The World Health Organization estimates that between 250,000 and 500,000 people suffer spinal cord injuries worldwide each year. Of these injuries, an estimated 90 percent occur as a result of car accidents, violence and falls. New Jersey drivers are just as prone to spinal cord injuries as anyone else, with devastating financial, mental, emotional and physical consequences. Among other potential problems, the organization notes that people with these types of injuries are at a greatly increased risk of premature death from a number of complications.
Spinal cord injuries are generally classified according to their location on the spinal cord and the symptoms accompanying them. For example, some people in car accidents may suffer from chronic pain and depression but retain mobility, while others may lose feeling or response in part or all of their bodies. The site of the primary injury and other aggravating factors appear to be determinant factors in how these injuries present.
Men are estimated to be at least twice as likely to suffer spinal cord injury as women, and these injuries may cause other medical problems such as deep vein thrombosis, chronic respiratory ailments and osteoporosis. The actual financial and social cost of spinal cord injuries is difficult to determine, but lost wages and the necessity of caregivers and ongoing treatment are important components.
An attorney representing an injured client in a motor vehicle accident that was caused by another driver may recommend the filing of a personal injury lawsuit. Damages sought could include the financial costs of required medical treatment and care as well as compensation for wages that were lost due to an inability to return to work for an extended period of time.
