The Statistics Behind Spinal Cord Injuries

Thousands of Americans experience a spinal cord injury every year. These injuries are devastating and can cause both physical and emotional distress. And the cost of care for a spinal cord related injury is very expensive. Approximately 12,000 new cases of spinal cord injury occur each year, not including those who die due to a spinal cord related injury.

Here is a glimpse at some statistics:

• Approximately 259,000 people in the United States live with a spinal cord injury.
• The average age one gets injured is 40 years old.
• The average age has continued to increase steadily since the 1970’s.
• Most spinal cord injuries occur in males – 80.9% partially because males are more likely to engage in more risky behavior.
• Leading cause of death from a spinal cord injury is pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and septicemia.

A spinal cord injury can happen at any time. It can happen from a motor vehicle accident, a serious fall on a construction site, playing sports, during a high-risk activity, or a fall in a nursing home.

Ben Damon suffered paralysis when he was a passenger in a friend’s car. As they began traveling to Portland Maine a moose struck the vehicle, causing the roof to compress by over a foot. With Ben’s height of 6-foot-6 and the amount the car was compressed, he ended up breaking parts of his vertebra resulting in paralysis.

Ben stated, “I am very, very lucky to be where I am. This is not something that anyone can prepare for, and it could happen to anyone. But I am very, very fortunate and grateful to have my family and friends.”

See more stories like Ben Damon here.

Spinal cord injuries happen randomly and are something no one is prepared for. Always keep safety at the forefront of everything that you do, and this can minimize your chances of suffering a serious injury.

Since 2005 the top causes of spinal cord injury include:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents – 42.1%
• Falls – 26.7%
• Violence – 15.1%
• Sports Incidents – 7.6%
• Other – 8.6%

Over time the percentage of both violence and sports related injuries have declined. There is still an increase in numbers due to motor vehicle accidents and falls. One needs to always be cautious of their surroundings both inside and outside of a vehicle. Let’s make 2017 a year that we see a decrease throughout all causes of spinal cord injuries.

If you or a loved one suffers a spinal cord injury as a result of an accident that was not your fault, call Daggett Shuler Law right away at 336-724-1234. When you call, you will speak with an experienced Spinal Cord Injury Attorney absolutely FREE. We will review every detail of your accident at no cost to you, and fight hard to protect your rights.

When you call Daggett Shuler you can speak with an experienced Winston-Salem and Greensboro accident attorney for free. At Daggett Shuler Law, you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front and you owe us nothing until we recover for you.

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