Spinal cord injury is the leading cause of paralysis, and affects between four and five million Americans per year. Most spinal cord injuries occur between the ages of 16 and 30, and about 79 percent of those who experience spinal cord injuries are male.

Spinal cord injuries result when delicate spinal cord tissue is torn or injured. Unlike cells in other parts of the body, the cells located in the central nervous system are so complex that they are unable to regenerate and heal themselves. As a result, spinal cord injury is permanent. In most cases, the parts of the body below the level of injury are affected to some degree or another.

Spinal cord injuries are characterized as either “complete” or “incomplete.” Complete injuries result in total loss of function and sensation below the point of injury, while incomplete injuries result in some degree of loss of function and sensation below the point of injury.

In addition to causing significant physical and emotional ramifications, spinal cord injury can cause serious financial hardship. First-year expenses for a paraplegic average about $152,000, while first-year expenses for a quadriplegic average about $417,000. A paraplegic who is injured by the age of 25 can expect to spend around $428,000 on care throughout the course of his or her lifetime, while a quadriplegic who is injured at the same age can expect to spend about $2.5 million.

If you or a loved one has recently sustained a spinal cord injury, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our experienced team of attorneys can give you the legal guidance you need, and can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injury

About 42 percent of all spinal cord injuries are the result of motor vehicle accidents. Of these, seatbelt failures, power window malfunctions, seat back collapses, suspension defects, and tire tread separations are the types of issues that contribute to spinal cord injury. Other causes of spinal cord injury include acts of violence, falls, and sports-related injuries.

Effects of Spinal Cord Injury

The effects of spinal cord injury are life altering and profound for both the survivor of the injury and his or her family. In addition to lack of movement and sensation, survivors of spinal cord injury frequently experience complications with respiration, bowel and bladder management, and sexual function. Their independence is extremely curtailed, and they may require life-long help performing simple functions such as getting dressed, bathing, eating, communicating, cleaning, and driving.
Survivors of spinal cord injury require inpatient and/our outpatient rehabilitation that focuses on returning them to the maximum amount of function possible. The survivor’s rehabilitation program will be individually structured depending upon his or her needs, and may require the use physical and occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists, vocational and recreational therapists, and counselors and psychiatrists. Most survivors of spinal cord injury require expensive adaptive equipment, and many also require long-term care.

If you or a loved one has recently sustained a spinal cord injury, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our experienced team of attorneys can give you the legal guidance you need, and can help you get the compensation you deserve.