Irvine Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys

Each year, nearly 18,000 people suffer from spinal cord injuries (SCI) and there is an average of 288,000 people living with SCIs in the US. Men are overwhelmingly more likely than women to suffer an SCI.

SPIs come at great cost. For someone injured in their 20s, the lifetime cost of medical treatment related to the SCI ranges from $1.6 million to $4.8 million. If you have suffered from a spinal cord injury that is due to the negligence or acts of someone else, you should consider speaking with a spinal cord injury lawyer. 

An experienced SPI can ensure you get any compensation that you may be entitled to as a result of your injury. Read on to learn more. 

What is a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)? 

An SCI includes any type of damage to your spine. This could be anything from injuries to the bottom of your brain or central nervous system, through your neck, and all the way down to your lower back and coccyx (tailbone). The spinal cord is divided into four different sections: 

1. C1-C7 cervical vertebrae located in your neck
2. T1-T12 thoracic vertebrae located in your upper back and attached to the ribcage
3. L1-L5 lumbar vertebrae that are located in the lower back
4. S1-S5 sacral vertebrae located in your pelvis 

A spinal cord injury can have life-altering effects on a person and could result in minor nerve damage or even paralysis. In addition, a severe injury can also impact your mental health, emotional health, and your daily life.  

Common Causes and Risk Factors of SCIs

Some of the most common causes of SCIs include: 

• Falls
• Car accidents
• Sports or recreation injuries
• Violence or fighting
• Alcohol use
• Diseases such as cancer or arthritis
• Bicycle accidents
• Work-related injuries

Some of the most common risk factors for SCIs include: 

• Being male
• Being older than 65 or between the ages of 16 and 30
• Engaging in risky behaviors, like playing sports without proper safety equipment, unsafe driving, etc.
• A bone disorder such as arthritis or osteoporosis 

Symptoms of SCIs

If you think you have suffered from a spinal cord injury, you should seek medical attention immediately. Some of the symptoms of SCIs that you should not ignore include: 

• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Loss of movement
• Altered sensations or loss of ability to feel hot or cold
• Changes in sexual function
• Difficulty breathing or coughing
• Pain or stinging sensation in your spinal cord 

If you experience any sort of head or neck trauma, you should seek medical attention immediately. The longer you wait, the higher the likelihood that your injury becomes more serious.

Even if it doesn’t seem like you have a serious injury, any head or neck trauma needs to be assessed by a medical professional.

Contact a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Today 

If you or a loved one has experienced a spinal cord injury that you believe was due to the negligence or actions of another person, contact a spinal cord injury lawyer in Irvine today. Given the high costs of medical care associated with these injuries as well as the potential severity of an SCI, an attorney will work to ensure that you receive adequate compensation. 

Contact us at Heidari Law Group for a free case evaluation.