Miami Paralysis Lawyers
Skilled legal help when you experience a spinal cord injury in Florida
A spinal cord injury changes life in an instant. One moment you may be living independently, going to work, or enjoying time with family. Next, you may be facing life with paralysis, needing round-the-clock care, assistive devices, and significant financial resources just to manage everyday tasks. The physical, emotional, and financial toll of a spinal cord injury can be overwhelming. If your paralysis was caused by someone else’s negligence, you have the right to seek compensation and hold the responsible party accountable. At Hickey Law Firm, our experienced Miami paralysis lawyers understand what you’re going through, and we’re ready to fight for you. We provide skilled, compassionate legal help for individuals and families dealing with spinal cord injuries in Florida.
At Hickey Law Firm, our personal injury law firm is respected by former clients, insurance companies, and defense lawyers for our impressive record of settlements and verdicts. The Best Lawyers in America© recognizes John H. (Jack) Hickey in three areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, and Medical Malpractice – Plaintiffs. We are quality over quantity. We don’t have hundreds of lawyers, we have a few. We don’t have thousands of clients, we have a good number. We don’t advertise on TV. We get interviewed on TV ... and in magazines, on radio, in newspapers, and by online media. And we are not for everybody. We are for you, the honest person who was seriously injured.
MAKING OUR WORLD SAFER ONE CASE AT A TIME ®
Frequently Asked Questions
- Understanding paralysis and spinal cord injuries
- What are some common causes of spinal cord injuries in Miami?
- What is the impact of paralysis on a person’s life?
- How can your Miami paralysis lawyers help with my case?
- What is the value of my Miami paralysis claim?
- What is Florida’s statute of limitations for paralysis claims?
- Why do I need an experienced Miami paralysis lawyer?
Understanding paralysis and spinal cord injuries
Paralysis happens when the body loses muscle function in one or more areas. This usually results from damage to the spinal cord, which carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. When the spinal cord is injured, these signals can no longer pass through properly, leading to partial or total loss of movement and sensation.
Paralysis can look different depending on where and how the spinal cord was injured:
- Paraplegia involves loss of movement and feeling in the lower half of the body, typically affecting the legs, pelvis, and lower torso.
- Quadriplegia (or tetraplegia) is a loss of movement and feeling in both the arms and legs, as well as the torso.
- With partial paralysis, some feeling or movement may remain, but full control is lost.
- Complete paralysis involves total loss of movement and sensation below the injury point.
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), there are about 18,000 new spinal cord injuries in the United States every year. Many of these lead to long-term or permanent paralysis.
WHEN PEOPLE NEED A SPECIALIST IN LIFE CHANGING INJURIES,
PEOPLE CHOOSE HICKEY LAW FIRM.
What are some common causes of spinal cord injuries in Miami?
Miami is a large, active city, which unfortunately means that accidents are common. Paralysis injuries can happen in many ways, but some of the most frequent causes include:
- Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of spinal cord injuries. In fact, the Mayo Clinic reports that nearly half of all spinal cord injuries happen in car crashes. These injuries can occur when drivers or passengers suffer severe trauma to the back or neck during a collision. In Miami, with its busy highways, car and truck crashes are a daily risk.
- Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable because they don’t have the same protection as drivers in passenger vehicles. Even with helmets and protective gear, a motorcycle crash can easily lead to spinal cord damage and paralysis.
- Falls are another leading cause of spinal cord injuries, especially among older adults. Poorly maintained sidewalks, wet floors, broken handrails, and unsafe property conditions can lead to serious falls and life-altering injuries.
- Jobs in construction, shipping, and other physically demanding industries put workers at risk for spinal cord injuries. Falls from heights, being struck by heavy equipment, and machinery accidents can all result in paralysis. (In most cases, these injuries are handled through Florida’s workers’ compensation system, but if a third party (such as a subcontractor or equipment manufacturer) was at fault, a personal injury claim may be possible.)
- Contact sports, diving into shallow water, or boating accidents can also cause severe spinal cord damage. Miami’s active outdoor lifestyle means these types of accidents are not uncommon.
- Gunshots, stabbings, and assaults can damage the spine and cause permanent paralysis.
When these injuries happen because someone else was careless, whether it’s a reckless driver, negligent property owner, or unsafe employer, you deserve the chance to pursue justice.
What is the impact of paralysis on a person’s life?
Paralysis affects every part of your life. The challenges go far beyond the physical injury. Many people face the following:
- Spinal cord injuries require emergency care, multiple surgeries, hospital stays, and ongoing rehabilitation, resulting in huge medical bills.
- Everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, driving, and working may require assistance or home modifications.
- It’s common to experience depression, anxiety, and emotional trauma after a life-changing injury.
- Many people are no longer able to return to their previous jobs and may need to seek new employment, if they can work at all.
- Physical limitations and emotional struggles can make it harder to maintain relationships and social activities.
Per the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the estimated lifetime costs for someone living with paraplegia can exceed $2.3 million, and for someone with quadriplegia, those costs can be even higher. These are not small burdens. That’s why it’s so important to have a skilled Miami paralysis lawyer on your side to help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
How can your Miami paralysis lawyers help with my case?
At Hickey Law Firm, we are passionate about standing up for people whose lives have been turned upside down by catastrophic injuries. When you work with us, we take the following actions:
- We gather evidence, review accident reports, talk to witnesses, and consult with medical experts to understand exactly what happened and who is at fault.
- Whether it’s a careless driver, a property owner, an employer, or a product manufacturer, we make sure all liable parties are held accountable.
- We partner with life-care planners, vocational specialists, and economists to determine the full extent of your injury’s impact on your life and your future.
- Insurance companies often try to offer low settlements that don’t come close to covering your needs. We fight to make sure you’re treated fairly.
- If a fair settlement isn’t offered, we’re ready to take your case to court. We have the trial experience and resources to stand up to large insurance companies and win.
Our goal is to secure the financial recovery you need to move forward in your life with dignity and security.
What is the value of my Miami paralysis claim?
In a paralysis injury claim, you may be entitled to compensation for a wide range of damages, including:
- Current and future hospital bills, surgeries, rehabilitation, home care, and assistive devices like wheelchairs and lifts.
- Income lost due to time away from work.
- Loss of future earning capacity, if you are unable to return to your previous job or cannot work at all.
- Pain and suffering takes into account your physical pain, emotional distress, and the impact on your quality of life.
- Costs for installing ramps, stair lifts, wider doorways, and other necessary home adjustments.
- Expenses for in-home care or long-term assisted living.
- Compensation for the inability to participate in activities you once loved.
- Loss of companionship, if your injury has affected your relationship with your spouse or family.
We carefully calculate all these damages to make sure you are fully covered, not just for now but for the rest of your life.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY.
Large enough to handle the most catastrophic injuries. Small enough to provide quality, focused representation. Some firms say they are for everyone. We are not. We are for you, the person suffering from life-changing injuries.
What is Florida’s statute of limitations for paralysis claims?
In Florida, personal injury claims generally must be filed within two years of the date of the accident. If you wait too long, you could lose your right to pursue compensation. However, there can be exceptions, especially in cases involving minors or when the injury wasn’t discovered right away. The sooner you contact a Miami paralysis lawyer, the better. It allows us to collect fresh evidence, interview witnesses, and build the strongest possible case for you.
Any statements here or on our website are a broad brush overview of only some of the time limits. This is not intended to be legal advice. And these generalizations are no substitute for advice from a lawyer on what is the deadline for filing suit. Generally, the statute of limitations for state court non-maritime actions in Florida is two years. And there are deadlines for other claims which are too numerous to describe or even list here.
Why do I need an experienced Miami paralysis lawyer?
Paralysis cases are complex. They require a deep understanding of medical issues, long-term care costs, and the unique challenges spinal cord injury survivors face. Insurance companies will often try to minimize payouts in these high-value cases.
At Hickey Law Firm, we have the knowledge, experience, and resources to fight for you. We know how to calculate future medical costs, we know how to work with the right experts, and we know how to hold negligent parties accountable in court. We also know that this is one of the hardest times in your life. Our team is here to support you with compassion and respect every step of the way. We treat our clients like family and make sure you’re never left in the dark about your case.
Compassionate Miami paralysis lawyers on your side
If you or someone you love has experienced a spinal cord injury that led to paralysis in Miami or anywhere in Florida, you don’t have to face this battle alone. The experienced Miami paralysis lawyers at Hickey Law Firm are ready to help you get the justice and compensation you deserve. We offer free consultations, and you don’t pay us anything unless we win your case. We’re here to fight for you, and we’re ready to start now. Call our offices or fill out our contact form to schedule your consultation today.