Paraplegia

Sustaining an injury to your spinal cord means altering the way you live day-to-day. Adjusting to a condition like paraplegia often involves dealing with both physical and emotional consequences. Pursuing legal action may not be high on your list of priorities considering these other pressing issues. However, the financial impact of such an accident can be substantial, and pursuing a claim against those responsible can be important to your future. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our Miami lawyers can help victims of spinal cord injuries caused by someone else’s negligence pursue appropriate compensation.

Paraplegia is a result of a blow sustained by the lower spinal cord. This type of condition results in the paralysis of a victim’s lower torso and legs. Many different types of situations may cause paraplegia. Truck, motorcycle, and car accidents are some incidents that may lead to paralyzing injuries, as well as a dangerously defective products, boating accident, or slip and falls. After any of these accidents, a paralyzed victim may pursue a personal injury claim against those at fault to recover compensation for his or her costs and losses.

For victims who have been rendered paraplegic to be compensated for their injuries, they must show that the party or parties at fault acted negligently. This type of claim is established by showing that:

• The plaintiff, or injured person, was owed a duty of care by the defendant;
• That duty was breached by the defendant’s actions;
• The breach caused the accident in which the victim was hurt; and
• The victim incurred actual damages.

For example, drivers owe a duty of care to those around them to act reasonably under the circumstances and refrain from creating foreseeable risks of harm. As a result, if a vehicle strikes a pedestrian while speeding through a crosswalk, the driver often may be held liable for the damages that result.

Under Florida’s statute of limitations, most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within four years from the date of the accident. Damages available to paralyzed victims often include past and future medical expenses, loss of income or earning capacity, pain and suffering, and any needed therapy or household assistance. Even if an individual bringing a claim is partially at fault for causing the harm, a reduced amount of damages may still be available. Since Florida follows a pure comparative fault theory of negligence, a victim may be entitled to damages proportionate to the defendant’s degree of fault. For instance, even if a person is found 40 percent at fault, he or she may still recover up to 60 percent of the costs associated with the accident from a liable defendant.

If you have sustained a paralyzing accident in Miami or the surrounding cities due to someone else’s negligence, the injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon can assist you in pursuing the compensation you deserve. We represent residents of Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties, as well as other communities across South Florida. Call 877.499.4878 or contact us online to set up a free, no-obligation consultation about your case.