A Few Words About Spinal Cord Injuries

 Spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord.  Such an injury usually occurs because of a sudden and traumatic blow to the spine that fractures or dislocates vertebrae, resulting in displaced bone fragments, disc material, or ligaments that bruise or tear into spinal cord tissue.
Unfortunately, spinal cord injuries can cause full or partial loss of motor control and sensation, leaving the victim paralyzed in the lower extremities (paraplegic) or in all four limbs (quadriplegic).  Because the spinal cord is responsible for many of the victim’s bodily functions, such as like breathing, bladder control, body temperature, and sexual functioning, spinal cord injury victims often suffer a broad range of health problems.
According to National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), an estimated 12,000 new cases of spinal cord injuries (SCI) are reported each year.  This does not include cases where the victim passed away at the scene of an accident.  The number of people currently living in the U.S. with spine cord injuries is estimated to be about 270,000 people.
About 40 percent of reported spine cord injuries result from car accidents, and about 28 percent result from falls.  The rest are caused by violence, sports-related injuries and other causes.  Most cases involving spinal cord injuries fall under “Torts” category of laws and most theories revolve around the “Negligence” of the party responsible for the accident, slip and fall, etc.  Others may fall under “Defective Products” theory such as a faulty seatbelt or airbag.
Regardless of the cause, a spinal cord injury’s impact on the lives of the victim and his/her family can be devastating.  Aside from the emotional aspect of the injury, there may be a need for lifetime medical expenses and assistive caregiver.
Any compensation would be to reimburse the victim for incurred medical expenses, future medical care, rehabilitation, assistive devices (such as motorized wheelchairs), and modification to the victim’s home (such as access ramps and stair lifts).  Additionally, there would be compensation for “pain and suffering” which can be extreme because a spinal cord injury victim may suffer from permanent and life-altering injuries.”
For more information, please call The Mason Law Firm, 28494 Westinghouse Place, Suite 202 in Valencia at 661-476-5678 or email mason@mrscvlaw.com.