Spinal Cord Injury

Lancaster PA Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

Spinal cord injuries are among the most serious injuries that can arise from incidents such as motor vehicle collisions or falls. These injuries are especially scary as they can cause paralysis or disability. After damaging your spinal cord, you may need medication, surgery, mobility aids and rehabilitation. But medical treatment is time consuming and expensive. If your injury was caused by the negligence of another party, you deserve to be compensated for any expenses associated with your injury. A Lancaster spinal cord injury lawyer at Haggerty & Silverman will fight to get you compensation so you can focus on rebuilding your life.

Our attorneys understand how devastating spinal cord injuries can be. That’s why we will fight to hold any negligent parties responsible for your injury. When we hold wrongdoers accountable, others are encouraged to make safer choices in the future. Whether your spinal cord injury was caused by a distracted driver, negligent business owner, or other careless act, we will fight for justice.

About Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries result from trauma to the spinal cord, which houses most of the nerves that send signals to and from the brain. When there is trauma to the spinal cord, the result can be partial or total paralysis.

Often, serious spinal cord injuries produce paralysis below the area where the injury occurred. This is known as a complete spinal cord injury. When spinal cord injuries are incomplete, there is still feeling or movement below the point of the injury. In some cases, individuals experience paralysis or impaired movement on one side of their body.

A spinal cord injury can be temporary or permanent depending upon the extent of the injury. Spinal cord injuries usually require immediate medical attention and extensive rehabilitation.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

According to the Mayo Clinic, common causes of spinal cord injuries include motor vehicle accidents, falls, violence, and sports and recreational injuries. Car crashes are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries, accounting for 35 percent of spinal cord injuries each year.

Falls

Falls cause more than 25 percent of spinal cord injuries. Those over the age of 65 are most likely to suffer a spinal cord injury from a fall. There are several factors that determine how serious the injury will be, such as:

distance of fall
landing surface
orientation of fall
whether the fall was broken

Violence

15% of spinal cord injuries result from acts of violence, often involving knife and gunshot wounds.

Sports and Recreational Accidents

About nine percent of spinal cord injuries result from sporting or recreational accidents. These activities include things like swimming, biking and horseback riding. Spinal cord injuries are also sustained in sports such as football, gymnastics and hockey. These injuries can result from inadequate protective gear, untrained coaches, or poor playing fields.