Paraplegia is almost always the result of damage to the brain, spinal cord, or both. In most cases, spinal cord injuries to the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral spinal cord are to blame. When these injuries occur, signals cannot travel to and from the lower regions of the body, and the body is prevented from sending signals back up the spinal cord to the brain. Thus paraplegics not only struggle with movement below the waist; they also experience extensive loss of sensation. This sensation loss varies from a feeling of tingling or reduced feeling in the waist and legs, to a complete inability to feel anything below the waist.

WHAT CAUSES PARAPLEGIA?

Negligent acts are often the cause of the paraplegia.

Spinal cord injuries —which affect more than 200,000 Americans, with more than 2,500 new cases each year—are the leading cause of paralysis, including paraplegia. The leading causes of spinal cord injuries include:

• Car and motorcycle accidents (38%)
• Falls (30%)
• Violence, the most common source of which is gunshot wounds (14%)
• Sports and recreational activities, with diving accidents leading the way (9%)
• Medical or surgical injuries (5%)

HOW DOES PARAPLEGIA AFFECT THE BODY?

Some of the most common effects of paraplegia include:

• Loss of sensation below the site of the injury. Higher injuries will typically produce greater loss of sensation.
• Phantom sensations in the body, unexplained pain, electrical sensations, or other intermittent feelings in the lower half of the body.
• A decrease in or loss of sexual function, libido, or fertility.
• Difficult with bladder and bowel function.
• Loss of mobility below the waist.
• Changes in mood; depression is common among people with a new paraplegia diagnosis.
• Weight gain, particularly if your caloric intake is not adjusted to account for your reduced activity level.
• Secondary infections in the lower half of the body, particularly bedsores and skin problems.
• Secondary problems at the site of the injury, such as infections or lesions.
• Chronic pain.

HOW PENNSYLVANIA PARAPLEGIA ATTORNEYS CAN HELP

If you or a loved one have suffered or are suffering with paraplegia as a result of someone’s negligence you could receive compensation for all that you have endured. The Pisanchyn Law Firm wants to help you gain some peace of mind after this devastating event. We will stop at nothing to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.

Please, call our Pennsylvania paraplegia lawyers toll free at 1-800-444-5309. We have offices in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Scranton and will travel to you.

To learn more about catastrophic injuries, visit catastrophicallyinjured.com.