Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention, the leading causes of TBI are:
• Falls (28%);
• Motor vehicle-traffic crashes (20%);
• Struck by/against events (19%); and
• Assaults (11%).

Each year, 1.5 million people sustain a brain injury. Of those, 50,000 die, 235,000 are hospitalized and over 1 million are treated and released from an emergency department. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can mean lifetime disability, economic devastation, loss of independence, personality changes, loss of earning capabilities, loss of memory, and dependence on family and friends for supervision and care.

On the other hand, spinal cord injuries (SCI) occur when a traumatic event results in damage to cells within the spinal cord or severs the nerve tracts that relay signals up and down the spinal cord. These injuries happen to approximately 12,000 to 15,000 people per year in the U.S. About 10,000 of these people are permanently paralyzed, and many of the rest die as a result of their injuries. Most spinal cord trauma occurs to young, healthy individuals. Males between the ages of 15 and 35 years are most commonly affected.

Approximately 36% to 44.5% of spinal cord injuries are caused by automobile collisions, motorcycle accidents, Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) rollovers and other motor vehicle accidents. Other major causes of spinal cord injuries are falls, violence and sports injuries. Spinal cord injuries are different from back injuries such as ruptured disks, spinal stenosis or pinched nerves in the effect that a person can "break their back or neck" yet not sustain a spinal cord injury. If only the bones around the spinal cord (the vertebrae) are damaged, but the spinal cord is not affected, it's not considered a spinal cord injury.

If you’ve suffer from a spinal cord injury or a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s neglectful or reckless behavior, contact our law office today. You may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit claim.