What Are Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?

Spinal cord injuries can be very severe. The spinal cord is critical for feeling and function, and any damage can result in permanent disabilities. There are many factors that could cause a spinal cord injury, including car accidents, falls, and sports injuries.

If someone else’s actions caused your spinal cord injury, you may be eligible for financial compensation. By filing an insurance claim or lawsuit against the at-fault party, you could secure a settlement to pay for medical care, lost wages, and more.

What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?

The spinal cord is a column of nerves that extends from the base of the skull down the back, ending just above the tailbone. These nerves help transmit signals from the brain to the rest of the body. When the spinal cord is damaged, a person can suffer a complete or partial loss of feeling and function below the injury site.

Spinal cord injuries can lead to paralysis and disability. Many spinal cord injury victims suffer from a loss of movement, feeling, and bowel or bladder control. Pain, muscle spasms, and difficulty breathing or clearing secretions from the lungs are also common. While some people can recover from a spinal cord injury, many cases are permanent.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), approximately 17,810 new cases of spinal cord injuries occur every year in the United States. Below are some of the most common causes of these serious injuries:

• Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of spinal cord injury, leading to 38.6% of all cases since 2015.
• Falls are the second-leading cause and have contributed to 32.2% of cases since 2015.
• Acts of violence, such as gunshot wounds, have led to 14% of spinal cord injury cases.
• Sports and recreational injuries have caused 7.8% of spinal cord injury cases.
• Medical and surgical incidents, such as medical malpractice, have caused 4.2% of spinal cord injury cases.

In addition to the above, many other factors can contribute to spinal cord damage. Certain types of cancer, arthritis, infections, and birth defects can lead to these serious injuries. Regardless of the cause, a spinal cord injury can be extremely difficult to live with.

What to Do If Your Spinal Cord Injury Was Caused by Negligence

Many spinal cord injuries are caused by the reckless and negligent actions of another person. For example, a drunk driver could strike someone else’s vehicle, severing his or her spine. A homeowner may fail to maintain safe premises, causing someone to fall on his or her property. Employers can fail to follow safety protocol and reckless driving could cause a motorist to strike a pedestrian crossing the street.

If you suffered a spinal cord injury because of someone else’s actions, you could file a lawsuit or insurance claim against that person. As long as you can prove that the defendant caused your spinal cord injury, you could recover a settlement to help pay for medical expenses, disability accommodations, and other losses, which could total in the millions.

A Washington spinal cord injury lawyer can support your case and help prove your right to compensation. After receiving medical attention for your injury, contact an attorney to discuss your case and initiate your insurance claim or lawsuit.