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walking after SCI
January 13, 2025

How Long Does It Take for a Paralyzed Person to Walk Again?

Every year, thousands of people in the United States experience life-altering spinal cord injuries (SCI) that result in partial or complete paralysis. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 17,900 new cases of SCI occur in the U.S. annually. Hundreds of those occur in Rhode Island.

When you or someone you love suffers a spinal cord injury in an accident, having an experienced paralysis injury lawyer on your side becomes essential. The Providence paralysis injury lawyers at Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell have close to five decades of experience helping survivors of serious injury seek justice. We are here to listen to your story and help you get the compensation you deserve.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Paralysis in Rhode Island?

The leading cause of spinal cord injury-induced paralysis in the U.S. is motor vehicle accidents. Additional causes include:

  • Falls, including slip and fall accidents
  • Medical or surgical complications
  • Sports-related injury
  • Acts of violence, including gunshot wounds

Paralysis is not always the result of a traumatic wound or accident. Some cases are related to health conditions such as stroke, MS, or infection. However, injuries sustained in accidents remain a leading cause of paralysis.

We Help Victims of SCI Seek Justice

When you or a loved one is paralyzed in an accident, the medical expenses, lost wages, and personal suffering can be immense. Having a dedicated attorney can help ensure you are provided the resources and support you need to make the best possible recovery.

To schedule a FREE and confidential case review with one of our Providence paralysis injury lawyers, call Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell at 401-273-8330 today. We welcome clients from Rhode Island and nearby areas of Massachusetts.

Is It Possible to Walk Again After Paralysis From a Spinal Cord Injury?

Can people who have been paralyzed in an accident regain the ability to walk? That depends on a multitude of factors.

The location and severity of the injury will both play a role in determining the extent of recovery. So too will the timing and quality of medical intervention. Because swelling and bleeding can mask the severity of an injury, it is essential to seek a medical evaluation after an accident. People who receive prompt, specialized care often see better outcomes than those whose injury is not immediately treated.

In many cases, recovery from SCI is possible. With perseverance and the right medical team, a paralyzed person may be able to walk again. However, medical devices, such as walkers, braces, and even robotic exoskeletons, may be necessary for assistance. More recent treatments—including regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy, and neurostimulation—are continually being researched and refined in the hopes that one day, walking after accident-induced paralysis will be common.

It is important to acknowledge that each case of paralysis is unique. Even when two individuals have seemingly similar injuries, their experiences and paths to recovery can be vastly different. There is never a guarantee of recovery. This makes personalized legal representation all the more important. When you are seeking compensation for damages related to a serious injury, the way your life—specifically—has been impacted must be the primary concern.

At Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, our experienced attorneys treat every client with the attention and care they deserve. We will thoroughly evaluate how paralysis has impacted your finances, physical and emotional comfort, and lifestyle to help ensure all of your damages are taken into account as we seek every penny you are due.

Walking After Paralysis: Timeline and Treatments

Walking after paralysis is often a long and difficult process. Much of it hinges on the patient’s determination, but the skills of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team will play a substantial role as well.

There is no universal timeline for walking after SCI. However, many patients experience the most significant improvements within the first six to 12 months. During this window, the spinal cord’s ability to rewire and repair itself is at its highest. Meaningful gains are, however, often made well beyond this initial period. It is not uncommon for patients to continue making strides—figuratively and literally—several years into their recovery.

While there is no universal timeline for walking after paralysis, treatment plans may involve:

Physical Therapy and Gait Training

A carefully structured exercise regimen can help to rebuild muscle strength, improve cardiovascular fitness, and enhance balance. Therapists use specialized techniques and equipment to retrain the body and mind to work together, gradually reintroducing the mechanics of standing and walking.

Occupational Therapy

By focusing on daily living activities, occupational therapists help patients regain independence and improve their quality of life. Even small improvements in fine motor skills and upper-body strength can facilitate better overall mobility, indirectly supporting the path toward walking.

Advanced Treatments

Cutting-edge interventions are continuously evolving. Robotic exoskeletons and electrical stimulation devices can assist with natural movement patterns, promoting neural regeneration and building muscle memory.

Specialized rehabilitation centers offer many of these treatments, though centralized services are not always available. Even when they are, the costs associated with regaining the ability to walk after paralysis are often astronomical. Depending on the types of treatment administered, the severity of the injury, and the length of time required for recovery, SCI rehabilitation can cost millions of dollars throughout the victim’s life.

When Paralysis Is Permanent

For some spinal cord injury survivors, the ability to walk again may remain out of reach. Even with advanced and experimental treatments, walking after complete SCI is still uncommon. When paralysis is permanent, other damages need to be considered.

Permanent paralysis creates lifelong needs. These include accessible housing, assistive technologies, ongoing medical treatments, and in-home care assistance. The financial burden can be substantial, especially when factoring in lost earning capacity, home modifications, and specialized transportation. When you are the victim of someone else’s negligence, none of these expenses should fall on your shoulders. This is where the assistance of a proven and dedicated team of attorneys becomes invaluable.

How a Paralysis Injury Lawyer Can Help

When you are injured in an accident, seeking compensation is seldom as simple as filing a claim. An experienced paralysis injury lawyer can investigate the cause of your accident to establish liability, work with medical experts to identify the full scope of damages, and build a case that seeks the full compensation you are due.

Many cases are settled out of court, during settlement negotiations with insurance companies. Your lawyer will represent you during these proceedings and, if negotiations should fail, be able to take your claim to trial. Insurance companies have legal teams and documented strategies to minimize payouts to victims. Having a paralysis injury lawyer represent you helps to protect you against these strategies and works to ensure you are awarded compensation that is in line with your actual damages.

Contact Our Providence Paralysis Injury Lawyers for FREE

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury in Providence or anywhere in Rhode Island, contact Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell online or call our office today. Our Providence paralysis injury lawyers know how to build strong cases and secure compensation for our clients. We will stand by your side and fight for your rights so you can concentrate on the rehabilitation and therapy needed to help restore your ability to walk.