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Oregon Quadriplegia Lawyers - Bend/Portland, OR
Quadriplegia, or tetraplegia, is paralysis that results in an incomplete or complete loss of use of all four limbs and the torso. This is different than paraplegia which only affects the legs, or monoplegia which only affects one limb. Quadriplegia could be caused by several different illnesses or injuries, including Oregon medical malpractice. In fact, spinal cord injuries are one of the most common causes of quadriplegia. According to government-funded research, there are about 17,700 new spinal cord injury cases each year. Approximately 59% of all spinal cord injuries are incomplete or complete quadriplegia. Victims of medical malpractice which resulted in any type of paralysis, especially quadriplegia or tetraplegia, should ask our Oregon quadriplegia lawyers for a free case evaluation to learn what their rights to compensation may be.
What is Quadriplegia?
Quadriplegia is the paralysis of all four limbs and the toro. While there are many causes of paralysis, spinal cord injuries are the most common. The spinal cord is encased in the vertebrae which make your spine and connect to the base of your head. The brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system and function as a supercomputer and high-speed roadway to sending and receiving signals. When the spinal cord is injured, it can disrupt these signals. The higher up on the spine that the spinal cord is injured, such as in a person’s neck or upper shoulders, the more likely that a victim will sustain quadriplegic injuries.
There are two types of quadriplegia. The first is an incomplete quadriplegia which is when there is partial damage to the spinal cord. According to the same government-funded research, this accounts for approximately 47.2% of all quadriplegic cases. This damage results in some either some ability to move, sense, or otherwise function, but not full control. Sometimes a victim may only have partial sensation or movement, whereas other times a victim may only have sensation or only movement.
The second type is complete quadriplegia. According to the same research, this is approximately 11.5% of all quadriplegic cases. This is where the spinal cord has been so irreparably injured that there is no remaining function or sensation because of a total severance. This means that messages from the body under the area of damage are not getting to the brain, and the brain’s messages cannot get to that part of the body under the damage. Complete quadriplegia is a catastrophic and devastating injury which may only leave a victim with the ability to control his or her head and possible portions of his or her neck, upper shoulders/chest.
Quadriplegia can also be classified by the level of damage. A case of high quadriplegia means that the injury is in the first four vertebrae of the neck. This means much more of the body is blocked from proper functioning. A case of low quadriplegia is in the last four vertebrae in the neck, which allows for more functioning but still blocks proper functioning for most of the body.
Costs of Quadriplegia
Quadriplegia is a very devastating injury. It is also a very costly injury. According to research, the average yearly costs of healthcare, living expenses, and lifetime costs directly attributed to quadriplegia is approximately the following:
Average Yearly Costs:
- Low quadriplegia costs – first year $796,583, and $117,437 each year thereafter; and
- High quadriplegia costs – first year $1,102,403 and $191,436 each year thereafter.
Estimated Lifetime Cost by Age of Injury at 25 years old
- Low quadriplegia – $3,573,960; and
- High quadriplegia – $4,891,398.
Estimated Lifetime Costs by Age of Injury at 50 years old
- Low quadriplegia – $2,298,305; and
- High quadriplegia – $2,,688,229.
Causes of Quadriplegia Due to Oregon Medical Malpractice
When Oregon medical malpractice causes quadriplegic injuries or tetraplegia, it is due to either an overt act which was reckless or careless, or an omission which was negligent such as delaying in diagnosing a condition. The most common spinal cord injuries due to medical errors and mistakes are due to spinal surgeries, including discectomies, spinal fusions, and other back surgeries. These are naturally more likely to result in quadriplegic injuries because of the close proximity which the surgeon is working to the spinal cord.
In addition, the most common causes for quadriplegic injuries due to medical errors includes the following:
- Surgical errors;
- Anesthesia mistakes;
- Failure to diagnose an illness damaging the spinal cord;
- Hospital falls;
- Medication errors, including chemotherapy;
- Hospital imaging equipment errors, such as equipment falling on patients;
- Falls during transfers;
- Improper and dangerous pain management injections;
- Wrong patient surgeries or wrong site surgeries; and
- Many other causes.
Bend/Portland, Oregon Lawyers
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
We handle cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, and Hillsboro.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.
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