How Common Are Spinal Cord Injuries?
August 7th, 2017Around the world, between 250,000 and 500,000 people sustain spinal cord injuries every year. According to the World Health Organization, most of these injuries are the result of preventable accidents like falls, motor vehicle collisions, and violence.
Spinal cord injuries can have life-altering consequences for both the individuals who suffer them and their loved ones. In addition to bearing the emotional and social impacts of living with an SCI, accident victims and their families must absorb the devastating financial impact.
The lifetime cost of caring for someone with an SCI can exceed millions of dollars because there are both direct costs, like medical bills and ongoing rehabilitation, and indirect costs, like loss of earning capacity. If you sustained a catastrophic injury as the result of someone else’s recklessness or negligence and your financial security is at stake, contact The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm
David A. Bowling has more than 30 years of trial experience, and he will compassionately represent your interests. Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation with a Jackson spinal cord injury attorney.
Read on to learn five surprising statistics about spinal cord injuries:
1. The Incidence Is Highest Among People Younger Than 30
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 53.1 percent of spinal cord injuries occur in individuals who are between the ages 16 and 30. The younger an individual is when he or she suffers the SCI, the higher the total lifetime cost will be.
2. Car Accidents Are the Leading Cause of SCI
The AANS reports that motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries, followed by falls and then gunshots. Among men, the fourth leading cause is diving accidents and the fifth is motorcycle collisions. Surgical errors are the fourth leading cause among women, and diving accidents are the fifth.
3. Roughly 17,000 Americans Sustain an SCI Every Year
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, there are approximately 17,000 new SCI cases in the United States every year. This estimate does not include those who die at the scene of the accident.
4. Men Are More Likely to Suffer an SCI Than Women
Men account for approximately 80 percent of all new spinal cord injury cases and nearly 90 percent of all sports-related spinal cord injuries, according to the AANS.
5. Hospitalization Is Common Following an SCI
The NSCSC reports that nearly 1 in 3 individuals living with an SCI is hospitalized for an average of 22 days during any given year. The leading cause of hospitalization is diseases that affect the urogenital system. Skin diseases are the second leading cause of hospitalization for those living with an SCI.
When you consider the frequent hospitalizations, limited earning capacity, and physical therapy costs that stem from living with an SCI, it quickly becomes obvious how such injuries can be both financially and emotionally devastating. If you sustained a spinal cord injury as the result of someone else’s negligence, you have the right to pursue compensation for these damages.
To discuss your case with an experienced accident attorney, contact The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm. Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation with a spinal cord injury lawyer in Jackson. You can learn more about personal injury claims in Mississippi by visiting usattorneys.com/personal-injury/mississippi
