What Steps Should Be Taken if a Truck Accident Leaves Me Paralyzed?

A collision with a large commercial truck is more likely to cause debilitating injuries than a collision with a smaller vehicle. Head, spine, and traumatic brain injuries are common in truck accidents, often leading to costly medical expenses and lifelong treatment. Unfortunately, spinal cord injuries, including paralysis, are often the result of collisions with trucks, especially large commercial trucks. Paralysis is a serious and often permanent condition with no known cure, requiring extensive treatment and ongoing rehabilitation.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed due to a collision with a truck, contact a Florida truck accident lawyer at Searcy Denney. We’ll help with the overwhelming consequences, including paralysis, and fight for the financial compensation you’ll need to deal with this catastrophic condition.

What is Paralysis?

Paralysis is the loss or impairment of voluntary movement in a body part. Generally speaking, paralysis is most often caused by a problem somewhere along the chain of nerve cells that carry the signals from your brain to the body part muscles that tell them to move. Paralysis can come in various forms, such as complete paralysis, partial or incomplete paralysis, permanent paralysis, temporary paralysis, localized paralysis, and generalized paralysis.

Each type of paralysis is damaging in its own way, and none of the types are easy to deal with.

What Should I Do if I’m Left Paralyzed After a Collision?

If you are experiencing paralysis of any type after a crash, take the following steps:

• Inform your doctor immediately. While doctors usually check for signs of paralysis in patients with back pain after a collision, you should keep your medical team updated regarding any changes in your ability to move or sense touch. In this specific scenario, feeling pain is actually good news.
• Get in touch with a Florida truck accident lawyer at Searcy Denney. We’ll immediately take your legal and insurance problems off of your mind, allowing you to focus entirely on your recovery. 
• Be sure to preserve any evidence that speaks to how the accident happened. Accident reports, workers’ compensation paperwork if the injury occurred on the job, witness statements, etc.
• Seek out support. If you’re facing paralysis, you don’t have to go it alone. Millions of people learn to live productive lives even with paralysis. Search online or ask your doctors for information on groups that focus on living with paralysis.

If you are an initial responder to an accident and suspect a victim may have paralysis, be sure to:

• Call 911.
• Never move an injured person.
• Use something soft, such as a folded towel or shirt, to gently support the person’s neck and head.
• Administer first aid, stop external bleeding by applying pressure or, in a worst-case scenario, a tourniquet, and stay to comfort the person until help arrives.

A Florida Truck Accident Lawyer Can Assist if You Were Paralyzed After a Crash

Paralysis from an accident with a truck or any other vehicle is daunting. Let a Florida truck accident lawyer help you with your insurance and legal claims so you can focus on your recovery. We work on a contingency fee basis, and offer free consultations, so contact us to discuss your claims a soon as possible.