• Quadriplegia Information
• Quadriplegia Causes
• Quadriplegia Prevention
• Quadriplegia Spastic
• Quadriplegia Treatment
• Legal Rights



Quadriplegia Information

Quadriplegia Information is a condition in which victims have lost sensation and mobility in both their lower and upper body. Because it affects all four extremities, the condition can also be referred to as tetraplegia.

Quadriplegia is most often the result of a serious spinal cord injury due to an accident or act of violence. While car accidents are the leading cause of quadriplegia, paralysis resulting from violence, such as gunshots, is on the rise. Falls and sports-related injuries also lead to quadriplegia.

Each year, roughly 11,000 people are affected by spinal cord injury, with 47 percent leading to quadriplegia. Approximately 250,000 Americans are currently living with paralysis. More than 80 percent of spinal cord injury victims are male; the average age of quadriplegia victim is 32.

The spinal cord is referred to as the pathway between the brain and the body. When the spinal cord is damaged, the transmission of information between the brain and the body parts it controls is disrupted. The spinal cord is divided into five sections: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal regions. The level of injury determines the extent of paralysis, with loss of sensation and mobility usually occurring below the site of the injury. Therefore, quadriplegia occurs when there is damage to the upper portion of the spinal cord, or the cervical and thoracic regions.


Quadriplegia can be defined as both complete and incomplete. Complete refers to total loss of sensation and bodily function below the injury level; incomplete injuries refer to partial loss, and are more common than complete injuries. Although the spinal cord can be severely damaged, it is rarely fully severed.

The related effects of quadriplegia not only refer to loss of mobility in the arms and legs, but also to the loss of function in a number of bodily systems. Breathing, bowel and bladder control are often limited or completely lost in victims of quadriplegia, and pain, muscle spasms and sexual dysfunction also often occur. Complications of quadriplegia can also lead to secondary medical problems, such as bladder infections, lung infections and skin lesions.

Although quadriplegia is usually caused by accidents, it can also be the result of poliomyelitis, a viral infection, or metabolic diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease), which affect the neurons in the entire spinal cord; hereditary conditions, such as cephalic disorders and spastic quadriplegia; or brain damage from cerebral palsy, stroke or head trauma.

If you or a loved one has quadriplegia, you may be entitled to recover medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Please fill out the Quadriplegia Form below and a qualified attorney will be in contact with you shortly.

Quadriplegia Causes

There are a variety of common causes for quadriplegia. Quadriplegia is often the result of traumatic injury to the spinal cord. Quadriplegia is the medical term used to define paralysis which affects the lower extremities, upper extremities, and most, or all, of the trunk from the neck down. Quadriplegic paralysis can be complete or incomplete, depending on the extent and severity of spinal nerve damage. Incomplete paralysis means that a person may still retain some sensation and functioning in the affected areas. Complete paralysis means that a person has no feeling or functioning in the affected parts of the body.

There are a few common causes for quadriplegia. Motor vehicle accidents account for fifty five percent of all the causes for quadriplegia. Falls account for approximately fifteen percent of all quadriplegia cases. Sports injuries and medical conditions account for about one-quarter of all the causes for quadriplegia. Of the sports injuries that cause spinal cord damage, approximately ninety percent are the causes of quadriplegia. Violence is another one of the major causes for quadriplegia. An astoundingly estimated fifteen percent of all causes for quadriplegia are the result of gunshot wounds and other forms of physical violence.

Regardless of the causes for quadriplegia, all injuries that result in quadriplegia are usually quite serious and result in extensive temporary or permanent paralysis and disability. Less than one percent of quadriplegics fully recover from their injuries. The longer that a person suffers the serious symptoms of quadriplegia, the less likely they are to recover. The sector of the population most likely to suffer from the causes for quadriplegia is males (82 percent of all cases) between the ages of sixteen to twenty-five (61 percent of all cases). Approximately eight to twelve thousand people each year in the United States suffer injuries that are the causes for quadriplegia.

In addition to losing feeling in the affected areas, quadriplegia can also impair or eliminate functioning in the organs and other body parts. People with quadriplegia often experience a loss of bladder and bowel control and sexual dysfunction. People who have endured the causes for quadriplegia may have difficulty breathing or no longer be able to breathe without assistance. Low blood pressure may also be a problem for quadriplegics.

There are medical methods available to treat the symptoms and causes for quadriplegia. Surgery on the spinal cord is not an option though surgery may be necessary to stabilize the spine, facilitate movement, or fit a ventilator. A team of professionals can develop a rehabilitation plan in order to assist a quadriplegic patient and facilitate improvement of an individual’s impairments. Bowel and bladder programs, mechanical support devices, medications, and a variety of therapies can all be utilized to treat a patient with quadriplegia.

If you or a loved one has quadriplegia, you may be entitled to recover medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Please fill out the Quadriplegia Form below and a qualified attorney will be in contact with you shortly.






Quadriplegia Prevention

Quadriplegia refers to a loss of sensation and movement in the upper and lower body, usually caused by a spinal cord injury or illness. Most often, spinal cord injury that causes quadriplegia is the result of a car accident, fall, act of violence or sports incident. Therefore, the primary concern in preventing quadriplegia usually involves taking preventive measures to ensure such accidents do not occur.

It is estimated that 11,000 people sustain spinal cord injuries each year. Of these, 47 percent - nearly half - lose mobility in all four limbs, becoming quadriplegic. There is no known cure for quadriplegia, and the majority of sufferers never regain full use of all four limbs. Because the population most at risk for spinal cord injuries is young males ages 15 to 30, education about the risks of careless behavior is a method of preventing quadriplegia among high school and college age students. Education about the risks of careless driving - in cars, motorcycles and even bicycles - can alert students to the physical, emotional and financial repercussions of spinal cord injury.

Preventing quadriplegia also means acknowledging the rise in violent acts that lead to spinal cord injury. Wounds from violence, such as gunshots and assaults, are the second-leading cause of paralysis. In preventing violence, educators, parents, law enforcement and counselors are also preventing quadriplegia.

Quadriplegia that occurs as the result of an illness or infection could be the result of a doctor's malpractice. For example, complications during pregnancy or birth can lead to neurological defects, which may result in quadriplegia. Preventing quadriplegia in these instances requires extensive knowledge on the part of the medical personnel attending to the pregnant woman or the newborn.

Once a spinal cord injury or illness is sustained, it is again up to medical personnel to assist in preventing quadriplegia from occurring as a result. While paralyzing damage is almost instant in a spinal cord injury - the spinal cord swells within minutes - specialized medical training for teams who arrive at the scene of an accident could reduce or halt the progression of the disability, thus preventing quadriplegia in the accident victim. The most important factor in preventing quadriplegia in an accident victim is the care taken in moving the victim to the hospital. People with spinal cord damage should be treated as if any movement could result in significant damage.

If all efforts in preventing quadriplegia fail, and complete paralysis occurs, preventing quadriplegia complications becomes of great importance. Quadriplegia complications include bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction, skin sores and respiratory problems. Because respiratory complications, especially pneumonia, are the leading cause of death for people with quadriplegia, preventing these complications is essential. When quadriplegia requires the use of a ventilator, it is imperative that patients be monitored for respiratory ailments and treated with antibiotics if symptoms appear.

If you or a loved one has quadriplegia, you may be entitled to recover medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Please fill out the Quadriplegia Form below and a qualified attorney will be in contact with you shortly.





Quadriplegia Spastic

Quadriplegia refers to loss of sensation and mobility in both the upper and lower body, usually due to a spinal cord injury or illness. Spastic quadriplegia occurs when all four limbs are affected with increased tone, decreased movements and brisk reflexes. It is also often associated with mental retardation, visual problems and hearing impairment.

Complications of spastic quadriplegia include dysfunction of the muscles of the mouth and tongue, seizures, increased risk for cognitive difficulties, bowel and bladder dysfunction, scoliosis, hip dislocation, tooth decay and skin sores.

Spastic quadriplegia is most often associated with cerebral palsy, a condition in which faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain impairs the body's ability to control movement and posture. Cerebral palsy is neither contagious nor inherited, but it does have several known causes, most of which occur during pregnancy or birth.

Between 10 and 20 percent of all cases of cerebral palsy occur after birth, typically from brain damage sustained in the first few months or years of life. This brain damage can be the result of brain infections, such as meningitis or encephalitis, or head trauma from a fall, accident or inflicted injury (shaken baby syndrome).

Up to 43 percent of cerebral palsy cases result in spastic quadriplegia. Most likely, spastic quadriplegia is the result of infections or complications during pregnancy or birth. Spastic quadriplegia occurs when there is deprivation of oxygen (asphyxia) to the brain during labor and/or delivery. When this birth asphyxia is severe or occurs for a lengthy period of time, it can result in brain damage called hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, which causes infant death or paralysis.

Spastic quadriplegia can often be the result of mistakes made by doctors during the birthing process or can be caused by conditions that were present during pregnancy but were left untreated. A lawyer will be able to help you determine if malpractice is involved in your case.

If you or a loved one has quadriplegia, you may be entitled to recover medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Please fill out the Quadriplegia Form below and a qualified attorney will be in contact with you shortly.






Quadriplegia Treatment

Quadriplegia treatment is catered to the specific needs of each patient and often depends on the nature and severity of a person’s condition. Quadriplegia treatment generally addresses a patient’s loss of functioning and feeling in certain areas of the body, loss or impairments in organ functioning, the pain associated with quadriplegia, emotional and cognitive health, skin care, and other related needs.

Quadriplegia treatment should be administered by professionals who specialize in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with quadriplegia. There are special medical facilities throughout the United States that offer specialized quadriplegia treatment services. Early and proper quadriplegia treatment is necessary to ensure the greatest degree of success in rehabilitation. Quadriplegia treatment begins immediately following a traumatic event that causes injury to the spinal cord. Such traumatic events can include traffic accidents, slip and fall incidents, sports injuries, medical conditions (such as tumors), and violence.

Quadriplegia treatment typically involves a host of professionals who specialize in certain areas of quadriplegia treatment services. A treatment coordinator (often a physician) typically oversees a person’s quadriplegia treatment. Depending on a person’s needs, the following professionals can facilitate quadriplegia treatment: nurses, social workers, neurologists, psychologists, physical and occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, bowel and bladder specialists, speech pathologists, surgical specialists, and others. Family and friends also play an important role in the facilitation of quadriplegia treatment.

Surgical quadriplegia treatment cannot be performed on the spinal cord itself; however, there are surgical procedures that can be used in quadriplegia treatment. Surgery can be performed in order to stabilize and support the bones in the spine. Surgery can also be incorporated into quadriplegia treatment in order to use pieces of equipment that can help a patient move better. When a patient’s breathing is impaired, surgery can also be performed to install a ventilator or phrenic nerve pacer that will aid in breathing.

In addition to surgery, quadriplegia treatment also might include therapy to rehabilitate a patient towards re-mastery of daily living skills such as dressing, walking, eating, using mechanical support equipment, and other tasks. Physical therapy quadriplegia treatment works to keep muscles strong and joints limber. Mental health quadriplegia treatment is also important to address the psychological well being of patients with quadriplegia.

Quadriplegia treatment may be necessary for months following a traumatic injury which can extend into years or a whole lifetime. The cost of quadriplegia treatment can be quite high in total. In many cases, a person suffers quadriplegia as a result of an incident that was caused or contributed to by another party. If this is the case, this person may be held liable for the costs of quadriplegia treatment, related medical expenses, loss of income, disability, and psychological suffering.

If you or a loved one has quadriplegia, you may be entitled to recover medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Please fill out the Quadriplegia Form below and a qualified attorney will be in contact with you shortly.







Legal Rights

In many of these instances, insurance companies and negligent parties may be able to provide substantial compensation for these injuries. People injured because of a negligent act have the right to seek legal assistance to help defray medical bills, compensate for pain and suffering and provide for future lost income.

Any person who has suffered a spinal cord injury should get a legal evaluation as soon as possible after the accident. The legal consultation is critical because you need to find out what help you may be entitled to. Even an accident that appears to be no one's fault could still result in a recovery. Since the injuries are so severe, the damage claims will often exceed the amount of available insurance coverage. The injured person needs an intelligent, investigative attorney who will find all coverage and who is able to devise theories to involve other parties potentially at fault for the injury. For example in the case of a violent crime, the victim may be able to recover from the owner of the property for failure to provide adequate security.

Conversely, if the available insurance coverage is adequate (in the case of a several million dollar policy) the company will have much more of an incentive to fight the claims (to avoid paying large sums to the injured person) and the attorney will need to be an experienced trial lawyer. As with any case time is critical, as time goes on, you may lose some of your rights and it will greatly help your case to begin evidence collection and take information immediately after the accident or as soon as possible thereafter.

If you or a loved one has quadriplegia, you may be entitled to recover medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Please fill out the Quadriplegia Form below and a qualified attorney will be in contact with you shortly.






Quadriplegia Form

For a free analysis of your Quadriplegia Accident , please fill out this Confidential Questionnaire. This form does not constitute an attorney-client relationship between you and the firm.


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