Paralysis & California Workers’ Compensation
Dedicated California Workers’ Compensation Attorney Helping Workers Get Benefits After Becoming Paralyzed on the Job In Orange County Or The Inland Empire
Paralysis is a life-altering condition. You may find yourself unable to perform your job duties or even everyday tasks like dressing and grooming without assistance. You may be unable to get around the house or outside without a walker or wheelchair. Depending on the nature of your injury, you may be unable to get back in the workforce for an extended period of time, if ever. Meanwhile, treating paralysis and obtaining necessary medical devices and equipment can generate ever-increasing medical expenses.
If you suffered from a fall or other accident at the workplace and have become temporarily or permanently paralyzed as a result, the California workers’ compensation lawyers at Invictus Law are ready to help. We’ll fight for the workers’ comp benefits you are owed, whether that means temporary or permanent disability benefits, coverage for the costs of retraining and new education, or other potential benefits. If you were paralyzed in the workplace, we’re here to fight for you.
Types and Degrees of Paralysis
When people think of paralysis, they tend to think of the total loss of the ability to move a body part, typically the legs. Paralysis, however, can refer more broadly to functional limitations suffered as a result of damage to the spinal cord or nerves in the limbs. Paralysis can be temporary or permanent, and it can be partial or total.
Temporary vs. permanent. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may suffer from paralysis only for a limited period. Some injuries can heal, such as damage to the nerves or muscles, such that you may recover the functionality of your affected limbs. You may be entitled to temporary disability benefits for the time you are unable to work while recovering.
Partial vs. total paralysis. Even long-term paralysis can occur in degrees. Severe damage to the spinal cord or nerves can lead to total paralysis, meaning a complete lack of feeling in and control over the affected limbs. Many people suffer only partial or incomplete paralysis, however, which means they still have some feeling in and control over the paralyzed muscles. Even partial paralysis can be extremely debilitating, leading to difficulties performing workplace duties or everyday tasks.
Types of paralysis. Paralysis is also characterized by how much of the body is affected. Monoplegia is paralysis that affects only one limb; diplegia is paralysis of the same limb on both sides (e.g., the arms); paraplegia is paralysis from the waist down; and quadriplegia refers to paralysis of all four limbs.
Paralysis of any kind that results from an injury sustained at the workplace is certainly grounds for workers’ comp coverage. The severity of the paralysis and the timeframe for recovery (if recovery is possible) will affect the amount and type of benefits available to the worker. A knowledgeable California workers’ comp attorney can review your medical records and other documentation to determine the extent of your injuries and help you maximize your benefits depending on your circumstances.
Paralysis and Spinal Cord Damage
Paralysis is commonly caused by damage to the spinal cord. At work, spinal cord damage can result from many different accidents, such as slip and falls, falls from height, getting stuck or crushed by large objects, or being struck by flying or falling objects. Spinal cord damage also commonly results from work-related traffic accidents or injuries involving industrial equipment.
The nature of the paralysis is often determined by the location and severity of the spinal cord damage. The spinal cord carries nerve signals from the brain to the rest of the body, and when it is severed, anything beyond the point of injury is cut off from the brain, like a kink in a hose. Injuries to the lower spine might lead to paraplegia or partial paralysis of the legs. Injury to the spine at the base of the neck, on the other hand, is more likely to affect all four limbs.
More comprehensive and more severe damage may mean greater and more long-term workers’ comp benefits, depending on the employee’s ability to work in the same or a different capacity after the injury. Talk to an experienced workers’ comp attorney to discuss your injury and the benefits to which you may be entitled.
Get Help Pursuing Paralysis Workers’ Comp Claims in Orange County and Inland Empire From A Passionate California Workers’ Compensation Attorney
For help getting the care and compensation you need after suffering a paralyzing injury at work in Orange County or the Inland Empire, call Invictus Law, P.C. in Orange or Ontario at 949-287-5711 or 888-9-WORKLAW for a free consultation with a dedicated and thorough California workers’ compensation lawyer.
