A teen who was visiting Anchorage for an extended vacation with his parents suffered both a broken leg in a motorcycle accident as well as a broken neck from diving into a pool. Isavra Basargin, 16, was staying in Anchorage at a hotel with his parents and dove into a pool with only five feet of water, despite the “no diving” signs, according to reports.
The dive broke his neck, paralyzing him from the shoulders down. He spent a week in the intensive care unit in Providence Hospital in Anchorage before being flown to Seattle where he was hospitalized for another two months. He was finally able to return home to Razdolna in February.
The family has applied for a personal care assistant but is waiting on that process to be completed. Isavra uses his chin to navigate a powered wheelchair. He can use his shoulders to move a cursor on a special software program so that he can participate in school.
Paralysis Accidents Are Life-Changing
Paralysis usually occurs when there is damage to the spinal cord and electrical signals cannot travel up and down the spine as they normally do. Paralysis can be partial, affecting one side of the body or the other or one half of the body, or total, affecting all the limbs and body functions. Paralysis can also occur due to brain damage from a blow to the head or sudden impact in an accident.
Those who suffer paralysis from an accident, whether it is temporary or permanent, partial or full, will need to adjust their lifestyles and expectations about what they are able to do. If a victim is paralyzed from the neck down, as was the case with this teen, the entire world becomes a very different place. The victim must now use a wheelchair and learn to use adaptive technology to do something as simple as write a note. Family members or healthcare workers must do the simplest things for the victim who can no longer perform these tasks alone.
What Should I Do If I Suffer Paralysis?
If you are involved in an accident that leaves you paralyzed, it is important to protect your rights. Even if you were partially responsible for the accident, it may still be possible to collect damages for your injuries. Contact the personal injury attorneys at Barber and Associates, LLC in Anchorage to learn more.