Spinal cord injuries are some of the worst injuries associated with accidents. A spinal cord injury can permanently affect a victim, causing complications such as paralysis. The spinal cord can sustain devastating damage in many different types of accidents. Most injuries to the spine are preventable and connected to negligence, however. The most common cause of spinal cord injuries is motor vehicle accidents.
If you believe you or a loved one has a spinal cord injury due to another individual’s negligence, contact the Pittsburgh spinal cord injury attorneys at Dallas W. Hartmans P.C. to get the compensation you deserve. Free consultation.
The Number One Cause of Spinal Cord Injuries: Car Accidents
Statistics from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, show that motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of spinal cord injuries in the U.S. One study that analyzed data from the National SCI Database found that approximately 31.5 percent of spinal cord injuries were caused by automobile accidents. This includes car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian accidents.
Automobile accidents can cause spinal cord injuries due to the forces exerted upon the victim in the crash. Many different types of spine injuries can take place during a car accident, including neck injuries, whiplash, soft-tissue injuries, a ruptured or herniated disk, spinal fracture, nerve damage, and paralysis. The spinal cord may be bruised, concussed, crushed, crunched, stretched or severed in an automobile accident.
Other Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Although car accidents are the main cause of spinal cord injuries, they are not the only cause. Many different types of accidents can injure the spine and give the victim long-lasting symptoms, including:
- Falls. Falls are the second-leading cause of spine injuries for the majority of the population, but the leading cause of injuries among the elderly. Slip, trip and fall accidents can cause spine injuries from the force of the impact with the ground against the spine.
- Gunshot wounds. Gunshot wounds and other injuries from violent attacks, such as stab wounds, can injure the spinal cord and its surrounding nerves. A criminal could be held accountable, as well as the owner of the property where the attack took place for negligent security.
- Diving incidents. If an individual dives headfirst into a swimming pool or body of water that is too shallow and strikes the head on the bottom of the pool or ground, it can jar or break the victim’s neck. This can cause a severe cervical spinal cord injury.
- Medical and surgical complications. Medical malpractice can lead to a spinal cord injury if a physician or surgeon makes a mistake, such as failing to diagnose a tumor that is near the spine or unintentionally severing a nerve during an operation.
- Workplace accidents. Many types of accidents at work can cause spinal cord injuries, including falls, transportation accidents, construction accidents and equipment-related incidents. In these situations, an injured worker may be entitled to workers’ compensation and/or a personal injury settlement.
After many harmful accidents, a victim with a spinal cord injury can file a personal injury lawsuit in Pennsylvania in pursuit of financial compensation. If the injury could have been prevented with a reasonable amount of care by a defendant, the defendant could be financially responsible for the victim’s losses.
What Are Your Rights After Suffering a Spinal Cord Injury?
The main cause of spinal cord accidents is negligence. In personal injury law, negligence is the failure to act with ordinary or reasonable care, resulting in harm to others. If one or more parties were negligent and this is what gave you a spinal cord injury, bring a lawsuit against the negligent person or party with assistance from an attorney. Hiring a lawyer can make the claims process easier for you and your family. Your lawyer can handle the legal side of your case while you concentrate on your spinal cord injury medical care and recovery. Contact an attorney at Dallas W. Hartman, P.C. today to learn more during a free consultation.