Wheelchair Few injuries are more devastating than paralysis. Quadriplegia, which affects all four limbs and the torso, is one of the most severe types of paralyzing injuries that a person can experience. Your life will change drastically when you suffer paralysis to this extent.

Quadriplegia injuries tend to occur when you are involved in a high-impact accident. These types of accidents often cause serious harm to the spinal cord, which can result in quadriplegia.

What is Quadriplegia?

Quadriplegia, which is sometimes known as tetraplegia, refers to the paralysis of your arms, legs, and torso.

Each year, there are 12,500 new reported cases of quadriplegia. That’s more than 34 quadriplegia injuries every day.

It is a catastrophic injury that results from significant damage to the spinal cord. The spinal cord is primarily responsible for relaying vital communications between the brain and the rest of the body. When the spinal cord is damaged the body cannot function properly.

Quadriplegia occurs when the nerves in our limbs cannot receive signals that the brain sends. The breakdown in communication results in paralysis.

Paralysis tends to occur below the level of the injury. Quadriplegia generally results when you suffer an injury to the spine between the C1 and C8 vertebrae.

As a general rule of thumb, the higher the injury on your spine, the more severe the injury. The closer the injury to the C1 vertebrae, the higher the chances of complete paralysis and/or death.

Types of Quadriplegia Injuries

There are four different ways to describe quadriplegia injuries: partial, complete, high, and low. Your specific quadriplegia injury will fall into two of these categories.

Partial Quadriplegia: Partial quadriplegia, which is sometimes referred to as incomplete quadriplegia, means that your body is still able to communicate with your brain. This often means that you will be able to retain some sensation and may even have limited mobility.

Complete Quadriplegia: Complete quadriplegia means that the spinal cord and brain cannot communicate, at all. Victims with complete quadriplegia will be fully paralyzed and have no sensation in the limbs or torso.

High Quadriplegia: High quadriplegia refers to quadriplegia injuries that are caused by damage to the spine between the C1 and C4 vertebrae.

Low Quadriplegia: High quadriplegia refers to quadriplegia injuries that are caused by damage to the spine between the C5 and C8 vertebrae.

What Causes a Quadriplegia Injury?

Quadriplegia occurs when the spinal cord is seriously damaged. This tends to occur when you are involved in a high-impact accident.

The leading causes of quadriplegia injury include:

Car accidents (37 percent)
Fall accidents (30 percent)
Assaults (14 percent)
Gunshot wounds (14 percent)
Recreational activities (9 percent)
Medical malpractice (4 percent)

Other causes of Miami quadriplegia injuries may include pedestrian accidents, truck accidents, workplace accidents, and boat accidents.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Quadriplegia?

Paralyzing injuries do not necessarily have to result in the total loss of bodily function.

Signs and symptoms of quadriplegia include:

Chronic pain
Sudden uncontrolled movements
Partial or complete paralysis
Numbness and tingling in the extremities
Loss of feeling or sensation
Inability to control the bladder and/or bowels
Infections
Difficulty breathing without assistance, and
Extremely limited mobility.

It is important to seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of these symptoms after a Miami accident. Proper medical treatment and diagnosis can prevent your injury from getting worse. Complications of quadriplegia can include blood clots and DVT, pressure sores, and respiratory problems.

What Are the Costs of a Quadriplegia Injury?

The costs of a quadriplegic injury can be overwhelming. Healthcare costs and living expenses, alone, can cost tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of dollars each year after an accident. The cost of a quadriplegia injury will depend on whether the injury is classified as High Quadriplegia or Low Quadriplegia.

The average medical and living costs of a high quadriplegia injury are:

First Year of Injury: $1,064,716
Subsequent Years: $184,891.

The average medical and living costs of a high quadriplegia injury are:

First Year of Injury: $769,716
Subsequent Years: $113,423.

The true costs of a quadriplegia injury are even greater when things like lost wages, lost benefits, disability, and reduced earning capacity are factored in. The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation estimates that these additional costs total approximately $72,000 each year.

What Compensation is Available to Quadriplegia Injury Victims?

If someone else is responsible for your life-changing quadriplegia injury you have the right to demand compensation. Money will not reverse your injury or guarantee a fully recover. However, it can help to cover the extraordinary costs you have after your accident. At Lavent Law, P.A., we will aggressively fight to recover each and every dollar you deserve. We will work with experts to determine the extent and true value of your injury. This will help us ensure that you are fairly compensated for your paralyzing injury.

Damages that may be available include those for:

Medical expenses
Pain and suffering
Rehabilitation
Nursing care
Medication
Medically-necessary home alterations
Embarrassment
Loss of enjoyment of life
Lost wages, and
Disability.

Call us today to schedule your free consultation. We will help you understand the legal options that may be available to you.

How Long Do I have to File a Lawsuit After Suffering a Quadriplegia Injury in Florida?

It is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after your quadriplegia injury. Why? You only have a limited amount of time to ask for damages. Florida imposes a strict statute of limitations on all bodily injury matters. If you do not file your claim within four years of the date of your accident, you will not be able to get the money you need.

Contacting the Miami attorneys at Lavent Law, P.A. can help to make sure that a legal technicality doesn’t interfere with your ability to recovering compensation. We are here to help you navigate through this difficult time in your life. Call us today to set up your free consultation.

Contact Our Miami Personal Injury Lawyers For Help Today

Have you or someone you love recently suffered a quadriplegia injury in a Miami accident? You may be entitled to compensation if someone else is to blame. Contact Lavent Law, P.A. to find out how we can help you maximize your financial award.

When you hire our catastrophic injury lawyers to handle your case you will have the opportunity to focus on your recovery. We will handle the complex legal matter while you figure out how to adjust to life after your accident. This is an incredibly stressful time in your life and you should not have to attempt to get through it on your own. Call us today to learn more about how we can help you.