While all injuries can be quite traumatic, spinal cord injuries are particularly hard to deal with since the damage tends to be irreversible. This means that unlike; let’s say a broken leg or a fractured rib, the damage done to the vertebrae, disks or ligaments of the spinal cord will continue to impact one’s life.
The Mayo Clinic provides a wealth of information pertaining to spinal cord injuries, including a breakdown of the most common causes of these types of injuries.
According to the clinic, motor vehicle accidents are the No. 1 cause of spinal cord injuries in the U.S. Car, truck and motorcycle crashes account for 35 percent of all spinal cord injuries reported each year.
Coming in at No. 2 on the list is falls. While a fall can result in a spinal cord injury for anyone, and do account for 25 percent of all spinal cord injuries in the U.S., those over the age of 65 are particularly susceptible to spinal cord injuries resulting from falls.
The same informational document also lists violent acts, sports and recreational activities and disease, such as osteoporosis and arthritis, as common causes of spinal cord injuries.
With all spinal cord injuries, regardless of the exact cause, the results can be devastating. For example, let’s say someone is driving down Route 13 in New Castle, Delaware. Suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, another driver — busy texting no less — sideswipes another car. The driver of that other car is jolted, hard. Now, this driver has a spinal cord injury.
In this type of scenario — or any scenario where another’s negligence leads to an accident — the first step, aside from getting medical treatment, should be to reach out to an attorney. This attorney can begin to explain the different legal options that may be available in order to receive compensation for the pain, suffering and necessary medical treatments that will be needed, both now and into the future.
