Spinal cord injuries can result when there is trauma to the spine due to an accident or other serious incident. Oftentimes, these injuries can affect a person’s mobility and forever change their lives, depending on the level of their injury. Spinal cord injuries are often classified as either incomplete or complete. In a case of an incomplete spinal cord injury, an accident victim may still have some sensation and mobility in the affected part of their body. A complete spinal cord injury, on the other hand, defines an injury in which the victim loses all feeling and mobility in the affected area.
Spinal cord injuries can result from:
- Slip and fall incidents
- Car accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Acts of violence
- Sports-related accident
According to data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, there are approximately 17,500 new cases of spinal cord injuries every year. However, this does not take into account the injuries that prove to be fatal at the scene of the accident. Additionally, estimates show that there are approximately 285,000 individuals in the United States today living with a spinal cord injury.
Some of the common types of spinal cord injuries which may result from an accident include, but not limited to:
- Bulging disc in back
- Herniated disc in back
- Fractured vertebrae
- Thoracic spine injury
- Cervical spine injury
- Lumbar spine injury
In severe spinal cord injuries, quadriplegia (also known as tetraplegia) or paraplegia may result. There are also different classifications of quadriplegia and paraplegia:
- Complete paraplegia
- Incomplete paraplegia
- Complete quadriplegia
- Incomplete quadriplegia
Someone with paraplegia is paralyzed in both legs, whereas someone with quadriplegia is paralyzed in both arms and legs. Additionally, those who sustain spinal cord injuries typically have lower life expectancies as a direct result of their injuries. These devastating injuries can undeniably affect a person’s quality of life, and depending on what that person did for a living prior to the injury, may make it difficult (or impossible) to return to work. In cases where a negligent individual is responsible for someone else’s spinal cord injury, the victim may choose to seek monetary compensation by pursuing a personal injury lawsuit.
Did you or a loved one sustain a spinal cord injury in an accident as the direct result of another’s negligence? If so, you may be waiting on monetary compensation from a spinal cord injury lawsuit. If you’re still waiting for your lawsuit to settle, you may have other options to receive money sooner.
At USClaims, we offer pre-settlement funding, if a case is qualified for pre-settlement funding then we would purchase a portion of the proceeds of the anticipated court judgment or settlement for some cash now. USClaims only gets paid if a case is won or has reached a settlement! Apply now or call us today at 1-877-USCLAIMS to learn more.
