Every day, 46 Americans suffer a spinal cord injury. That’s about 17,000 spinal cord injuries every year. These injuries are usually caused by car accidents (36%), violence (28.9%) or falls (21.2%). And for some, the odds of a spinal cord injury are naturally higher.

The Expenses And Costs Of A Spinal Cord Injury Can Be Considerable And Overwhelming. If You’ve Been Involved In An Accident And Suffered A Spinal Cord Injury, You May Be Entitled To Compensation. Protect Your Rights By Speaking With A Qualified Personal Injury Attorney Immediately.

Odds of an injury go up if:

• You’re male.
• You’re between the ages of 16 and 30.
• You’re older than 65. Falls cause most injuries in older adults.
• You engage in risky behavior, such as diving in shallow water or playing sports without safety gear.
• You’re suffering a bone or joint disorder.

The spinal cord can be divided into four sections: cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral. Spinal cord injuries, their type and severity, depend on: 1) the spinal section that’s been injured; and 2) the injury’s completeness or incompleteness.

The six types and levels of spinal cord injury are:

• Cervical spinal cord injuries: Affects the head and neck above the shoulders.
• Lumbar spinal cord injuries: Affects the hips and legs.
• Thoracic spinal cord injuries: Affects the chest, back and abdomen.
• Sacral spinal cord injuries: Affects the hips, thighs, buttocks and pelvic organs.
• Complete spinal cord injuries: Permanently damages the spinal cord, resulting in paraplegia or tetraplegia.
• Incomplete spinal cord injuries: Partially damages the spinal cord. Movement and feeling vary.

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the yearly expenses and lifetime costs of a spinal cord injury vary based on education, neurological impairment and pre-injury employment history. Estimated costs are:

• For high tetraplegia: First year – $1,065,980 / Each subsequent year – $185,111.
• For low tetraplegia: First year – $770,264 / Each subsequent year – $113,557.
• For paraplegia: First year – $519,520 / Each subsequent year – $68,821.
• Motor functional at any level: First year – $347,896 / Each subsequent year – $42,256.