Locked-in syndrome happens when a person loses almost all motor functions while retaining nearly all cognitive functions. In Jacksonville, FL, this condition typically results from a disease or a traumatic brain injury that affects the brain stem. Therapy may help some patients, but the patient will probably require lifelong care and treatment.
Fortunately, when your loved one suffers from locked-in syndrome due to another’s actions, such as through abuse at a nursing home, a Jacksonville locked-in syndrome lawyer from Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers can help. Contact our law offices today in Jacksonville, Florida, for a free consultation. Call us at (904) 736-7946 for more help.
How Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help if Your Loved One Is Suffering From Locked-In Syndrome in Jacksonville
For the last 12 years, Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers has helped clients in Jacksonville, Florida, fight for fair compensation from those responsible for causing their injuries. Our Jacksonville nursing home abuse lawyers have over 80 years of combined legal experience and have recovered tens of millions of dollars in life-changing compensation for injured people and their families.
When you or a loved one suffers an injury or disease due to a preventable cause, our law firm can provide the following services:
- Review your case and explain your options for seeking compensation
- Gather evidence, including contacting experts to provide a medical analysis
- File an insurance claim and negotiate with adjusters to settle it
- Litigate against at-fault parties that refuse to enter into settlements
Locked-in syndrome is one of the most catastrophic conditions a person can suffer. Contact Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers to discuss how your loved one’s condition occurred and what we can do to recover compensation for them today.
How Many Cases of Locked-In Syndrome Have Occurred?
Locked-in syndrome is rare. According to the U.S. government, fewer than 1,000 people in the country have this condition.
This total includes all patients who have one of three forms associated with the condition. In the pure form, the patient loses all voluntary motor functions except eye movement. An incomplete form deprives the patient of most motor functions but leaves them with some voluntary motor movements. Patients with the total form have no voluntary motor functions.
The Role of a Locked-In Syndrome Lawyer
A locked-in syndrome lawyer helps the family or the guardian appointed by a court for someone with locked-in syndrome. The attorney analyzes the causes of the person’s condition to determine whether any person or business bears liability for the condition. Once they determine liability, the attorney develops a strategy to recover fair compensation from the at-fault party.
Identifying Parties Responsible for Locked-In Syndrome
Locked-in syndrome results from damage to the pons, a structure in the brainstem. As the name suggests, the brainstem sits at the base of the brain and coordinates the transfer of signals between the brain and spinal cord.
Since the spinal cord carries the control signals for virtually all voluntary movements below the neck, the patient can become totally paralyzed when this area is damaged.
However, cranial nerves connect the brain to the head and vital organs. Two nerve pairs responsible for vision and smell run directly from the main part of the brain called the cerebrum. The other cranial nerves pass through the brainstem. This explains why most people with locked-in syndrome retain eye movement but lose facial and jaw movements.
Locked-in syndrome can happen when any of the following affects the brainstem:
- Infection
- Tumor
- Traumatic brain injury
- Demyelination
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Cocaine use
Not all cases of locked-in syndrome will support a personal injury claim. Many of these causes happen outside anyone’s control.
However, sometimes, you can trace your loved one’s condition to a preventable cause, such as:
- An accident
- Nursing home abuse and neglect
- Medical malpractice
- Toxic exposure
When a person’s brain condition results from any of these causes, a locked-in syndrome lawyer may have grounds to pursue an injury claim.
Fighting for Compensation
A claim for locked-in syndrome could take two forms. First, the claim may assert that someone’s negligence caused a brain injury that produced locked-in syndrome.
For example, suppose that your loved one developed locked-in syndrome after a car accident caused when another driver ran a stop sign. Your loved one’s lawyer can file an injury claim with the at-fault driver’s auto insurer.
Second, a claim can assert strict liability. This doctrine applies to product liability cases against manufacturers of defective products. Thus, your loved one might have a claim against the manufacturer of a pesticide that caused a cancerous tumor to grow on their brainstem, producing locked-in syndrome.
If your lawyer proves liability, they can seek compensation for economic and non-economic losses. Economic losses include all the financial costs of the condition, including medical expenses and income losses. Non-economic losses represent pain and suffering and other related losses due to the condition.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Jacksonville Locked-In Syndrome Lawyers
Patients with locked-in syndrome can face enormous losses and challenges for years to come. The award-winning legal team at Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers has a proven track record for exceptional service and results, and we are committed to helping you fight for your family’s future. Contact our Jacksonville locked-in syndrome attorneys to schedule a free consultation to get started today.
