Paralysis Lawyer St. Louis, MO. Paralysis, or losing the function in one or more limbs or extremities, is easily one of the most life-altering injuries someone can suffer in an accident. Between ongoing and potentially life-long medical treatment, re-learning tasks that able-bodied people consider simple, adapting your home and surroundings to accommodate a new disability, and potentially being unable to perform your regular work, it can truly up-end someone’s life. This is especially true if you were paralyzed as a result of someone else’s negligent or careless actions, such as a car accident or by slipping and falling.
The experienced St. Louis, MO personal injury lawyers at Combs Waterkotte have helped many St. Louis, MO paralysis victims get the compensation they deserve following the accident that altered their lives forever. We offer free initial consultations and take all our paralysis lawsuits in St. Louis, MO on a contingency basis, which means that we will not get paid unless you do. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online today.
The Costs of Paralysis
Paralysis is caused when the spinal cord is damaged in some way due to disease or injury. These damages can block the transmission of signals from the brain to nerves that run down the spinal cord, which makes it impossible for someone to move body parts and extremities affected by that spinal cord injury. Paralysis is broken up into two different categories, “complete” (which means that there is a complete lack of feeling and movement ability below the site of the trauma) and “incomplete” (where some sensation is still felt, although movement and feeling remains limited). The higher the location of the injury on the spine, the more complete the paralytic symptoms will be.
It is safe to say that, after someone has been paralyzed, they will need to essentially learn to live their lives all over again. Paralyzed individuals have to spend more time and energy going through daily tasks than able-bodied persons, and in many cases cannot do many of the activities that brought them joy and excitement prior to their accident. In addition, they and their families must make a large number of changes to fully adapt to their new situation, including but by no means limited to:
- Renovating their current home to ADA compliant standards (showers, toilets, furniture, flooring, etc.)
- Relocating to a home or apartment that is barrier-free
- Retrofitting a car or truck
- Purchasing a new, wheelchair-accessible van
- Physical therapy
- Wheelchair mobility training
- Mental health counseling
- Time taken off to visit doctors or hospitals
- Additional time needed to perform daily tasks (cooking, using the restroom, cleaning, etc.)
- Arranging for additional child care
- Potentially finding a new job that accomodates their disability
- Arranging for additional help maintaining your home
All these changes cost money, and those costs quickly add up to a level that many people would agree is eye-watering. A study conducted by the Christopher Reeve Foundation found that even a 50-year-old person who has become paralyzed will be forced to spend more than $1 million in health-care bills and living expenses over the course of their lives. Naturally, this amount increases if the paralyzed person became disabled at a younger age, with the study finding that the cost of an injury in the C1 through C4 vertebrae, which usually leaves someone unable to move below the neck or upper chest, being almost $5 million if that injury occurred around age 25.
How A Paralysis Lawyer in St. Louis, MO Can Help You
After you or a loved one has been in a personal injury accident that resulted in a paralyzing injury, contact the St. Louis, MO paralysis lawyers at Combs Waterkotte as soon as you can. Our firm will immediately get to work obtaining evidence, dealing with insurance companies, and formulating a winning legal strategy. We understand that you have much more important matters to concern yourself with after such a serious injury, and want to do our best to make the legal process after your accident a smooth and satisfying one. We also offer all our clients access to a premier network of physical and mental health providers to help them with both the physical and mental trauma of their accident.
Our firm is driven to provide total client satisfaction, whether that is by offering 24/7 access to the attorney working on your case or by obtaining the compensation you truly deserve. Reach out to us online or call (314) 900-HELP to speak with a paralysis lawyer in St. Louis, MO and schedule a free consultation.
