Permanent paralysis is a severe medical condition that affects every aspect of a person’s life. Paralysis of the lower limbs can require an affected person to use a wheelchair. If the hands and arms are paralyzed, it could force a formerly independent person to depend on others to meet their basic needs.
Paralysis often results from preventable accidents caused by negligence. If another person’s carelessness or recklessness caused you or a loved one to suffer a paralytic injury, consult a skilled attorney on your options for seeking damages. At Tittle & Perlmuter, a Lakewood paralysis injury lawyer can fight for the compensation you need to cover your losses.
Common Causes of Paralysis
Paralysis can result from medical causes like certain diseases and strokes. Injuries that damage the nerves can also cause a loss of sensation and movement in the affected area. Spinal cord damage causes paralysis in the body below the location of the injury.
Paralysis often results from a failure to exercise proper caution and good judgment. Mishaps that might result in paralysis include:
- Birth injuries
- Medical treatment errors
- Failure to make a prompt diagnosis
- Vehicle accidents
- Slip or trip and fall
- Sports accidents
- Building collapses
- Workplace incidents
Depending on the situation that caused the paralyzing injury, a lawyer in Lakewood can help bring a claim for negligence. If a medical professional’s error caused the condition, a local attorney can work to prove that he or she failed to meet the standard of care. In other cases, a failure to use a reasonable degree of caution is an indicator of negligence.
Damages for Paralyzing Injuries
After a paralyzing accident, a victim may pursue compensation from the negligent person to cover all the tangible and intangible effects of the injury. Damages will include documentable economic losses such as:
- Medical care
- Mental health treatment
- Rehabilitation
- Medical equipment including wheelchairs and other adaptive devices
- All incidental expenses relating to treating or living with the injury
- Loss of income (if the victim cannot return to his or her former employment)
Damages can also cover the subjective, non-economic losses associated with paralysis. An experienced Lakewood attorney can help seek damages for a paralyzed person’s pain, disability, lost enjoyment of life, disfigurement, emotional suffering, and other lifestyle impacts.
Limits on Damages for Paralysis Claims
Ohio Revised Code §2315.18 limits the amount of non-economic damages a plaintiff might receive. However, the limits do not apply if the claimant has suffered certain catastrophic injuries. A Lakewood injury lawyer could discuss whether the limits might be applicable in a specific case.
Comparative Negligence in Lakewood
Ohio uses a modified form of comparative negligence to allocate responsibility among parties to a personal injury case. If a case goes to trial, a jury decides how much blame to apportion to each party. If the jury finds the claimant is partially responsible, the judge will reduce his or her damages accordingly.
Most cases never come to trial because the parties agree to a settlement. During negotiations, other parties may try to blame the claimant for the accident to reduce their own liability. The dedicated attorneys at our firm will fight for a paralyzed victim’s right to pursue full and fair compensation.
Call a Lakewood Attorney for Paralysis Injury Claims
Adapting to life after a paralyzing injury is no easy feat, and pursuing legal action may seem impossible on top of everything else on your plate. However, a claim for damages may be the best way of protecting your financial future and holding the negligent person accountable for their actions.
Let a Lakewood paralysis injury lawyer handle your case while you focus on recovering. At Tittle & Perlmuter, our hardworking attorneys are prepared to pursue the compensation you deserve after a serious accident. Call us today for a free consultation to discuss your situation with a compassionate member of our team.
