San Diego Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys

When someone suffers a spinal cord injury, that person is forced into an incredibly uncertain situation.  He or she may be able to walk again at some point or not.  He or she may be able to continue with his or her career or not.  He or she may eventually be able to enjoy life again to the same extent as prior to the injury or not.  What is certain is that a person forced into this situation will face substantial financial losses.  These losses need to be pursued and ultimately recaptured if a person suffers a spinal cord injury because of the negligent, reckless or intentional actions of someone else.  If this includes you or someone you love, contact the spinal cord injury lawyers at The Gomez Law Firm as soon as possible.

Spinal Cord Injury Statistics

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, or the NSCISC, the following statistics relate to spinal cord injuries in the United States:

• Approximately 17,000 people suffer some sort of spinal cord injury every year.
• More than 250,000 people in the United States are living with a spinal cord injury.
• The average age of a person who suffers a spinal cord injury is 42 years old.
• Males account for approximately 80 percent of new spinal cord injury cases.
• Approximately 30 percent of people who suffer a spinal cord injury return to the hospital within one year of the injury.

These are significant statistics, and despite much in the way of medical advancement many spinal cord injuries are permanent.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

There are several different types of spinal cord injuries that occur, and they are broken down into two categories: incomplete and complete spinal cord injuries.  Incomplete spinal cord injuries involve those injuries where the spinal cord is partially severed.  Complete spinal cord injuries are those where the spinal cord is completely severed.  Complete spinal cord injuries result in a loss of movement and sensation below the site of the injury.

There are different categories of incomplete spinal cord injuries.  These include:

• Anterior Cord Syndrome – Anterior cord syndrome occurs when the primary blood supply to the anterior portion of the spinal cord is interrupted.  This leads to a loss of movement and sensation.
• Central Cord Syndrome – This is the most common form of cervical spinal cord injury.  It involves damage to the grey matter of the spinal cord and leads to loss of motion and sensation in the hands and arms.
• Brown-Séquard Syndrome – This is a condition that results when trauma is inflicted on one half of the spinal cord, either the left or the right side.  It also leads to a loss of movement and sensation on the side where the trauma occurred and a loss of temperature and pain sensitivity on the other.

Leading Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

According to the Mayo Clinic, the following are the leading causes of spinal cord injuries in the United States:

1. Motor vehicle accidents
2. Falls
3. Acts of violence
4. Sports/recreation injuries
5. Alcohol

Many of these situations also involve faulty actions by people that lead to spinal cord injuries in others.  As stated above, these injuries also lead to a tremendous amount of loss in the financial and other senses.

Losses Resulting from Spinal Cord Injuries

When someone suffers a spinal cord injury, he or she will face several forms of loss, including:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Ongoing therapy costs
• Equipment costs
• Costs for new construction in the home if a person is confined to a wheelchair
• Costs for a specially-outfitted vehicle if a person is paralyzed
• Costs for ongoing medical care
• Lost income
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of companionship

In terms of real costs, estimates indicate that if a person suffers a spinal cord injury and is a paraplegic as a result, he or she will face lifetime costs of nearly $600,000 not including losses for pain and suffering and loss of companionship.  A person who becomes a quadriplegic as a result of a spinal cord injury faces lifetime costs of nearly $1,500,000.  Both of these estimates assume that a person is injured at the age of 25 and otherwise healthy at the time.

Why the Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers at The Gomez Law Firm?

If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury because of the actions of someone else, you need to make sure that you protect and enforce your legal rights.  If you choose to work with the spinal cord injury lawyers at The Gomez Law Firm, you will be represented by a law firm that has earned hundreds of millions of dollars in judgments and settlements on behalf of clients over the past decade.  You will also be represented by a law firm whose reputation precedes it, and this can be invaluable when facing such a difficult situation.  If you need this type of help, contact the firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.