Paraplegia and Quadriplegia

South Carolina Injury Attorneys Representing Victims of Accidents and Birth Injuries

photo of a back injury

Paraplegia and quadriplegia are conditions that result from spinal cord injury, and the extent of the injury will depend on where the damage to the spinal cord occurred. Both conditions will change the person’s life forever, and families with limited resources will struggle to care for their loved ones. Our South Carolina injury lawyers have a long history of assisting victims of catastrophic accidents and birth injuries that result in paraplegia and quadriplegia. We advocate on behalf of spinal cord injury patients to receive deserved compensation to ease the financial burdens placed upon them and their families.

The Differences Between Quadriplegia and Paraplegia

Quadriplegia is the condition where a person lacks sensory and motor functions in both the upper and lower extremities, most frequenting from serious spinal cord injuries to the neck, or vertebrae C1-C-7. Quadriplegia can also affect a person’s diaphragm and chest, resulting in patients requiring ventilators for assisted breathing. Paraplegia, in contrast, affects the lower limbs and is the result of lower spine injuries, such as the thoracic, lumbar or sacral vertebrae.

Both paraplegics and quadriplegics are at high risk for additional medical complications, including pressure sores, serious infections, inflammation, Autonomic Dysreflexia Syndrome, thrombosis and pneumonia. Patients also have a higher risk than the general population for anxiety and depression.

What is Spastic Paraplegia and Spastic Quadriplegia?

Unlike spinal injury resulting from accidents, spastic paraplegia and spastic quadriplegia are forms of cerebral palsy caused by birth injuries and medical malpractice. It is not paralysis, but muscle stiffness and disruption of normal muscle functioning. Some spastic quadriplegics have other disabilities including mental retardation, difficulty communicating and seizures.

The High Costs to Paraplegics and Quadriplegics

Both paraplegia and quadriplegia patients will incur rising costs throughout their lifetimes, including but not limited to:

  • Initial hospital treatments and stays,
  • Extended rehabilitation costs,
  • Prescription medications;
  • Necessary medical equipment, including wheelchairs;
  • Long term care and in-home care;
  • Residential modifications, including ramps and stair climbers; and
  • Motor vehicle modifications.

Insurance alone is unlikely to pay for all these costs. Additionally, many patients will be unable to work and maintain regular income, at least at not at the same level or capacity as their former employment.

Contact our South Carolina Injury Attorneys

Paraplegics and quadriplegics will struggle to maintain a satisfactory quality of life without the necessary financial resources to pay for medical and daily living expenses. While the challenges are great, spinal cord injury patients are now living longer and healthier lives than ever before. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord or back injury that rendered you paraplegic or quadriplegic as the result of a motor vehicle accident, birth injuries or another person’s negligence, our South Carolina injury attorneys can help. Your life is our mission; contact us today to learn how we can help you.

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