Nassau County Paralysis Injury Attorney

doctor holding a patients leg to see if they have paralysis

Paralysis impacts not only your health but all aspects of your life. If you have been paralyzed in an accident caused by another person’s negligence, the law entitles you to substantial compensation. Kohan Law Group of Manhasset, New York is dedicated to making sure you receive it. If you live in Nassau or Suffolk County or within the five boroughs of New York City, contact us as soon as you are able so we can begin fighting to secure your future.

The Effects of Paralysis on Your Daily Routine

Even if your paralysis is partial, depending on its location and severity, it will impact your daily routine by:

  • Impairing your mobility
  • Necessitating ongoing medical care and possible use of assistive devices
  • Requiring alterations to make your home accessible
  • Using replacement services (e.g. for cleaning, cooking, driving)
  • Preventing you from working
  • Interfering with your breathing, urinary or bowel function
  • Making you dependent on caregivers

Paralysis is incredibly costly in terms of physical restrictions, emotional distress, and financial challenges. In most cases, paralysis is the result of a spinal cord injury and is devastating to a person. At Kohan Law Group, we are well aware of this. We will evaluate your case at no cost and will charge you no attorneys’ fees until we recover damages.

Common Causes of Paralysis

In most cases, paralysis is caused by a sudden blow to or severance of the spinal cord. Such an injury can happen in many ways, including:

  • Premises liability — slip and fall accidents, dog bites, faulty road maintenance
  • Traffic accidents — cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians
  • Medical malpractice  — surgical errors, birth injuries
  • Product malfunction — of a surgical tool, electrical device, or vehicle

Regardless of the circumstances that resulted in your paralysis, if another party was even partially responsible, our paralysis attorneys will work tirelessly to hold them accountable and negotiate the best possible settlement for you and your family. 

Paralysis Injuries Are Not All the Same

Classified by the degree of limb impairment as complete or incomplete, paralysis injuries involve both sensory and motor components. In other words, you may experience a loss of sensation and an inability to control body movements, depending on where the spinal cord injury occurred on your body. Depending on how much of your body is paralyzed, your injury may be called either paraplegia or quadriplegia.

Paraplegia is the loss of use of limbs and extremities below the waist. It also affects the nerves of the torso, legs, and pelvic organs. Usually, this is caused by a spinal cord injury in the lower part of the back. Patients who suffer from paraplegia injuries typically require surgery, physical therapy, and lifelong medical care. While some paraplegics become quite independent, most may need to rely on caregivers for some assistance with their everyday routine.

Quadriplegia is the loss of use of limbs and extremities below the neck, so it affects the arms, hands, torso, pelvic organs, and legs. Quadriplegic injuries are life-threatening and usually require surgery with ongoing medical treatment. Quadriplegics (though their minds remain strong) cannot function independently and may have to receive medical assistance to breathe. 

Today, paralysis injuries are irreversible. Nonetheless, research teams are hard at work developing experimental treatments, some using stem cells, that may potentially restore mobility to paralyzed patients in the future. For now, if you or a loved one has been paralyzed due to someone else’s negligence, your best option is to engage the services of an excellent paralysis attorney.

Paralysis Results in Complications Throughout the Body

Because paralysis is a catastrophic personal injury, it may affect almost every part of the body. Being paralyzed not only prevents mobility but may have ongoing consequences as it persists, such as:

  • Muscle atrophy
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Pressure ulcers (bed sores)
  • Constipation and hemorrhoids
  • Sexual dysfunction

Learning to cope with such an overwhelming array of medical, emotional, and logistical problems cannot be done without professional help and financial resources. This is why our paralysis attorneys are here to provide you with forceful, supportive legal representation. 

How Kohan Law Group Will Help

Our paralysis attorneys will protect your right to just compensation by:

  • Communicating directly with opposing attorneys and insurance adjusters
  • Investigating the site of your accident and any available surveillance videos
  • Examining police reports and medical reports
  • Investigating the defendant’s history of any similar negligence or misconduct
  • Interviewing witnesses, including the defendant 
  • Subpoenaing smartphone records if the defendant is accused of distracted driving
  • Consulting with medical experts who will be able to testify in court on your behalf

Though most paralysis cases are settled through negotiations, our lawyers are well-prepared for litigation if it becomes necessary.

Damages We Will Fight to Recover

At Kohan Law Group, we will examine your medical records carefully and calculate how much money you and your family will require to see you through this ordeal. Then we skillfully negotiate to help you receive maximum compensation for economic and non-economic losses:

Economic Damages will cover out-of-pocket expenses, such as:

  • Medical, rehabilitative, and pharmaceutical expenses
  • Lost income (present and future)
  • Long-term nursing care
  • Alterations to make your home accessible
  • Replacement services

Non-Economic Damages will cover intangibles, like:

  • Physical pain 
  • Emotional suffering
  • Disfigurement
  • Permanent disability
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

Even if you are partially responsible for your own injury, for example, if you were speeding when another car crashed into you or if you were wearing inappropriate footwear when you tripped on a slippery surface, we may still be able to recover damages. 

Comparative Negligence in New York State

Because New York adheres to the principle of pure comparative negligence, even if you bear most of the fault for the accident, we can still recover damages. 

The only catch is that the court will assign you and the defendant percentages of fault and your percentage will be deducted from the settlement. So, if you are awarded $1 million in damages and you are found to be 20 percent at fault, you will actually receive $800,000.

Contact Our Experienced Paralysis Attorneys Today for the Support You Need

No one can carry the burden of paralysis alone. We are here to relieve you by taking over legal and logistical matters while you adjust to your new normal. We will stand by you and your loved ones and fight tooth and nail to bring you the funds you need to restart your life in comfort and security. Contact our office today for a consultation!

Kohan Law Group represents paralysis victims throughout Nassau County as well as in New York City, including Queens and Brooklyn, from their Manhasset office in North Hempstead.