March 30, 2020
Los Angeles Paraplegia Lawyers: Common Causes and Liability Explained
Our experienced Los Angeles paraplegia lawyers understand how truly devoting and catastrophic paraplegia can be for an innocent person. Paraplegia is considered a complete spinal cord injury resulting in an inability to move the lower part of the body. Paraplegia can affect all or parts of the lower body, legs, and pelvic organs with sufferers losing sensation or use of affected limbs and organs. Many paraplegia victims require the use of mobility devices such as wheelchairs for the rest of their lives. Some will require at-home health care for a lifetime.
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the most common paraplegia-causing accidents are car accidents, falls, and gun violence with recreational injuries and medical malpractice coming up close behind. In older adults, the most common cause of paraplegia injuries is from falls.
Suffering an accident resulting in a spinal cord injury may cause a lifetime of costly medical and lifestyle interventions. Depending on the cause of the injury, liability may fall on an at-fault party. Unfortunately, this is not always obvious or easily proven, as in the case of a fall or serious motor vehicle accident.
Paraplegia is also a costly injury. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center provides that the average first year cost of paraplegia is almost $600,000 and approximately $75,000 a year after that. Further, the average lifetime costs for a victim with paraplegia is approximately $2.5 million for a 25-year-old, or over $1.6 million for a 50-year-old. These are staggering costs.
Proving liability is critical when it comes to proving a liability claim after an accident. This should be left to an experienced Los Angeles paraplegia lawyer who can understand all the implications and nuances of personal injury law. For more information and a FREE case review, contact us today at (888) 588-1777. We are ready and willing to help.