The Role Of A Pascagoula Paralysis Injury Attorney

There are several forms of paralysis, but the two most common include paraplegia and quadriplegia. The difference between the two is the functionality of the person. Paraplegia is impairment of motor or sensory function of the legs and lower body. Quadriplegia includes impairment to the motor-sensory function of all four extremities, meaning the arms and the legs. Both types of paralysis will typically leave an individual unable to perform many daily functions or most types of work.

People with quadriplegia are going to need full-time assistance, in varying degrees, depending upon their condition. People with paraplegia are confined to a wheelchair permanently, but use ramps, lifts, special vans that they can drive, and any other kind of devices that will help them function in daily life.

When the reckless and careless actions of another cause an individual to be catastrophically injured, they could be held liable for damages and required to pay the injured party compensation. Those who have been catastrophically injured or paralyzed should seek help from a skilled paralysis injury attorney. The role of a paralysis injury attorney is to hold the negligent party responsible legally responsible and to maximize monetary recovery as much as possible for the person who suffered the injuries. The money cannot fix them back to how they were pre-accident, but it can provide medical care and personal assistance they will need today and into the future.

How Is Evidence Used to Establish Liability In a Paralysis Case?

In a paralysis case, the catastrophic injury has to be caused by the negligence of another, such as the driver of a vehicle. In a case where the injured party is a passenger, the negligence could be assigned to the driver of the vehicle in which the paralyzed person was in. It creates circumstances for establishing liability.

A paralysis case requires various forms of evidence, such as:

• Medical records
• Pictures from the accident scene
• Physical evidence such as roadway evidence, clothing, et cetera
• Reports prepared by law enforcement at the scene
• Statements made by witnesses at the time of the accident
• Numerous other items.

The injured person or their family members and friends will be instrumental in obtaining the evidence necessary regarding the accident. Since the attorneys were not participants in the accident, the best source of information about the accident is the person who was involved in the accident. They will always be in the best position to obtain the evidence necessary and know exactly what needs to be done in that particular case.  If that person died in the accident, then we must move on to other witnesses and evidence to determine fault.

Collecting and Presenting Evidence

The gathering of evidence is done by the lawyer and their legal team by sending out:

• Signed authorizations by the client to obtain their medical records and billings
• Subpoenas to entities holding necessary information for them to produce
• Request for production – this requires others to turn over necessary documentation
• Interrogatories – questions asked of the opposing party to the accident
• On-site inspection of the accident scene
• Inspection of vehicles involved in the accident.

Help with Obtaining a Long-Term Life Insurance Plan

The State of Mississippi has disability plans or life care plans. There will most likely not be a life insurance plan available for somebody that is paralyzed from an accident. However, a life care plan can be formulated by life care plan experts who can prepare an analysis of future costs to care for the paralyzed person for the rest of their life by using actuarial tables and other accounting tables. This shows the future costs of medical care and treatment, as well as everyday care, for the injured person and what that person’s life expectancy is going to be.

The life care plan determines what the settlement value or potential jury verdict would be. One of the roles of a paralysis injury attorney is to try to work backward when putting together a good settlement demand or trying to express to a jury what it would cost to care for the person.

Seek Help from a Paralysis Injury Attorney

Paralysis cases are unique and require numerous experts, including treating physicians, accident reconstructionists, and other independent experts to determine the full scope and liability of the accident. It is important that the attorney understands the severity of the injury and what it will take to maintain basic living under the circumstances. They should have experience working with physical rehabilitation experts, medical doctors, life care plan experts and economists, and there are numerous different types of experts that are involved in these types of cases to maximize all forms of recovery for the injured person.

Schedule a consultation today to learn about the role of a Pascagoula paralysis injury attorney.