Aside from costing up to thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses, traumatic spinal cord injuries also inflict an enormous emotional toll on both California victims and their caregivers.
Only a handful of very lucky people will fully recover from a spinal cord injury. Even if a victim manages to escape total paralysis, they will likely lose some mobility and bodily function, a loss which will make their life more difficult.
The victim may have to go through an ordeal to re-learn basic tasks. They also could experience mental health issues in the aftermath of the accident. Additionally, they may also have to deal with the financial and emotional fallout of not being able to work in their profession or trade.
Sadly, many of these devastating and life-altering injuries are preventable.
What are the most common causes of spinal cord injuries?
Although they draw a fair amount of attention, sports and recreation accidents are not the leading cause of spinal cord injuries. Diving was the only type of sports and recreation injury that made a list of common spinal cord injuries, accounting for almost 5 out of 100 new injuries.
On the other hand, motor vehicle accidents, including motorcycle accidents, account for over 38%, or close to 4 out of 10, of all spinal cord injuries. The second leading cause of spinal cord accidents are falls, which account for over 25% of all spinal cord injuries. Interestingly, though, among people over age 45, falling was the leading cause of spinal cord injuries.
Falls and motor vehicle accidents are both usually preventable. When motorists on California’s roads operate their vehicles carefully, serious accidents are unlikely. Likewise, property owners, businesses and others can prevent falls by taking proper safety precautions and maintaining the land for which they are responsible.
Those who carelessly fail to prevent a fall or motor vehicle accident may have a duty to compensate the victim of a spinal cord injury.