts of the body. As a result, paralysis is a common symptom following an injury to the spine or head.
The higher up the spinal column the injury occurs, the more severe and widespread the paralysis typically is. A neck injury could cause a person to lose all functionality from the neck down, whereas the same type of injury in the lower back may affect only a person’s legs.
No matter how severe the damage is, though, paralysis is unfortunately incurable. If the spinal cord or brain become damaged enough to cause paralysis, they will never heal fully on their own. The permanence of this condition underscores how important recovering civil compensation could be to a victim’s well-being and future prospects—and in the same vein, how critical the assistance of a Cook County paralysis injury lawyer could be to successfully obtaining that compensation.
Ways that Paralysis May Occur
A paralysis injury may occur from either accidental or intentional acts. Accidental incidents—the far more common of the two scenarios—can include car crashes, sudden falls, medical errors, and other such situations that may lead to civil liability.
Even if the defendants in these cases do not intend to cause any harm to the injured person, inadvertent or careless conduct can still be grounds for a civil lawsuit. If a plaintiff can show that the defendant in their case was legally negligent and that this negligence directly caused their injuries, they could hold the defendant liable to provide compensation for a variety of damages, including medical costs, payments for any lost future earning potential, and compensation for loss of quality of life.
The other potential source of paralysis is an intentional act, such as physical assault, sexual assault, or reckless driving. It is important to note that any criminal charges that may arise from the incident are independent of any civil claim for compensation. While a criminal conviction may certainly be evidence of civil fault, a criminal court can never order a defendant to pay damages to a victim.
However, potential plaintiffs in either type of case must be sure to act quickly. According to 735 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/12-901, the Illinois state statute concerning the statute of limitations for personal injury cases, plaintiffs have only two years after the injury occurs to either file a claim or have a paralysis injury lawyer in Cook County file on their behalf.
Speaking with a Cook County Paralysis Injury Attorney
A paralysis injury could result from almost any incident involving personal injury. The application of severe force to your brain or spine could cause permanent damage to these vital organs, resulting in a loss of bodily functions that will forever impact the quality of your life.
Whether it resulted from an accident or from a criminal act, the person or entity responsible for your paralyzing injury may be liable to compensate you for your losses, including medical bills, lost income, and loss of quality of life. Contact a Cook County paralysis injury lawyer today to see how they could help you.
