Chicago Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys

A spinal cord injury can happen in a matter of seconds, yet the damage can last a lifetime, especially when victims are paralyzed.  This serious and debilitating injury damages signals to and from the brain.  The majority of spinal cord injuries occur during some type of accident, the highest percentage coming from automobile accidents.  Illinois spinal cord injury lawyers have seen firsthand the traumatic effects of spinal cord injuries.

Hiring a skilled Chicago spinal cord injury attorney is imperative.

Symptoms of a spinal cord injury range from paralysis to loss of sensation at the injury location and below.  Spinal cord injuries can happen, even without a complete cut off the spinal cord.  Respiratory failure sadly contributes to many deaths among victims of this serious injury.  Survival within the first twenty four hours greatly increases the chances of long-term survival according to a Chicago personal injury attorney.

Due to the severity of spinal cord injuries, skilled and competent legal representation is crucial.  If you or a loved one is suffering from a spinal cord injury in Illinois, personal injury lawyers with experience in these cases can help you pursue a legal course of action if you feel another party was either fully or partly responsible for your injury.

Because spinal cord injuries can affect an individual throughout the rest of his or her life, compensation for these injuries can be high, another reason a skilled Chicago spinal cord injury attorney is imperative.

More about Spinal Cord Injuries in Chicago, Illinois

Demographics and Statistics

Throughout the United States, thousands of individuals become victims of spinal cord injuries.  These traumatic injuries can alter the course of an individual’s life and dramatically affect him or her, both emotionally and physically. In and around Chicago, spinal cord injury lawyers have represented numerous victims of spinal cord injuries and paralyzation and can provide crucial legal assistance if you have been injured.

Chicago personal injury attorneys present recent demographics and statistics behind spinal cord injuries in the United States.  They following is the latest:

  • The highest per capita rate of spinal cord injuries occur between ages 16-30
  • The average age at time of injury is 33 years
  • The leading cause of spinal cord injuries is motor vehicle accidents
  • Falls overtake motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause after age 45
  • 82% of the total number of people with spinal cord injuries are male, 18% are female
  • 53% of the number of people injured were single at the time of injury
  • After 5 years, 88% of single people were still single
  • The average hospital charges are $99,553
  • The average health care and living expenses for the first year after injury is $198,335 with $24,154 an average for each year after

Illinois personal injury lawyers report that the most common cause of death is due to diseases of the respiratory system.  Overall, 85% of spinal cord injury patients who survive after the first 24 hours are still alive ten years later.  When victims do not survive, the most common cause is diseases of the respiratory system, mainly pneumonia.  Heart disease is the second leading cause of death.  The third comes from deaths due to external causes.  The majority of these deaths are suicide.

In the past, many people with spinal cord injuries had to live the rest of their lives in a nursing home.  Now, almost 90% of people who are discharged are sent to a private residence, often their home before injury.  Only 4% are discharged to nursing homes.  The rest of the individuals are sent to hospitals or group living situations.

Spinal cord injuries can be devastating.  If you or someone you know has been a victim, or has been paralyzed, contact an competent Chicago spinal cord injury attorney with extensive experience representing victims of spinal cord injuries.

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