Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are some of the most serious after a severe accident. They can do catastrophic damage to your body and your ability to live the life you were used to. You may suffer serious pain, paralysis, or even lose a loved one because of spinal cord damage. 

Proving the cause of your spinal cord damage is a critical element of your personal injury claim and winning compensation in your case.

At Daniels Law, we know just how serious a spinal cord injury is to your life. We have represented countless clients with spinal cord damage and fought for the compensation they deserve. We can do the same for you. Here, we address the most common causes of spinal cord injuries and your legal options.

What Are the Leading Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?

A spinal cord injury can happen nearly anywhere and from any accident. When this injury is due to another person's negligence, you may be owed compensation in a spinal cord injury lawsuit. Determining the cause of your spinal cord damage is essential to winning monetary damages in your case.

Some of the most common causes of spinal cord injury include:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents can severely damage your spinal cord. Car, truck, and motorcycle crashes can severely traumatize your back and even cause serious brain injuries as well. These vehicles are capable of high speeds despite their significant weight.

This translates into significant force that impacts your spinal cord in an accident. Whiplash, blunt trauma, and even penetrating injuries may occur that damage your spinal cord.

Falls

Slip and fall accidents may cause damage to your whole body, including a risk of damage to your spinal cord. A person may slip on a wet surface in a grocery store, falls from great heights, and much more. In many of these cases, the level of injury is high, especially in older adults.

The impact from a fall can twist, tear, or even detach the spinal cord. Blunt trauma to the vertebrae can lead to fractures and even piercing injuries to the spinal cord itself. Falls from a significant height can often do even worse damage. These are often accompanied by brain damage as well as spinal cord damage.

Sports Injuries and Recreational Activities

Sports can be incredibly dangerous to your spinal cord, as can other recreational activities. High-contact sports like football and rugby are especially harmful. But nearly any activity can potentially lead to a devastating spinal cord injury. 

Other sports and activities that may cause spinal cord damage include:

• Tennis, racquetball, or pickleball
• Running, jogging, or walking
• Bicycling
• Volleyball
• Swimming and diving
• Gymnastics and cheerleading
• Hockey
• Skiing
• Surfing

Violent Crimes

Not every spinal cord injury is due to an accident. Some are the result of an intentional and violent crime. Violent crimes are purposeful acts done by another against you, and they can cause very severe harm to your health. 

Violent crimes that cause spinal cord injuries often include, but are not limited to:

• Attempted murder
• Assault and battery
• Assault with a deadly weapon
• Domestic violence
• Child abuse and neglect
• Vehicular assault

Your local prosecutor may charge a violent crime in criminal court. But you may also be entitled to financial compensation from the criminal as well. A civil personal injury lawsuit can help you seek the compensation you deserve for your injuries. 

Diseases

Other spinal cord injuries are caused by disease or a medical condition. Multiple sclerosis, syphilis, vitamin deficiencies, and many forms of degenerative diseases may cause spinal cord damage. 

Some may be no one's fault, while another person's negligence could cause others. An accident may cause a disease. Or medical malpractice may miss a diagnosis that, had it been caught, the damage could have been prevented.

Common Complications of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries can lead to many different complications, such as:

• Severe pain and weakness in the legs
• Tingling of nerves or loss of sensation
• Loss of bowel control or bladder control
• Numbness or paralysis in extremities
• Loss of sexual function
• Severe pain
• Difficulty breathing 
• Spinal cord compression
• Paraplegia or quadriplegia
• Death

The severity of these symptoms will often depend on the type of spinal cord injury you face. For example, a complete injury causes total paralysis below the area of the injury. An incomplete injury leaves some function intact on at least one or possibly both sides of the body. The level of injury is often directly related to the type of spinal cord injury you suffered.

Along with the symptoms of your injury, you will suffer complications in your daily living as well. You will need significant medical treatment, ongoing therapy, and you may lose the ability to do what you enjoyed before your accident. 

Legal Options for Victims of Spinal Cord Injuries

When another person or company causes your spinal injury, you deserve to know your legal options. You can file a personal injury lawsuit with the help of a qualified California spinal cord injury attorney. A personal injury case pursues monetary damages from the responsible party. You can seek this compensation through negotiations with the defendant or through a personal injury trial.

In a successful spinal cord injury lawsuit, you may be entitled to compensation such as:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost income and earning capacity
• Property damages from your accident
• Costs of rehabilitation and therapy
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium
• Wrongful death damages

At Daniels Law, we will help you explore your legal options and pick the right path to win the compensation you deserve.

Contact a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Today

Understanding the common causes of spinal cord injuries can help you win compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. At Daniels Law, we are highly experienced with these cases and how to pursue the monetary damages owed to you. 

You can hold a negligent defendant responsible for their actions and the damage they have done to your life. Our skill, dedication, and knowledge have won millions for our clients. We will put those attributes to work in your spinal cord injury case.

Get started today with a consultation of your case. Contact us online or call 844-217-5041 for help. We look forward to speaking with you.

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