Tetraplegia / Quadriplegia Lawyers in Georgia & South Carolina
Tetraplegia — also known as quadriplegia — is the most severe form of spinal cord injury, resulting in partial or total paralysis of all four limbs, the trunk, and often the respiratory system. It occurs when the cervical (neck) region of the spinal cord is damaged, disrupting nerve signals from the brain to the entire body below the neck. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center reports that cervical injuries account for approximately 60% of all spinal cord injuries, making tetraplegia the most common outcome of traumatic SCI.
At Roden Law, our tetraplegia lawyers handle the most catastrophic injury cases across Georgia and South Carolina. We understand that tetraplegia cases demand the highest level of legal representation because the stakes — lifetime care costing millions of dollars — are enormous.
Levels of Tetraplegia
The severity of tetraplegia depends on which cervical vertebra is injured:
- C1-C3 (high tetraplegia): Paralysis from the neck down, typically requiring a ventilator for breathing, 24-hour attendant care, and power wheelchair with head or chin control
- C4: Some shoulder and neck movement, ventilator dependence in many cases, power wheelchair with head control
- C5: Shoulder and biceps function, some ability to bend elbows, power wheelchair with hand control possible
- C6: Wrist extension (allowing some gripping with adaptive devices), greater independence with adaptive equipment
- C7-C8: Increasing arm and hand function, potential for some independent transfers and self-care with modifications
Even the least severe forms of tetraplegia (C7-C8) result in significant impairment compared to paraplegia, because hand dexterity and grip strength are compromised.
Lifetime Care Costs
Tetraplegia imposes the highest lifetime costs of any injury. The NSCISC estimates:
- High tetraplegia (C1-C4): Over $5.1 million in lifetime costs for a person injured at age 25, with first-year costs exceeding $1.1 million
- Low tetraplegia (C5-C8): Approximately $3.8 million lifetime, with first-year costs around $830,000
These figures cover direct medical costs only and do not include lost wages, pain and suffering, or loss of enjoyment of life. Our attorneys work with life care planners and economists to document the full financial impact, which often exceeds the NSCISC estimates when all damages are included.
Common Causes of Tetraplegia
Tetraplegia results from trauma to the cervical spine:
- Car and truck accidents: The leading cause — high-speed frontal and rear-end collisions cause hyperflexion and hyperextension of the neck
- Diving accidents: Striking the bottom of a pool, lake, or ocean in shallow water — a leading cause in young adults
- Falls: Falls from height landing on the head or neck
- Motorcycle crashes: Ejection or impact causing cervical fracture-dislocation
- Sports injuries: Football, rugby, gymnastics, and equestrian accidents
- Medical negligence: Surgical errors during cervical spine procedures or failure to diagnose cervical instability after trauma
When tetraplegia results from another party’s negligence, the victim has the right to pursue full compensation under Georgia and South Carolina personal injury law.
Pursuing Maximum Compensation
Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-4) allows recovery of all damages naturally flowing from the injury. In tetraplegia cases, this includes millions in future medical care, 24-hour attendant care, respiratory equipment and management, adaptive technology, home modifications for full accessibility, wheelchair-accessible vehicle with driver adaptations, lost lifetime earnings, and compensation for extraordinary pain, suffering, and loss of life’s pleasures.
Georgia’s comparative fault rule (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33) allows recovery if less than 50% at fault. South Carolina’s threshold is 51%.
Filing Deadlines
Georgia’s 2-year statute of limitations (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33) and South Carolina’s 3-year limit (S.C. Code § 15-3-530) apply. Tetraplegia cases are among the most complex in personal injury law and require substantial preparation — contact an attorney immediately.
