Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injury
A traumatic injury is one that comes on suddenly and has a significant impact on a person’s physical well-being. Not only do these types of injuries require immediate medical attention, but they often require a lifetime of care for the patient. A personal injury lawsuit can help a client receive due compensation for what is likely to be a lifetime of medical expenses and lifestyle changes as the result of a traumatic injury. One common type of traumatic injury is a spinal cord injury. Because the spinal cord is vital to many movements and bodily functions, a complete spinal cord injury is likely to result in paralysis, incontinence, and partial or complete loss of certain bodily functions. At Younker Hyde Macfarlane, PLLC, we help our Utah patients understand spinal cord injury causes and discuss how liability can be determined in these types of accidents.
Causes of Spinal Cord Injury
When we discuss a traumatic spinal cord injury, we are referring to an injury that has occurred as the result of a jarring, disruptive physical trauma, and not a degenerate condition that was present in the body. These injuries often could have been avoided completely were it not for the acts or decisions of another individual or party. A spinal cord injury occurs when the parts of the spine are bent, distorted, compressed, dislocated, or extended in ways that they were not meant to. Below are some of the most common causes of spinal cord injury:
- Vehicular accident: The impact that is involved in an automobile accident (whether it be one involving a car, truck, motorcycle, or boat) is often enough to put great trauma on the spinal cord, and as a result, is a common cause of spinal cord injury.
- Sporting accidents: Sports are a recreational activity that often involve physical contact with other players and can have a high risk of injury. Accidents or injury during such sporting activities are another common cause of spinal cord injury.
- Slips and falls: If a person slips or falls, it is highly likely that the spinal cord will be impacted and injured. This can include falls down stairs, slipping on a slick surface, or tripping on uneven pavement.
- Violence: A physical attack can be damaging to the body and may result in a spinal cord injury.
Determining Liability
As stated above, a traumatic spinal cord injury is not natural and could have been avoided in most cases. Because of this, there is often a party responsible for the damages suffered as the result of injury. While in some cases, such as those where violence is involved, it is easy to determine liability, other cases may be more difficult. Our spinal cord injury attorneys recreate accidents by working with a team of experts, in order to determine liability and obtain any damages that may be due to our clients for financial and emotional strain as a result of spinal cord injuries.
Contact Us
If you have suffered a spinal cord injury at the fault of another party, you may be due compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, or other financial and emotional burdens. Contact us at your earliest convenience to discuss the details of your injury and determine if you are in need of legal representation.