3 Common Injuries That Cause Paralysis in Texas

Legally Reviewed by Dale R. Rose, J.D. on July 27, 2026

Paralysis takes away a person’s ability to move or feel part of the body, and it often changes daily life within seconds. Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and nerve damage are the three injuries most likely to cause paralysis after a Texas accident, and each one disrupts the signals your nervous system sends between your brain and your muscles. The severity and location of the injury determine whether paralysis is partial or complete, and temporary or permanent.

At Dale Rose, PLLC, we work with Texas families who are adjusting to a paralysis diagnosis caused by someone else’s carelessness. A catastrophic injury attorney can help you understand what your diagnosis means for your medical care, your finances, and your legal options, and our firm has spent nearly three decades handling serious injury claims across North Texas.

What Is Paralysis?

Paralysis is the loss of voluntary muscle function in part or all of the body. It happens when damage to the brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerves interrupts the signals that normally travel between your brain and your muscles. Depending on where the damage occurs, paralysis may affect one limb, one side of the body, both legs, or all four limbs and the torso.

Paraplegia refers to paralysis of the lower body, typically from an injury to the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral spine. Quadriplegia, also called tetraplegia, affects all four limbs and the torso and usually stems from an injury higher on the cervical spine. Paralysis can also be partial, meaning some muscle control remains, or complete, meaning none does.

What Are the Common Injuries That Cause Paralysis in Texas?

Nerve cells throughout your body connect to the spinal cord, which feeds into the brain, forming a communication network that lets you move and feel. When an accident damages part of that network, the signals that control movement or sensation can no longer get through. Three injuries are responsible for most paralysis cases we see in North Texas.

• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Nerve damage

According to the United Spinal Association, 39.8% of spinal cord injuries happen because of vehicle accidents, and falls account for the second-largest share at 31.8 percent, with medical causes and surgery responsible for about 4.3 percent. More recent data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center’s 2025 facts and figures report confirms that vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of new spinal cord injuries nationwide, followed closely by falls. Car crashes, commercial truck wrecks, and the kind of collisions we cover in our guide to who is responsible for a motorcycle accident in Texas are among the leading vehicle-related causes we see in North Texas. Off-road wrecks, including the types of injuries sustained in ATV accidents in Texas, add another layer of risk on rural roads and ranch land.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries interrupt the pathway nerve cells use to send signals up to the brain and back down to the body. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, a person may experience paraplegia, quadriplegia, or a partial loss of movement and sensation below the injury site.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Brainline, an organization that provides information about traumatic brain injuries, reports that falls are the leading cause of TBI-related emergency department visits for most age groups, while motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of TBI-related hospitalizations for adolescents and adults age 15 to 44. Unlike spinal cord injuries, brain injuries interrupt communication between the brain and muscles, often causing paralysis on one side of the body. If you are weighing a brain injury lawsuit, our firm can walk you through what a claim involves and what evidence typically supports it.

Nerve Damage

Nerve damage, sometimes called peripheral neuropathy when it involves nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, can cause paralysis in a smaller, more localized area of the body. This type of injury often results from crush injuries, severe lacerations, or prolonged pressure on a nerve, and recovery depends heavily on whether the nerve fiber itself was severed or only compressed.

Symptoms of Paralysis to Watch For

Paralysis symptoms vary depending on what part of the nervous system was damaged and how severely. Some symptoms appear immediately after an accident, while others develop gradually over the following hours or days, which is one reason prompt medical evaluation matters so much. We cover this in more detail in our article on reasons to seek medical attention as soon as possible after a car accident, since a delay in treatment can affect both your health and your claim.

Warning signs of a spinal cord injury include pain or pressure in the head, neck, or back, loss of movement, weakness, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, an oddly positioned spine or head, difficulty breathing, trouble walking, and loss of bladder or bowel control. Brain injury symptoms often look different and can include stiff or tight muscles, permanent muscle tightening, difficulty lifting the foot while walking, and trouble swallowing. Symptoms frequently appear on only one side of the body when the injury originates in the brain rather than the spinal cord.

How Negligence Leads to Paralysis Injuries

Many paralysis injuries result from someone else’s carelessness rather than pure accident. A driver who runs a red light, a trucking company that ignores maintenance requirements, or a property owner who fails to fix a hazard can all set the stage for a catastrophic injury. When a property owner does not address a wet floor, broken stair, or poorly lit walkway, a resulting fall can cause the same kind of spinal cord damage as a serious car crash.

If you were hurt on someone else’s property, our slip and fall lawyer in Allen page explains how Texas premises liability law applies to these claims. Medical negligence, including a delayed diagnosis or a surgical error, may also lead to paralysis, and these cases typically require a different type of investigation than a vehicle accident claim. Identifying every party whose negligence contributed to your injury is often the first step toward full compensation.

Long-Term Impact and Medical Complications of Paralysis

A paralysis diagnosis rarely affects only mobility. Many people also face chronic pain, respiratory complications, pressure sores, infections, and bladder or bowel control issues that require ongoing medical management. Emotional and psychological effects, including depression and anxiety, are also common as individuals and families adjust to a new normal.

Rehabilitation may restore some function if the nerve fibers were not severed or destroyed, but nerves that fail to reconnect properly with muscle tissue typically do not regain feeling or movement without surgical intervention. Ongoing physical, occupational, and speech therapy can improve independence and quality of life over time, though the extent of recovery depends heavily on the location and severity of the original injury.

*The information above is for general informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for diagnosis or treatment of any injury. Consult a medical professional for care specific to your condition.

Compensation Available After a Paralysis Injury

Texas law allows individuals injured by another party’s negligence to pursue compensation for the full scope of their losses. Depending on the facts of your case, compensation may include past and future medical expenses, home and vehicle modifications, assistive devices, lost income and diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering.

Because paralysis often requires decades of ongoing care, calculating fair compensation typically involves working with medical providers and financial professionals to project future costs accurately. Every case is different, and the amount of compensation available in any case can depend on factors such as liability, insurance coverage, and the severity of the injury.

Texas Statute of Limitations for Paralysis Injury Claims

Under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, most Texas personal injury claims, including those involving paralysis, must be filed within two years of the date the injury occurred. Missing this deadline can result in the court dismissing your case regardless of how serious your injuries are or how clear the liability evidence might be.

Certain circumstances, such as a claim involving a minor or a delayed discovery of the injury, may affect how this deadline applies to your situation. Because paralysis cases often involve extensive medical records, medical evaluations, and multiple potentially liable parties, it is worth speaking with an attorney well before the two-year deadline approaches so evidence can be gathered while it is still available.

How We Can Help After a Paralysis Injury

A paralysis injury changes far more than your mobility, and the legal process that follows should not add to that burden. Our firm helps clients gather medical records, identify every party who may be responsible, and calculate the true long-term cost of a catastrophic injury, from home modifications to future care needs.

We also work with clients’ medical teams and financial professionals to build a complete picture of what a fair recovery looks like, rather than accepting an early settlement offer that may not reflect the full scope of a lifelong injury. You can learn more about our approach to these cases on our About Us page, and our team is ready to walk you through what to expect at every stage of your claim.

Speak With a Texas Catastrophic Injury Attorney About Your Paralysis Case

Dale Rose brings nearly 33 years of experience as a licensed Texas attorney to every paralysis case, including more than 165 first-chair jury trials and work across 54 Texas counties since earning his J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1991. That trial-tested background shapes how our firm approaches negotiations, since insurers often treat a claim differently when the attorney handling it is fully prepared to take the case to a jury.

If you or someone in your family is coping with paralysis after an accident caused by another person’s negligence, you do not have to sort through the medical, financial, and legal details alone. Our firm can review the details of your case, explain your options in plain language, and help you understand what a fair recovery could look like for your specific situation. To schedule your free consultation, complete our contact form.

Frequently Asked Questions About Paralysis Injuries in Texas