Paralysis injuries are among the most severe and life-changing injuries that can affect the victim of any kind of accident. If you have been paralyzed in an accident that was caused by the fault of another, our team at Mansfield Melancon can advise you of your legal rights, help you litigate your claims, and potentially secure monetary damages as compensation for your paralysis injuries.
We have a consistent track record of aggressively and zealously advocating for our clients’ legal rights, and we would be honored to meet with you to discuss your rights for any paralysis injury.
Paralysis Injuries
The most common paralysis injuries caused by an accident are:
- Monoplegia, which affects only one arm or leg.
- Hemiplegia, which affects one arm and one leg on the same side of your body.
- Paraplegia, which affects both of your legs.
- Quadriplegia, or tetraplegia, which affects both of your arms and both of your legs.
These paralysis conditions are commonly caused by spinal cord injuries, spine injuries, or traumatic brain injuries. If your spinal cord injury, spine injury, or traumatic brain injury was caused by an accident or the fault of another person or entity, you may have a right to recover the damage caused by that accident or fault.
Paralysis Injuries May Lead to Substantial Damages
First-time personal injury victims may not realize that the damages they are entitled to receive can change significantly depending on the severity of their injury. Below is a brief example that will clarify the concept.
Suppose that you are injured in a car accident by a distracted driver who was texting at the time of the accident. The defendant-driver rear-ended your vehicle and, therefore, is likely liable for the damages that you suffered as a result of the accident. Now, consider that the accident could have led to one of two results: (1) you suffered a serious spinal cord injury which led to permanent paralysis, or (2) the impact from the accident spared your spinal cord, and led to only broken bones and other non-paralysis injuries.
Though the damages in both scenarios are likely to be significant, the paralysis injury will have fundamentally life-altering consequences and may give rise to larger damages as a result. For example, the paralysis injury may render you incapable of working for the rest of your life. You may also be rendered incapable of engaging in any recreational physical activities or sexual activities. In addition, you will likely experience a psychological burden from these impairments which can be damaging to you as well as your family, employer, and friends.
Damages for paralysis injuries may cover the following losses:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of marital consortium
- Other lifecare expenses
- And more
Given that the effects and damages from a paralysis injury are likely to be significant, it is very important that you not only secure a “win” but that the damages recovery that you obtain also closely reflects your actual losses. For example, if your actual total losses are in excess of $1 million, then a settlement compromise in which you receive $250,000 for total damages may not be satisfactory.
At Mansfield Melancon we are willing and able to pursue trial litigation when early settlement negotiations fail. Our aggressive approach to litigation, as well as our reputation as tenacious litigators, allow us to exercise leverage during settlement negotiations, maximizing your potential damage recovery.
Schedule a Free, No-Obligation Consultation with a Car Accident Lawyer at Mansfield Melancon Today
If you’ve been paralyzed due to the negligent, reckless, or intentional misconduct of another person or entity, then you may have a valid claim, which is called a cause of action, to sue for damages. Depending on the severity of your paralysis injury, those damages may be significant. It is critical that you get in touch with a qualified attorney who understands how to stand up to the insurance companies and effectively navigate the minefield of personal injury litigation to get you the most favorable result possible.
The attorneys at Mansfield Melancon have the experience and drive to advocate on your behalf if you have been catastrophically injured or paralyzed in any kind of accident. We are a client-focused firm that has made it our mission to provide open and personal communication between us and our clients. As a result, we work hard to establish a collaborative and engaged partnership with our clients to foster open and honest communication.
If you are ready to speak with our skilled paralysis injury lawyers, please send us a message online to schedule a free, confidential, and no-obligation consultation, or call us to schedule an in-person meeting at the Louisiana offices that is closest to you: New Orleans 504-500-1108, Baton Rouge 225-612-0800, and Lafayette 337-409-0003.