A serious accident can lead to a spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injuries vary in severity, where one limb may be paralyzed or all four may be.
How much do you know about spinal cord injuries? Here are some statistics to help you understand more about this often traumatic injury:
- Approximately 17,700 Americans acquire a spinal cord injury each year.
- There are approximately 294,000 people living with a spinal cord injury in the United States.
- Most victims (78%) are male, with the average age being 43 years old.
- In Seattle, about 20% of all new traumatic spinal cord injury cases occur in people under the age of 20 every year.
- The most common causes of spinal cord injuries in the United States are vehicle accidents (39.3%), falls (31.8%), violence (13.2%), sports incidents (8%), and medical incidents (4.3%).
Types of Paralysis
There are many ways in which a person can become paralyzed, such as the following:
- Monoplegia. This refers to paralysis of one limb, such as one arm or one leg.
- Hemiplegia. This refers to paralysis of one side of the body, such as an arm and a leg on the same side.
- Diplegia. This is different from hemiplegia in that it is a paralysis that affects the same area on both sides of the body, such as both arms or both legs.
- Paraplegia. This refers to paralysis of both legs. In some cases, the lower trunk can be affected.
- Quadriplegia/tetraplegia. This is paralysis of all four limbs affecting both arms and both legs. Usually the torso is affected.
Causes of Death
Paralysis on its own does not typically result in death. Usually there is a secondary issue at play that causes the person to die. In the past, the leading cause of death was renal failure. Nowadays, the overall leading cause of death is pneumonia, followed by other subsequent unintentional injuries and suicides. There are also high rates of septicemia and pulmonary emboli.
Pneumonia is the leading cause of death among quadriplegics and those age 55 or older. Among paraplegics and persons who were less than 55 years of age, subsequent unintentional injuries and suicides were the leading causes of death.
Depression is common in the spinal cord injury population, affecting as many of 37% of people. Chronic pain is also common, as is pressure sores. Up to 80% of people with a spinal cord injury will have a pressure sore during their lifetime.
Contact Us Today
Spinal cord injuries can happen to children, teens, adults, and seniors. Anyone of any age can be affected.
Spinal cord injuries are costly to manage. Get the financial and legal help you need from the Seattle personal injury lawyers at Premier Law Group. The assistance of our experienced legal professionals can guide victims of spinal cord injuries through the intricate process of seeking justice and rightful compensation. Fill out the online form or call or text (206) 880-7437 to schedule a free consultation. We’re available 24/7.