What Is the Difference Between Partial and Total Paralysis?

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are one of the most devastating kinds of injury that you can sustain in an accident, and sadly, they are far more common than they should be. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, there are approximately 8,000 new cases of SCI every year

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Roughly 82 percent of these injuries occur in men between the ages 16 and 30. Although sustaining an SCI at any age is devastating, developing one while still fairly young is especially challenging because the lifetime costs associated with treating it are incredibly high.

Fortunately, individuals who sustain an SCI as the result of another party’s negligence have legal recourse for pursuing compensation. Filing a successful personal injury claim may not restore their health, but it will provide them with the financial means to continue thriving despite the costs associated with the injury.

If you or a loved one sustained a spinal cord injury at the hands of someone else, contact The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm to determine if you have grounds for a claim. After assessing the circumstances of the incident, a Baton Rouge spinal cord injury attorney will help you determine the most strategic way to proceed. Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a case evaluation.

What Is the Difference Between Partial and Total Paralysis?

If you file a personal injury claim after sustaining an SCI, the size of the settlement you will be able to secure will depend on a variety of factors, including the extent of your injury. Since more severe injuries are costlier to treat and require more lifestyle modifications, they result in much larger settlements.

There are several ways to classify spinal cord injuries and their resulting severity. One of the most common approaches is by identifying the extent of paralysis that they cause.

According to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, total paralysis following a complete injury refers to a lack of motor and sensory function below the point of injury. If the injury is high enough on the spine, total paralysis can affect both the arms and the legs.

The most severe form of total paralysis is quadriplegia, which is also known as tetraplegia. This is essentially a lack of function from the neck down, and individuals who have it require around-the-clock care.

An incomplete spinal injury, on the other hand, results in partial paralysis, which means the brain is still able to convey some messages to and from the spinal cord. Thus, there is still some sensation below the point of injury.

In some cases of partial paralysis, the accident victim retains motor and sensory function on one side of the body. This kind of paralysis may not be as severe as the kind that follows a complete injury, but it still requires extensive treatment and major lifestyle changes, all of which add up quickly.

If you sustained an SCI as the result of someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible to recover compensation for the damages associated with treating it. Contact The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm to discuss your case with a Baton Rouge spinal cord injury lawyer.

Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation. You can learn more about personal injury claims in Louisiana by visiting USAttorneys.com.