Paralysis is commonly associated with back injuries and spine injuries. However, “paralysis” is a much broader term that encompasses not only paraplegia and quadriplegia (tetraplegia), but also paralysis and advanced muscle weakness in your hands, face, or other areas of the body. Paralysis can occur from nerve damage in many situations, including injuries resulting from surgical errors and medical negligence.
If you or a loved one suffered partial paralysis due to surgical errors, contact Prosper Shaked today. Our Miami attorney for paralysis caused by surgery can help you investigate your case and work to hold the responsible parties accountable for the harm they caused you. We can also help you seek financial compensation for the damages you suffered. For a free legal consultation, call our office today at (305) 694-2676.
Surgical Errors and Mistakes that Cause Paralysis
As mentioned, the term paralysis includes more than the inability to walk because of injuries. Any time that you cannot move or control a part of your body because of severe nerve damage, that part of your body is said to be paralyzed. Many people are familiar with paralysis from spinal cord injury, which typically causes paralysis below the point of injury in the spine. However, if the nerves leading to another body part are injured or severed, you can also face paralysis in that location.
Paralysis injuries commonly occur in the extremities, such as the arms and hands or legs and feet. Paralysis is also common in locations that have fragile or exposed nerves, such as the face (via damage to the cranial or facial nerve). These injuries most commonly occur because of mistakes where the nerve is severed during surgery, the patient suffered “positioning injuries,” or the patient sustained trauma during a procedure.
If a surgeon cuts too deep and nicks or severs a nerve, you could face weakness or total paralysis. Many times, these nerves can be repaired and reattached, but the damage might make it impossible for full function or feeling to return and you may face total or partial paralysis. Severing a nerve causes numbness, loss of feeling, and paralysis to body parts connected past the point of injury, meaning that any nerves stemming from the point of injury will be affected. For example, an injury to a nerve near the elbow might cut off feeling for the hand, wrist, and fingers by cutting off their connection as well.
Positioning injuries occur during surgery and other procedures where the patient needs to be put under anesthesia. Because a patient cannot move or adjust their position while they are unconscious and under the effects of anesthesia, they may unable to free themselves from a dangerous position. Laying on one’s arm or awkwardly settling on top of a bent leg feels uncomfortable because it puts undue stress on the muscles, joints, and nerves in that limb. Positioning injuries can press on the nerve or cut off circulation for a long time and could cause damage resulting in permanent paralysis or weakness in the affected area.
Injuries to nerves can also occur during other procedures. Not only is positioning an issue, but flexing and manipulating the patient could also cause injuries. This is especially common in childbirth where the baby could suffer trauma to the cranial nerve, facial nerve, brachial plexus, or another nerve or nerve cluster. This could result in paralysis in the affected area or other side effects.
Suing for Paralysis from Surgical Errors
If you underwent surgery or another medical procedure and awoke to discover you suffered from paralysis, muscle weakness, or other nerve damage, you may be able to sue the medical team. In some cases, these kinds of injuries are part of acceptable complications that are to be expected during extreme surgical procedures. However, in many other cases, they are considered avoidable errors that your doctor should have worked to keep you safe from.
To sue your physician or the hospital that treated you, you must prove that their errors were in fact mistakes. This is done by using a medical expert of your own to prove that their care fell below the reasonable standard of care you should have received. If you prove to the judge and jury that this negligence is what caused your injuries, you should be entitled to collect damages for the harms you suffered.
The damages you can sue for in a medical malpractice lawsuit include any financial or physical harms that resulted from the injury. This commonly includes additional medical care or physical therapy to treat the injury as well as any effects of lost wages or reduced earning capacity stemming from the injury. In addition, you can claim direct compensation for the physical pain, mental anguish, and emotional distress of the injury. Especially if the injury prevents normal day-to-day activities, stops you from participating in activities you used to enjoy, or causes outwardly obvious symptoms, you could face high pain and suffering.
Talk to a lawyer about what your case might be worth and how to maximize the compensation you are entitled to. In many cases, medical malpractice insurance companies may try to settle your case, but you should talk to a lawyer before accepting any settlements to understand if the damages fully satisfy your needs.
Call Our Miami Surgery Paralysis Victim Lawyer for a Free Legal Consultation
Doctors who cause permanent injuries like nerve damage and paralysis should be held responsible for the unnecessary injuries their patients face. For a free consultation on your surgical error and paralysis case, contact Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA today at (305) 694-2676. Our Miami attorney for paralysis caused by surgery is available to schedule a free legal consultation where you can learn more about how to file a claim and what your case might be worth.