Paralysis

Paralysis can change a victim's life permanently. It can arise from all different sorts of accidents, including car, motorcycle, and truck crashes, as well as slip and falls. This condition typically arises out of an injury to the spinal cord. It is possible for those who are paralyzed to receive rehabilitation or other assistance and lead a productive life. However, these technologies and forms of assistance can be expensive. If you suffered paralysis because of another person's negligence or wrongful conduct in Los Angeles or the surrounding cities, you should explore your options with a Los Angeles paralysis lawyer. The skilled injury attorneys at Sharifi Firm may be able to help you assert your rights.

A spinal cord injury can be complete or incomplete. A complete spinal cord injury results in an accident victim having no sensation below the site of the injury and no function in the tailbone. There can be a blow high on the spine, which results in paralysis below the neck. These victims may not even be able to breathe on their own. Quadriplegia, for example, includes the paralysis of all limbs and many other functions. Paraplegia involves the paralysis of the lower half of the body.

However, partial paralysis or reduced sensation are also possible. Complete injuries tend to be permanent, while some people with incomplete spinal cord injuries may be able to regain some or most of their function with sufficient help.

In most cases, to recover compensation for paralysis, your Los Angeles paralysis attorney would need to establish the theory of negligence. This means proving four main elements: duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages. In California, if you are successful at proving negligence, you may be able to recover special damages (economic damages) and general damages (noneconomic damages). There may be future damages that you can only prove by retaining experts to analyze your life expectancy and degree of impairment, and to offer opinions about the value of those future damages.

In the context of paralysis, special damages may include a wide range of medical resources. Among other special damages that someone with paralysis may request are modifications to a home, medical equipment, modifications to a car, nursing care, and vocational rehabilitation. Depending on their prior job and their degree of paralysis, victims may also need compensation for future lost wages. A paralysis lawyer can help Los Angeles residents seek these types of damages.

General damages are damages that are intangible, which a jury believes naturally flow from a particular type of injury. They may include pain and suffering as well as loss of enjoyment. For example, if you previously did competitive skating as a hobby and become a quadriplegic due to somebody else's decision to text and drive, you may enjoy your life less because of your inability to participate in this activity.

Paralysis is a devastating condition that can significantly affect an accident victim's family as well as the injured individual. Accordingly, a spouse may be able to claim loss of consortium and household services.

If you suffer paralysis because of someone else's negligence in a car accident or another avoidable event, the Los Angeles lawyers at Sharifi Firm are ready to assist you. Even if your injury is severe, the attorney or insurer for the responsible party may try to cast some of the blame for an accident on you, in order to reduce the responsible party's exposure. Sharifi Firm also represents individuals in Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Temecula, among other Southern California cities. Contact us at (866) 422-7222 or via our online form for a free, no-obligation consultation.