Paraplegia and Quadriplegia

Paralysis Topics

Two specific types of paralysis are paraplegia and quadriplegia. Each are as serious as injuries can be, in that both conditions are completely debilitating and can often lead to the formation of related conditions that can lead to an early death. Each condition will be explained in some detail below.

Paraplegia

Paraplegia is a condition that usually results from an injury to the lower portion of the spinal cord. The condition by medical definition means that a patient loses the ability to move and otherwise control the legs, feet and just about any area of the body that's below the waist.

Paraplegia can be overcome in certain circumstances, but most of the time the condition is permanent. What this means is that patients are often confined to a wheelchair, and even daily functions such as using the restroom become an immense challenge.

Quadriplegia

Quadriplegia is even more severe than paraplegia. Quadriplegia results from injuries to the upper portion of the spinal cord, and instead of losing control of just the lower extremities, this condition results in a patient being unable to control any limbs or major muscle groups below the neck.

Quadriplegia is a condition that can seriously hamper a person's ability to overcome other problems. A perfect example of this would be when a quadriplegic contracts a condition like pneumonia. A "normal" person is usually able to overcome pneumonia because the muscles around the lungs contract and eventually force the bile from the pneumonia out of the body. A quadriplegic does not have this level of muscle control, so in effect the patient will suffocate over time.

If you're suffering from either of these conditions as a result of someone else's conduct, you need to contact an attorney immediately. Not only is your lifestyle about to change completely, but every aspect of daily life will require some sort of help and/or machinery just to handle ordinary tasks. If someone or something caused this condition, justice needs to be served, and you need help handling the costs of these ongoing and lifelong problems.

You need to contact an attorney immediately because the law only allows a certain amount of time to file a claim, so if you wait too long, your claim will be dismissed as a matter of law. Contact an attorney today.