The 3 Most Common Ways Spinal Cord Injuries Occur
Few injuries have more grave consequences than those involving the spine. As the primary component of your central nervous system, the spinal cord receives information from all areas of the body. While a simple sprain or bone fracture takes months to recover from, a spinal cord injury frequently has long-term consequences that are life altering. These traumatic events occur in a wide range of industries and workplaces, from outdoors to the office.
While we customarily hear about spinal cord injuries in the context of professional sports, the reality of these grave injuries is that they can happen to anyone. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, spinal cord injuries occur at a rate of 12,000 per year in the United States, and the average age of those injured is 41. With our children and older people both at risk of these accidents, it is important to know how they most often occur. Here are the three most common ways spinal cord injuries happen.
- Motor vehicle accidents: More than 30 percent of new spinal cord injuries each year are the result of auto accidents. As our world becomes increasingly urban and high speed driving is impossible to avoid, road safety is more important now than ever.
- Violence: Guns, knives, and other weapons are frequent causes of spinal cord injuries as well. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, around 15 percent of spinal cord injuries are a result of violent encounters.
- Falls: For Americans over the age of 65, falls are among the most common causes of spinal cord injuries. Medical innovations, such as Life Alert, seek to allow older Americans more independence while keeping them safe from serious injury in their own home.
Contact a Kentucky Brain Injury Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a spinal cord injury, it is imperative that you contact a personal injury attorney to help you reach a settlement. At the [firm-name], we have recovered more than a million dollars for our clients through our diligent work ethic and passionate legal defense. No case is too small or too large for our experienced legal team to get you the results you deserve. Contact us today at [phone-number] for a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable legal representatives.