While it may not be easy to make adjustments after a paralysis injury, pursuing a claim for damages from an at-fault party may help to ease your transition. Whenever another party is liable for an incident that results in an injury, that party has a legal obligation to provide compensation. A Palm Harbor paralysis injury lawyer may be able to help you pursue that compensation. A skilled attorney could gather evidence, explain your legal rights, and hold negligent and criminal defendants liable in civil court.
How Might a Paralysis Injury Occur?
Paralysis is the result of damage to the nerves that control parts of the body. The most direct form of this damage is an injury to the affected area. In certain situations, an affected body part may suffer harm from crushing, tearing, or compression, resulting in the destruction of the nerves. Due to this nerve damage, the brain is no longer able to send signals to the affected area to prompt physical movement.
Paralysis might also result from damage to the spinal cord. If the spinal cord cannot transmit signals to the arms or legs, those appendages may no longer be able to function. A Palm Harbor paralysis injury lawyer could help people to understand why paralysis happens and why a negligent party may be liable.
Proving Liability in Paralysis Injury Claims
In any personal injury case, the plaintiff must prove that a defendant is liable for the injuries in question. As most paralysis injuries are the result of accidents, plaintiffs will often rely on the cause of action called negligence.
Negligence applies when a defendant has a duty to protect a plaintiff, fails in this duty, and causes an injury. A defendant who fails to uphold a duty of protection is liable to provide compensation to injured plaintiffs regardless of the severity of the injuries.
However, many plaintiffs must also have to defend their own actions leading to the injury. Florida uses a pure comparative negligence standard for negligence claims. According to Florida Statute 768.81(2), juries must reduce a plaintiff’s award after an injury by the percentage of blame that a jury apportions to the plaintiff. If a defendant alleges that a plaintiff partially contributed to their own injuries – for example, if they failed to wear a seatbelt in a car accident – the plaintiff may need to build a defense to these claims to preserve their full compensatory award.
Let a Palm Harbor Paralysis Injury Lawyer Stand Up for You
Proving defendant fault can be complicated. A Palm Harbor paralysis injury lawyer may be able to help you establish liability and bring a successful personal injury claim. They could handle the case from day one by gathering evidence, explaining any relevant aspects of the law, and accurately measuring your past and future damages to make comprehensive claims for compensation. There is a limited time following an incident to pursue a case, so contact a Palm Harbor paralysis injury lawyer immediately to start pursuing your compensation.
