When someone is badly injured because of the actions of someone else, it gives rise to the pursuit of legal remedies. This is almost never more important than when someone suffers from quadriplegia as a result of negligence or recklessness, as that injured person instantly faces a lifetime of struggle. However, this pursuit of justice should only be done with the help of experienced Nashville injury liability attorneys.
Below you'll find information regarding the nature of quadriplegia and how it occurs, the process of attaching liability to a person or people who are responsible for this unfortunate result, the concept of pain and suffering damages and how it applies to Tennessee personal injury lawsuits where the plaintiff suffers from quadriplegia, the necessary medical care in response to this condition, the role of insurance companies and finally information regarding how you can secure the help of Nashville personal injury lawyers.
Quadriplegia refers to an injury where the person suffers from paralysis to all four of his or her limbs. This condition is usually the result of a serious injury that's inflicted upon the spinal cord above first thoracic vertebra. This part of the spinal cord has nerve centers in it that control all four limbs and several other important functions, and generally these types of injuries are permanent in nature.
In addition to the control of the limbs, the nerve centers in this area of the spine also control other critical functions including those performed by the diaphragm, which means that some people with quadriplegia may need to use a ventilator in order to breathe properly. While these are some of the worst cases that can occur, there are other injuries that can result based on trauma that's inflicted on different parts of the spine. Generally speaking, the lower the spinal cord injury, the fewer functions that will be lost to the patient in terms of control.
When someone is injured badly enough that he or she winds up as a quadriplegic, attaching liability can be a relatively straightforward process. The most common cause of this condition as it arises in Tennessee personal injury cases involves traffic accidents, but blunt force trauma is also a common cause of this injury that leads to the courthouse.
In terms of attaching liability, it does take skill and experience in order to properly quantify the amount of damages that should be sought in a lawsuit, as such variables as current and future medical costs as well as life expectancy all need to be taken into account. Nashville personal injury lawyers who have successfully fought for the rights of quadriplegics in the past are able to handle this step in the process accurately.
Pain and suffering damages are not always appropriate in Tennessee personal injury lawsuits, but they are definitely relevant when someone suffers from quadriplegia. The reason is that the person who suffers from this injury usually will not live as long as those who have not endured a spinal cord injury, and clearly, those who must deal with this condition every day must work through a much lower quality of life. Basic functions such as getting dressed and eating that most take for granted are now extreme challenges that must be learned, and it's difficult for many who suffer from quadriplegia to feel as though they have maintained their sense of dignity.
The medical care for those with quadriplegia is a constant need and can be exorbitantly expensive. Many who suffer a spinal cord injury of this nature will need some form of surgery to minimize the damage that the original trauma has done, but that's only the beginning of the medical struggle those who have been harmed in this manner face.
Beyond the initial medical steps, those who suffer from quadriplegia will need constant and grueling rehabilitation help in order to regain as much mobility and to relearn as many functions as possible. In addition, the needs for equipment and other special accommodations are constant. A person who has lived on his or her own to that point will likely be unable to do so from that point forward, and special ramps will need to be built, special wheelchairs will need to be put in place and special breathing aids will need to constantly be at this person's side.
If someone is harmed by another person and the result is quadriplegia, insurance adjusters will get involved for the policyholder that caused this injury. Unfortunately, even if the insurance adjuster negotiates a settlement in good faith, there are policy limits that could easily be exceeded by the potential for millions of dollars in medical costs that will be incurred.
Therefore, those who suffer from this terrible injury need to take immediate steps to make sure that their legal rights are protected and their needs are met. Contact the Nashville quadriplegia injury lawyers at Michael D. Ponce & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.