Your spinal cord connects your brain to the various parts of your body. This massive central collection of nerve cells passes information to and from your brain and other body parts, which in turn controls them and allows your body to function properly. As you can imagine, this makes your spinal cord extremely important to your life and your livelihood.
However, despite the presence of tough but flexible armor to protect it (your spine), spinal cord damage can still occur and lead to serious health and function complications. Damage to the spinal cord can occur rapidly through a sudden, traumatic event that causes breaks or slippage in the spinal cord. However, it can also occur slowly, as a result of decaying health or other effects that create slow but lasting damage.
Let’s look at some of the more common causes of spinal cord injuries more closely.
MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
Car, truck, motorcycle, bus, and pedestrian accidents are the number-one cause of spinal cord injuries in the world. According to the Mayo Clinic, more than 35% of all new spinal cord injuries reported every year occur as a result of car accidents, even with the advanced safety measures in place.
FALLS
For those over the age of 65, falls are the number-one threat for spinal cord injuries. Older bones become brittle and more prone to breaking with an impact, and hard impacts against the ground result in spine fractures, compressions, and nerve damage.
VIOLENCE
The world is not always a peaceful place. Violence often begets serious injuries, and spinal cord injuries are not uncommon in these cases. Stabbings, gunshot wounds, or even serious blows from punches or kicks have all been found to cause damage to the spine and the spinal cord, leading to potentially life-changing injuries.
SPORTS OR RECREATION
We have a love for contact sports, and while the action may be exhilarating and enjoyable to watch, the competing athletes put themselves at a serious risk for a spinal cord injury. Often times things like impacts to the top of the head or neck trauma can cause the spine to compress or bend awkwardly, which can break bones, compress nerve cells, and result in potentially serious or permanent injuries.
ALCOHOL
This one surprises a lot of people. Did you know that nearly 25% of all spinal cord injuries have alcohol involved somehow? It’s not always the person who becomes injured, but when you consider that drunk driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents, and car accidents cause spinal cord injuries, you can see how this is a surprising risk factor.
DISEASE OR ILLNESS
Trauma isn’t the lone cause of spinal cord injuries. Serious diseases such as cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis (which makes bones brittle), and more can all cause damage to the spinal cord. In these instances, the damage is not usually sudden or traumatic, but occurs slowly as the disease worsens.
Whether your spinal cord damage was the result of a sudden traumatic event or slow illness, the team of Walnut Creek injury lawyers at Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook are dedicated to helping you obtain the compensation you deserve. We are experienced in all types of personal injury matters, including traumatic injuries, car accidents, and toxic exposure cases which can cause major illnesses. We have recovered more than $375 million in compensation on behalf of our clients, and we are dedicated to helping you obtain the financial relief your case deserves.Don’t settle for the consequences of your injury. Call Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook today at (925) 275-5592 and schedule a free consultation to review your legal options.