Getting injured in any type of accident can be devastating, especially when there has been catastrophic damage done to a person’s spinal cord. Depending on the location of where the spinal cord is damaged, a person can experience complete or partial loss of muscle function below the point of trauma. This type of injury is one that can upset a person’s life enormously, so it can be crucial for victims in Palm Springs to consider pursuing compensation after an accident.

Thousands of people suffer a spinal cord injury every year and in previous years, the majority of them were suffered in one type of incident in particular. According to reports, the primary cause of spinal cord injuries in the past has been car accidents. However, recent statistics suggest that this may no longer be true. Do you know what causes more spinal cord injuries than car accidents?

Recent reports state that falls have surpassed car crashes as the cause of most spinal cord injuries. This can include falls from heights or being injured by falling objects. While car crashes have reportedly caused 35.5 percent of spinal cord injuries in recent years, falls have been to blame 41.5 percent of the time. And the risks of injury increase dramatically as people get older.

Data collected suggests that in 2009, people between the ages of 18 and 64 were treated for spinal cord injuries in the emergency room at a rate of about 49.9 per million. That same year, people over the age of 64 had a rate of 87.7 per million. And sadly, the injuries are four times more likely to be fatal for older victims. The fact that many of these people die from such catastrophic injuries shows just how devastating spinal cord injuries can be.

Unfortunately, many of the accidents that result in spinal cord injuries, whether they are falls or car crashes, could have been prevented. Often, negligence is a contributing factor in these accidents and there is a party that can be held liable for the temporary or lifelong consequences of a person’s catastrophic injuries. That is why it can be crucial for victims who have suffered any type of back injury as a result of an accident to speak with an attorney. With legal support, victims can pursue the compensation they may desperately need and deserve.

Source: UPI, “Falls, not car crashes, leading cause of spinal cord injuries,” Jan. 27, 2014