What is the cause of paralysis in car crashes? Serious auto accidents often lead to serious injuries, including paralysis. There are three types of injuries that can be the cause of paralysis in car crashes.
When an auto accident causes a “catastrophic injury” to a person involved in the crash, lives are changed in 
significant ways. The person who is injured and paralyzed will face extensive medical treatment, physical and occupational therapy, some period of time in a long-term care facility, and reliance upon some mobility device (wheel chair, scooter, etc.). Some of them will become unemployed, will have great difficulty finding a job, and may not be able to work. These factors will result in numerous physical challenges, emotional adjustments, and financial changes.
The life-changing nature of paralysis in car crashes also extends to a person’s friends and family. Frequently, their lives will never be the same as before their loved one was injured.
The most common cause of paralysis in car crashes is one of three “catastrophic” injuries.
- Traumatic Brain Injury. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that approximately 1.4 million Americans will suffer traumatic brain injury every year. Of those injured, approximately 50,000 will die; 240,000 will be hospitalized for some period; more than 80,000 will endure permanent and life-altering disabilities, including paralysis. Traumatic Brain Injury is the cause of just under 25 percent of paralysis cases in the U.S.
- Neck Injury. These injuries to the cervical spine frequently cause total paralysis below the neck or paralysis of both arms and legs. Quadriplegia (or tetraplegia) is most commonly caused by traumatic injury to the cervical spine or to nerve tissues emanating from the cervical spine. The paralysis can cause a loss of sensation, loss of function, altered speech, impaired breathing, and loss of organ function.
- Spinal Cord Injuries. The precise location of the injury to the spinal cord determines the extent of the injury and the level of paralysis that results. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 reported injuries that result in paralysis. The location of the injury determines the parts of the body that are affected. The injury may cause complete paralysis of part or all of the body or partial paralysis.
Paralysis requires radical changes in lifestyle and dependence upon caregivers either full-time or part-time. Sometimes, family members will become the caregiver. In other cases, it will be necessary to rely upon professionals.
If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury resulting in paralysis, call the experienced attorneys of Altizer Law, P.C. For more than 25 years, they have helped clients find their way forward after serious car crashes and have won for them the largest possible financial settlement under Virginia law. They are trusted and chosen for their special way of relating to their clients and for their strength and tenacity when fighting for them.
