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Paraplegia refers to a specific level of paralysis. Individuals who are affected by paraplegia have no movement in their legs, and often limited or no movement in their torso. Paraplegia is caused by spinal cord injury, interrupting signals between the brain and other body parts.
Paraplegia not only paralyzes the lower extremities, but also interrupts sensory messages to the brain. With paraplegia, individuals cannot “feel” their affected body parts, and are generally insensitive to pain or heat. Paraplegia can jeopardize the victim’s health and safety because of this inability to differentiate pain. Paraplegia can also cause phantom pain and heat sensations because of damaged nerves. Like all paralyses, paraplegia significantly impacts the patient’s quality of life. In addition to mobility, paraplegia affects sexual drive and performance, digestive capabilities, bladder control, and numerous other aspects of life.
Paraplegia can be caused by accidents, injuries, or disease. Vertebrae protect the spinal cord; injuries causing paraplegia must be quite traumatic in nature to damage the bone-encased nerves. Traumatic causes of paraplegia include falls, car accidents, sports injuries, and construction or industrial accidents. Some forms of paraplegia are hereditary, while others are caused by disease or a tumor on the spine.
Paraplegia affects hundreds of thousands of Americans. If you or a loved one has paraplegia, you may be entitled to recover medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Attorneys specializing in paraplegia cases may be able to help you learn more about your legal rights.
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