SPINAL CORD INJURY ATTORNEY SAN DIEGO

Nearly 11,000 Americans each year suffer the devastating effects of spinal chord injuries, many developing into more severe, traumatic injuries. The spinal chord injury is accompanied by many painful effects, including permanent disability, brain damage, and even death. Serious spinal chord injuries affect a victim’s everyday activities, jobs, relationships, family, dreams, and lifelong happiness.

Most serious spinal chord injuries cause permanent disability, paralysis, or the loss of movement below the site of the injury. Those whose injuries fall near the hips or below will become paraplegic. Those whose injuries occur higher on the spine will suffer quadriplegia. Actor Christopher Reeve severely damaged his spinal chord in a horseback riding accident in 1995, resulting in complete paralysis from the neck down.

The brain and spinal chord make up the human nervous system, controlling a majority of the functions of the body. The nerve fibers running up and down the spine carry messages to the brain, feeding into the nerve roots between the vertebrae.

Injuries may be caused by a number of factors or incidents, including:

• Sudden, traumatic blows to the spine—this may result in the fracturing, dislocation, crushing, or compression of the delicate bones and nerves.
• Gunshots or knife wounds that cut directly into the spinal chord and accompanying nerves.

Additional damage may occur over the next few days or weeks, including swelling, inflammation, bleeding, and the accumulation of fluid around the spine. Cervical or neck injuries affect the movement of upper and lower limbs, in addition to the ability to breathe. Thoracic or lumbar injuries (lower back) affect leg movement, bladder control, bowels, and sexual function.

Causes of Serious Spinal Injuries:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents make up nearly 50 percent of all serious spinal chord injuries in the United States. These also include accidents involving motorcycles.
• Over 11 percent of serious spinal chord injuries are caused by acts of violence, primarily involving gunshot wounds.
• Those over the age of 65 are greatly susceptible to spinal chord injuries caused by falls. Nearly 24 percent of spinal chord injuries are caused by slips and fall accidents.
• Over 9 percent of serious spine injuries are caused by athletic activities like sports and recreation. These include diving in shallow water and impact sports.
• Diseases such as infections, arthritis, cancer, and an inflamed spinal chord cause thousands of traumatic spinal chord injuries each year.

If you have been seriously injured in a traumatic spinal chord accident, it is integral to contact an experienced serious spinal chord accident attorney as soon as possible to make your claim.