According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15 million people around the world are currently living with various spinal cord injuries – including paralysis. After a car accident, a patient may fall unconscious – only to wake up in a hospital bed and realize that they are paralyzed. This realization requires patients to completely change how they view their lives, careers, and plans for the future. Mississippi law allows paralysis victims to pursue compensation after these life-altering car accidents, and this could provide considerable financial stability. After a car accident, paralyzed victims may wish to discuss their legal options with personal injury attorneys in Mississippi. Consider speaking with Lott Law at (228) 215-2787.
How Does a Car Accident Cause Paralysis?
Car accidents can cause paralysis by subjecting vehicle occupants to powerful physical forces. These forces compress or damage the spinal cord, causing the nerve fibers to become disrupted. This disruption prevents the brain from sending signals to various muscle groups, which is the root cause of paralysis. That being said, some types of paralysis can be caused by traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) during car accidents with no accompanying injury to the spine.
These car accidents are usually quite severe, occurring at speeds high enough to severely jolt the spine. The crashes may involve rollovers, rear-enders, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, and more. Smaller vehicles may be more vulnerable to these severe, jolting forces – particularly when struck by larger vehicles. For example, spinal cord injuries and paralysis are more likely if a semi-truck strikes a small sedan at high speed.
The Types of Paralysis After a Car Accident
The specific type of paralysis depends on the part of the spine that is injured. Each vertebra is responsible for sending signals to different parts of the body, and this means that different kinds of paralysis may occur after a car accident.
Quadriplegia
Also known as tetraplegia, quadriplegia is the most serious type of paralysis because it affects the entire body below the neck. After a car accident, a quadriplegic may lose the ability to carry out various tasks alone. These include washing, dressing, eating, and using the restroom. Quadriplegics become dependent on caregivers, and they often lose the ability to earn income.
Paraplegia
Paraplegia occurs when a patient becomes paralyzed in both legs. Sometimes, paraplegia also affects the torso. After a car accident, a paraplegic victim may become confined to a wheelchair. They may be able to exercise some degree of autonomy, as they still have the ability to move their arms. However, this injury still represents a major life change, and continuous rehabilitation may be necessary. Paraplegics may also lose the ability to continue with their former careers.
Hemiplegia and Monoplegia
Hemiplegia and monoplegia are less common and are lesser-known than other forms of paralysis. Hemiplegia involves the paralysis of one side or “hemisphere” of the body – such as the right leg, right arm, and right side of the face. Monoplegia involves the paralysis of one specific limb, such as an arm. These types of paralysis are distinct from quadriplegia and paraplegia because they generally stem from brain injuries instead of spinal cord injuries.
For example, a victim might develop hemiplegia after suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a car accident. While these injuries are perhaps less serious compared to quadriplegia and paraplegia, they can still diminish earning capabilities and cause psychological pressures. These injuries may also require expensive treatments.
Can Paralysis After a Car Accident Lead to Compensation?
Paralysis after a car accident may lead to compensation. If the accident was caused by a negligent party, the victim may file a personal injury claim in order to pursue this compensation. Mississippi is an “at-fault” state, which means injured victims must prove negligence when pursuing legal action. In other words, paralyzed victims must show the court that someone else caused their injuries. Examples of negligence include drunk driving, distracted driving, traffic violations, and speeding. A personal injury lawyer at Lott Law may be able to analyze a crash and determine the specific types of negligence that caused it.
Mississippi also follows a “pure comparative negligence” system. Under this system, victims can still sue even if they were partially responsible for their own injuries. For example, a motorist might have been speeding at the time of their accident. If this speeding motorist was struck by another driver who was engaging in more serious negligence (like driving while intoxicated), a lawsuit may still be possible. In this case, the speeding driver may be 30% responsible for their own injuries. As a result, they could pursue 70% of their normal compensation. The “pure” comparative negligence system in Mississippi means there are no limits to this – and a victim could theoretically sue even if they were 99% responsible for their own injuries.
What Does a Car Accident Lawsuit Cover?
A lawsuit could help cover many of the losses associated with paralysis after a car accident. First, victims can pursue compensation for their economic damages – things like medical expenses and missed earnings. Medical expenses for paralysis can be extremely high, especially when one considers the ongoing cost of caregivers and rehabilitation. Missed earnings may also be high, particularly when a young, high-earning professional becomes paralyzed.
However, non-economic damages often add the most “value” to paralysis lawsuits. These are psychological or emotional issues that stem from the car accident. Examples include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, emotional distress, pain & suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that about half of spinal cord injury patients suffer from mental health problems – although these issues tend to improve with time.
Learn About the Next Steps With Lott Law
Paralysis may make certain movements impossible, but it does not prevent victims from taking action. After a car accident, the most important step is to prioritize treatment. Once patients reach a stable condition, they may consider speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney in Mississippi. An auto accident lawsuit could be possible, and this could lead to compensation for medical expenses, rehabilitation, experimental treatments, lost future earnings, emotional distress, and other damages. To learn more about these possibilities, consider calling Lott Law at (228) 215-2787.
