{"id":30094,"date":"2026-08-23T09:02:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T09:02:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chglawyers.com\/resources\/glossary\/what-is-the-main-cause-of-paralysis\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T07:22:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T07:22:53","slug":"what-is-the-main-cause-of-paralysis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chglawyers.com\/resources\/glossary\/what-is-the-main-cause-of-paralysis\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the main cause of paralysis? Spinal cord"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Catastrophic Spinal Cord Injuries<\/p>

What is the main cause of paralysis? Spinal cord injury.<\/h1>

Traumatic spinal cord damage from accidents\u2014truck crashes, falls, violence, and negligent security failures\u2014can cause permanent paralysis. Learn what causes these life-altering injuries and what you can do next.<\/p>

Get a free case evaluation<\/a><\/div>
Get a free case evaluation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

By CHG Lawyers \u00b7 Published August 23, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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What Causes Paralysis? Spinal Cord Injury, Trauma & Negligence<\/h2>\n

You or someone you care about has just lost the ability to move part or all of your body. The questions come fast: What happened? Why can’t I move? Will this get better? Is someone responsible?<\/em><\/p>\n

What causes paralysis<\/a>?<\/strong> The answer depends on context. Stroke is the leading overall cause in the United States. However, spinal cord injury is the primary cause of paralysis from accidents and trauma<\/strong>\u2014truck crashes, falls, diving injuries, and violent assaults on unsafe property. If an accident caused your paralysis, spinal cord injury is the leading culprit. If negligence played a role, you may have a legal claim.<\/p>\n

This guide explains what causes paralysis in plain language, what happens when the spinal cord is damaged, how doctors classify injury severity, and what steps to take if an accident or someone else’s carelessness left you or your family facing this life-altering injury.<\/p>\n

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If someone you care about has become paralyzed after an accident\u2014a crash, a fall, a dive, or an assault on unsafe property\u2014and you’re wondering what comes next, reach out to discuss what happened and whether a claim may exist. Talk it through with our team \u2014 the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p>

Get a free consultation<\/a><\/div>
Get a free consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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How the spinal cord works and what happens when it’s damaged<\/h2>\n

Your spinal cord is a bundle of nerve fibers running through your spine from your brain to your lower back. Think of it as your body’s communication highway.<\/p>\n

It carries signals from your brain telling your muscles to move. It also carries signals back from your body about touch, temperature, and pain.<\/p>\n

When the spinal cord is damaged\u2014crushed, compressed, torn, or severed\u2014those signals are interrupted. Your brain can no longer tell your muscles to move. Your body can no longer send sensation signals back to your brain. The result is paralysis: loss of movement and often loss of sensation below the injury site.<\/p>\n

The severity depends on two things:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Where the injury occurs<\/strong> along the spine (neck, mid-back, or lower back)<\/li>\n
  2. How much damage<\/strong> the cord sustains (complete severance vs. partial damage)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    An injury higher up the spine (in the neck) typically causes more extensive paralysis. It interrupts signals to more of the body. An injury lower down affects fewer limbs and functions.<\/p>\n

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    Spinal cord injury: the leading cause of paralysis from accidents<\/h2>\n

    According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center<\/a>, approximately 17,700 new spinal cord injuries occur each year<\/strong> in the United States. An estimated 288,000 people currently live with spinal cord injury<\/strong>. Spinal cord injury accounts for 27.3% of all paralysis cases<\/strong> and is the primary cause of paralysis from accidents and trauma.<\/p>\n

    Common accidents that cause spinal cord injury include:<\/strong><\/p>\n