While an accident can happen anywhere and to anyone, related injuries are usually not the same. Many people sustain injuries and successfully recover. However, some people are not as lucky as they sustain catastrophic life-changing injuries that leave them paralyzed. These injuries often lead to the permanent loss of some critical bodily functions, including the ability to walk.
Paralysis injuries can also leave victims unable to work permanently or for a long time. Besides dealing with physical pain, potential disability, and emotional pain, the victim must also deal with financial uncertainty. With catastrophic injuries requiring expensive medical and rehabilitation expenses, the financial burden can overwhelm the victim and their family.
While Arizona law entitles victims of a paralysis injury to compensation, especially for injuries due to another’s negligence, these injuries often involve a complex damage recovery process due to the significant amount at stake. It is advisable to seek the help of a skilled and experienced paralysis injury lawyer to ensure you get fair compensation for your damages.
Common Causes of Paralyzing Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are only second to stroke as the leading cause of paralysis. Injuries to the spinal cord are often due to accidents. Some of the leading causes of spinal cord injuries and paralysis include:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Construction site accidents
- Slip and falls
- Swimming pool accidents
- Sport-related Injuries
- Violence and assault cases
Paralysis is either partial or total, depending on the severity of an individual’s injuries.
Recovering Compensation in a Paralysis Injury Case
Whether paralysis is partial or total, it often involves substantial medical and rehabilitation expenses. While paralysis cases can be different, they often involve significant settlement awards. Some damages you can recover in a paralysis injury case include medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, lost quality of life, and punitive damages.
However, you must prove the at-fault party’s negligence to recover damages. Your negligence claim needs to meet some critical elements, including:
- the defendant owed you a duty of care
- they breached that duty of care, and
- caused you to sustain paralysis injury and other damages
Besides dealing with insurance companies seeking to deny you fair compensation and having to prove the defendant’s negligence, you also need to adhere to some Arizona laws, including the statutes of limitations. According to the statute of limitations, you only have two years from the date of the accident to file the personal injury claim.
A paralysis injury is a traumatic injury that often results in physical disability. The injury is life-changing for victims, including being unable to work. These life changes can be emotionally and financially overwhelming. While settlement amounts in a paralysis case can run into millions, the damage recovery process can be complex, especially having to fight insurance companies for fair compensation.
Contact a Phoenix Paralysis Injury Attorney
It can be challenging for a paralysis injury victim to deal with the complexity of the damage recovery process while still recovering from their injuries and adjusting to related life changes. However, you are not alone. A skilled paralysis injury lawyer can help you navigate the claim process as you focus on recovery.
If you are in Phoenix, AZ, and you or a loved one is a victim of a paralysis injury due to another’s negligence, we are here for you. Contact Kevin Chapman, our skilled and experienced Phoenix paralysis injury attorney at Rowley Chapman & Barney Ltd. He has experience dealing with catastrophic injury claims and is committed to helping you get the compensation you need and deserve. Contact him today for a free consultation and to learn more about our services.