Spinal Cord Injury

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is a type of catastrophic injury which involves a varying level of trauma to an individual’s spinal cord which can result in a wide range of issues ranging from paralysis to death. By definition a spinal cord injury occurs when damage is done to any part of the spine or it’s connected nerves which often causes permanent changes in one’s physical abilities. Each year it is estimated that over 12,000 individuals in the United States suffer a spinal cord injury and currently it is estimated that there is 275,000 Americans living with this injury each day.

Some quick facts about spinal cord injuries

• The majority of spinal cord injuries occur in young adults below the age of 30
• Males make up more than 80% of all spinal cord injury reports
• Individuals injured incur on average
• Motor vehicle accidents cause the majority of spinal cord injuries at 35%
• Falls (of any kind) come in second with 29% of all spinal cord injuries

Spinal cord injuries can range in severity depending on how severe and the location of the damage on that individual. In most situations the spinal cord injury symptoms occur below the point where the spinal cord is damaged. The classifications commonly used in determining your level of spinal cord injury are Complete and Incomplete. A complete classification requires almost all sensory and motor function to be no longer working below the spinal cord injury. An incomplete classification states that there is still some sensory and motor function below where the spinal cord injury occurred; as you can imagine there are a wide range of levels of incomplete spinal cord injuries.

Paralysis is often associated with spinal cord injuries, the two types of paralysis are Quadriplegic/Tetraplegic and Paraplegic. Quadriplegic is the most severe type of paralysis which involves the inability to move your arms, legs, torso and pelvic organs. Paraplegia on the other hand is the loss of sensory and motor functions essentially below the waist, including the legs, feet and pelvis organs.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that if you suffer a spinal cord injury that your medical care will not be cheap. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center says that those affected with quadriplegia or tetraplegia are said to incur an average of $1,000,000 in medical expenses their first year after the injury and $180,000 each additional year they remain alive. Individuals who suffer from paraplegia rack up close to $500,000 in their first year of medical related treatment and $60,000 each subsequent year.

We cannot even begin imagine how difficult being confined to a wheelchair may be for and individual and their who have suffered a spinal cord injury. This unfortunate injury not only can lessen the quality of life for the affected individual but also lead to an unimaginable amount of medical bills. These are extremely delicate and difficult situations to navigate and it’s always important to discuss your options with a personal injury attorney. At Campbell & Associates, we pride ourselves on personal contact and each client is not just a number or dollar sign, we treat them as if they were our own family. Our professional and experienced personal injury lawyers and support staff are dedicated to making sure that you and your family receive the best possible outcome as a result of your spinal cord injury. Call us at 704-333-0885, chat with us online 24/7 or email one of our lawyers today for a free consultation. As always, there’s never a fee unless we obtain a settlement offer for you