Orange County Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

A spinal cord injury is one of the most frightening and debilitating injuries to the human body. If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury, the attorneys of Panish, Shea & Boyle offer our sympathies and condolences.

A spinal cord injury interrupts the communication between the body and the brain. They can be devastating on a number of levels: physical, emotional and financial, which is why the victims of spinal cord injuries may need the help of our skilled Orange County spinal cord injury attorneys to file a claim for compensation for the following:

• Medical expenses
• Rehabilitation expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering

Most Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

According to the Mayo Clinic, these are the most common causes of spinal cord injuries:

• Motor vehicle accidents, including cars, trucks and motorcycles (50%)

• Falls make up 22% of spinal cord injuries, but are the leading cause of SCI in people over age 50

• Gunshots, knife wounds and other violent assaults (15%)

• Trampolines, diving and impact sports, such as football (8%)

Data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) at the University of Alabama current as of September 2020, provides a glimpse as to the correlation between how many women vs men have suffered SCI’s in the U.S. and how. Men by and large suffer more spinal cord injuries than women as a whole and more men have suffered SCI’s in every etiology except horseback riding. Here is a full look at the data:

Top 10 Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Males:

Top 10 Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Females:

Source: 2020 NSCISC Annual Statistical Report

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

Injuries to the cervical spine causes quadriplegia or complete paralysis of the arms and legs. Quadriplegia can also involve the head, neck and respiratory system in more severe injuries. Paraplegia, or the paralysis of the legs, happens after injury to the thoracic, lumbar or sacral regions of the spine. The chest and abdomen are affected by injuries to the thoracic region, and the lumbar region affects hips and legs. The bowel, bladder and sexual functions are affected by injuries to the sacral region.

Injuries are then divided into “complete” or “incomplete” injuries. A patient with an incomplete injury can retain some movement and sensation in the limbs; commonly, a patient may have greater function in one side of the body. Others may experience feeling in certain areas below the site of the injury, even if they’re not able to move those areas. A complete injury means the patient is completely paralyzed below the site of the injury. Complete spinal cord injuries usually mean permanent paralysis.

Recovering From a Spinal Cord Injury

Rehabilitation for spinal cord injuries focuses on muscle strength, independence and mobility. Modern assistive equipment can give the patient more independence and sometimes even restore some bodily function. A team of doctors specializing in spinal cord injuries, a rehabilitation nurse, a social worker, physical therapist, recreational therapist, nutritionist, psychologist and occupational therapist are some of the players on a spinal cord rehabilitation team.

How Much Will it Cost to Recover?

The University of Alabama National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates that the lifetime cost of a spinal cord injury to a 25-year-old patient is somewhere between $700,000 and $3.1 million. No amount of money can cure the pain and suffering of a spinal cord injury, but the compensation from a lawsuit can help a patient attain the best medical care and ease the burden on their family. Speak with an Orange County spinal cord injury lawyer to discuss your legal options and how you can obtain compensation to cover for your damages.

Areas of the Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is divided into five areas. The location of the injury helps determine the diagnosis and treatment of the injury.

• Cervical (neck)
• Thoracic (behind chest)
• Lumbar (lower back)
• Sacral (tailbone)
• Coccygeal

Who is Most Likely to Suffer a Spinal Cord Injury?

The 2015 study from the NSCISC shows the most common age to suffer a spinal cord injury is 19, followed closely by 18 and 20. The effects of a spinal cord injury at any age is devastating, but at such a young age means drastic life changes and long term medical care. An Irvine spinal cord injury attorney can help you recover compensation to cover medical bills and other unexpected expenses.

Males are over 4 times more likely to suffer a spinal cord injury than females in all documented activities, besides horseback riding where more women (74) than men (73) were documented.

Contact Our Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers in Orange County

If someone else’s criminally negligent act (such as selling a defective product or driving while intoxicated) is responsible for – either wholly or in part – your spinal cord injury, you may be able to recover compensation. Contact our Irvine spinal cord injury lawyer for assistance with your case.

Call Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP today for your free Orange County spinal cord injury attorney consultation. Our expert team of attorneys is waiting for your call. We serve clients in Newport Beach, Irvine, Los Angeles, and throughout Southern California.