Spinal Cord Injuries
South Carolina Injury Lawyers Find Relief for Patients and Families
The human spinal cord connects the brain to the rest of the body, which is why damage to the spinal cord results in debilitating injury, frequently paralysis. Not all spinal injuries result in paralysis, but individuals with partial or complete paralysis will face mounting costs and medical bills for the rest of their lives. Our South Carolina injury attorneys are dedicated to easing the financial burdens spinal cord injury patients face, and will investigate every avenue of relief to obtain the maximum amount of compensation available under law.
Spinal Cord Injury Statistics and Costs
According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 200,000 people currently live in the United States with spine injuries, and between 12,000 and 20,000 new cases occur every year. If the spinal injury causes paralysis, the medical bills for the initial hospital stay and rehabilitation can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The estimated annual costs after initial treatments are between $15,000 and $30,000 per year. Over a lifetime, spinal injury patients may incur over $3 million in medical and treatment expenses.
Spinal Cord Injury Causes
Paraplegia and quadriplegia are conditions resulting from spinal cord injury, characterized as a loss of motor and sensory functions below the injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of paraplegia and quadriplegia, accounting for 46 percent of new cases every year. Slip and fall accidents are the next highest cause of spinal injury at 22 percent, and violence and sports injuries are next at 16 and 12 percent, respectively.
Prognosis for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries
The prognosis for a person with a spinal cord injury will depend on how high on the spine the injury (called a lesion) occurred, and every individual case is unique. Patients who suffer partial or incomplete paralysis or paraplegia are able to maintain fulfilling lives for many years with long-term rehabilitation and advanced medical technologies. Patients with complete paralysis or quadriplegia are now experiencing more active and healthy lives than ever before, and medical advances are always improving.
Despite this progress, it is important for spinal cord injury patients to be extremely vigilant to avoid secondary medical conditions that can be life-threatening, including infections, inflammation, Autonomic Dysreflexia Syndrome, pressure sores and blood clots.
Contact Our South Carolina Injury Attorneys
Our South Carolina injury lawyers will explore every avenue of relief that may be available to spinal cord and back injury victims, including but not limited to negotiating insurance claims and filing negligence lawsuits against responsible parties. If you or a loved one has been involved in a catastrophic accident, contact our firm before speaking to an insurance agent or any person involved in the accident. Your life is our mission; contact us today to learn more about how we can help in your specific situation.