Common Causes Of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries can be caused by a number of types of accidents. The most common causes of spinal cord injuries are car accidents, but slip-and-fall accidents can also lead to damage to the spinal cord. Here are a few facts about spinal cord injuries and how they are caused. Anyone with a spinal cord injury should visit a doctor immediately and then a personal injury attorney for help in recovering damages from the at-fault person or party.

Spinal Cord Injury Facts

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Database:

• About 12,000 people suffer spinal cord injuries in accidents each year. This does not include those who die as a result of the accident at the scene and for whom spinal cord injuries may contribute to death.
• Between 238,000 and 332,000 people are living with the effects of spinal cord injuries at any given time.
• Nearly half of all spinal cord injuries happen to people between the ages of 16 and 30. Currently, the average age of a person with a spinal cord injury is 42 years.
• 80 percent of all spinal cord injury victims are male.
• Motor vehicle crashes account for nearly 37 percent of all spinal cord injuries, while falls account for another 29 percent.
• About 57 percent of people who suffer spinal cord injuries are employed at the time of the accident, and 49 percent are married.
• A median hospital stay for a spinal cord injury is 11 days and a median rehabilitation stay is 36 days.
• The estimated lifetime costs of a person who suffers a serious spinal cord injury at 25 years old is $4.5 million, while the lifetime cost for a person who suffers such an injury at age 50 is $2.5 million. This is because much of the initial cost for a spinal cord injury does not change no matter what the age of the victim.
• A person who suffers a spinal cord injury has a life expectancy of between 59 years and two years, depending on the severity of the injury. Those with spinal cord injuries tend to have shorter average lifespans than those without these injuries.

A spine injury lawyer may be able to help you recover compensation for your accident. These sums can be used to pay for medical care, living expenses, or as compensation for physical pain and emotional suffering.