Paralysis Accidents

Car and motorcycle accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries, accounting for more than one-third of all new cases. Vehicular crashes are also a top cause of head injuries. Damage to the brain, spine or other nerves disrupts the transmission of signals to and from the brain, resulting in paralysis.

Attorney Bill Berenson has dedicated his close to 40-year career to helping residents in and around Dallas and Fort Worth who have been seriously injured in car, truck and motorcycle crashes. He earned a place in the prestigious Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum upon recovering multiple seven-figure awards including $5.5 million for a woman who was paralyzed in her left arm.

These cases often involve complex auto accident fact scenarios and serious life-altering injuries.

Spinal Cord Damage

The symptoms depend upon which vertebra of the spinal cord is damaged and how severely. In general, the signals between the brain and the areas below the damaged vertebra are affected by the injury resulting in:

• High tetraplegia. A cervical vertebra C1-C4, located in the neck, is damaged. Complete tetraplegia causes paralysis from the neck down. A person generally loses function in all four limbs. In the most severe cases, a person may require a ventilator to breathe.
• Low tetraplegia. A cervical vertebrae C5-C8 is damaged. The person may lose function and feeling from the chest down, but retain some use of arms and hands.
• Paraplegia. A lumber vertebra is damaged. The person generally loses function in the lower limbs.
• Incomplete paralysis. At any level of vertebrae, the spinal cord is partially damaged, which causes partial paralysis, as opposed to complete paralysis if the spinal cord is totally damaged.

A spinal cord injury may cause secondary conditions that can be painful and reduce life expectancy. Bedsores are common because of lack of mobility and loss of sensation. Lack of movement increases chances of forming deep vein thrombosis, a very dangerous blood clot. Paralysis patients also have an increased risk of infections and sepsis.

You need a lifetime of quality medical care to avoid these conditions and effectively treat them should they arise.

Brachial plexus injuries

The brachial plexus is the intricate network of nerves that transmit signals between your spine and your shoulder, arm and hand. The impact of a car crash can overstretch or tear these nerves away from the muscles and cause paralysis, spasms, pain and numbness in the affected limb.

Rehabilitation can typically increase mobility and feeling when the nerves are overstretched, a condition called neuropraxia. Shoulder surgery may be necessary to repair an avulsion, when the nerve tears completely away from the muscle. However early treatment is crucial and not always successful. Often a tear in the brachial plexus causes permanent partial or complete paralysis of the affected arm or hand.

Damages for Paralysis

Early treatment and aggressive rehabilitation can help some patients restore functionality, sensation and mobility in a partially paralyzed limb. For patients who have sustained total paralysis, physical therapy can improve independence and quality of life.

Our question is always what will put you in the best position possible under the circumstances. We want you to have every opportunity to improve your health and future. We consider your immediate and long-term needs while calculating damages which might include

• Emergency room and hospital bills
• Long-term medical care
• Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation
• Future medical expenses
• Treatment for secondary conditions
• Renovations of home, office and car to accommodate your disability
• Lost wages and probable diminished earning capacity
• Wages of loved ones who are caring for you
• Pain and suffering
• Reduced quality of life

Learn More About Recovering Damages for Paralysis Resulting from a Dallas-Fort Worth Auto Accident

Berenson Injury Law has handled complex, high-stakes injury claims for close to 40 years and aggressively fights for the maximum possible damages in these cases. Learn more about recovering the compensation you are entitled to after sustaining paralysis in an auto accident. Your first consultation with our Dallas-Fort Worth car wreck lawyer is free and we handle your claim on contingency so you can feel confident that we have your best interests at heart.