Damage to a person’s spinal cord can interfere with the communication between the brain and the impacted body parts. In addition, direct trauma to an arm, leg, or neck may sever the nerves that allow for bodily control. Making matters worse, many paralysis injuries are permanent and may never allow you to make a full recovery.
If your paralysis is the result of another party’s actions, you have the right to demand compensation for your losses with the help of a seasoned attorney. This can include payments for all needed medical care and reductions in your quality of life and income. A South Bend paralysis injury lawyer is prepared to listen to your story, investigate your case, and demand fair payments in settlements and lawsuits.
How Can Someone Become Paralyzed?
There is no doubt that paralysis will have a major impact on a person’s life. Even so, the severity of an injury is never proof of fault for an incident. Paralyzed people must still prove that another’s carelessness or recklessness was the source of their losses.
Most instances of paralysis are the product of accidents. These may include:
- Traffic collisions
- Slips and falls
- Bicycle or pedestrian accidents
- Defective consumer products
- Medical malpractice
In these cases, a paralysis injury lawyer could take the lead to explain the relevant South Bend laws, gather the essential evidence, and prove fault on the part of defendants.
It is also necessary for many injured individuals to justify their own choices in the moments leading up to the incident. This is because of the concept called modified comparative negligence in the state. According to Indiana Code § 34-51-2-5, courts must examine the actions of both injured people and defendants to assign blame for accidents. If a court believes that an injured person was more than half responsible for the event, that court cannot award compensation.
Recovering Compensation After a Paralyzing Accident
Paralysis injuries most often result from damage to the nerves that connect the affected area to the central nervous system. This can occur at the point of impact, such as a crushing injury on an arm or leg. However, it can also be the product of direct damage to the spinal cord. If a spinal cord suffers trauma, it can affect the entirety of a person’s body from that point in the cord downwards. This is why people who suffer neck injuries often lose control over their arms and legs.
Paralysis can also result from traumatic brain injuries. If trauma to the head causes the brain to impact the inside of an individual’s skull, this could permanently damage that portion of the brain. If that part of the brain controls motor function, this could also cause paralysis.
A South Bend attorney is dedicated to investigating how a paralysis injury has occurred and evaluating how the event has changed a person’s life. Obtaining this information helps them to demand proper compensation to cover medical bills, lost quality of life, and missing income.
Statute of Limitations in South Bend
Most incidents of paralysis are catastrophic events. This means that the individuals will never fully recover and may require medical attention for the rest of their lives. This can cause confusion as to the appropriate level of compensation and how much money to demand from at-fault defendants.
With this in mind, it is important to understand the state’s statute of limitations. This is a time limit within which a person must file a demand for payment. Under IN Code § 34-11-2-4, this time limit is two years in most cases. So while the full impact of a paralysis injury may still be coming to light, it is essential to speak with a South Bend lawyer as soon as possible.
Call a South Bend Paralysis Injury Attorney Right Away
All people who endure injuries because of the actions of others have the right to seek out compensation for their losses. This is especially true in the case of catastrophic injuries such as paralysis, a catastrophic injury lawyer in South Bend, IN is here to help!
A South Bend paralysis injury lawyer could work to understand how the event has changed your life, and also prove that another person or company was responsible for the incident that resulted in your harm. Contact our office today to discover more.
