A car accident can have devastating consequences, and few injuries are as life-changing as paralysis. Victims in these circumstances often face a future filled with challenges that impact nearly every aspect of their lives. If your paralysis was caused by a car crash in Tennessee, you may have the right to pursue compensation for all of the effects the accident has caused you to endure.
Learn more about this type of injury and how to recover compensation for it below. If you’re ready to get started with your claim, contact a car accident lawyer today for a free consultation.
How Car Accidents Cause Paralysis
Paralysis occurs when there’s damage to the spinal cord or the brain, both of which control movement and sensation. Car crashes are one of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries in the United States. The violent forces involved can crush, twist, or sever the spinal cord, leading to partial or total loss of movement below the injury site.
Some of the most common causes of paralysis in Tennessee car accidents include:
- Rear-end or head-on collisions causing severe spinal trauma
- Rollovers that crush the roof and compress the spine
- Ejection from the vehicle leading to blunt force injuries
- Whiplash or vertebral fractures that damage nerve pathways
The effects of paralysis are often permanent and require lifelong treatment.
What Types of Paralysis Can Result from a Car Accident?
Not every case of paralysis is the same, as the severity depends on the location of the injury along the spinal cord. The different types of paralysis include:
- Monoplegia: Paralysis of a single limb
- Paraplegia: Paralysis affecting the legs and lower body
- Quadriplegia (or Tetraplegia): Paralysis of all four limbs and the torso
- Hemiplegia: Paralysis on one side of the body, often from a traumatic brain injury
Victims may also suffer from incomplete paralysis, where some movement or sensation remains, or complete paralysis, where there’s total loss of function below the injury.
How Much Time Do I Have To File a Paralysis Injury Claim in Tennessee?
Under Tennessee law, you typically have one year from the date of your car accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline, called the statute of limitations, applies to nearly all cases involving paralysis and other serious injuries caused by negligence.
If you miss this one-year window, you could lose your right to recover compensation altogether. Contact our Nashville-based personal injury attorney as soon as you can so that you can ensure your claim is filed on time.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Tennessee for Help After a Paralysis Injury
Living with paralysis after a car accident can be one of the most debilitating experiences a person can face. You deserve the chance to hold the responsible party accountable and secure the maximum amount of financial resources you need to move forward if this has happened to you.
At Woodard Injury Law, we have nearly two decades of experience representing clients across Tennessee who have suffered catastrophic injuries. Contact our car accident lawyers today to get started with a free consultation.