Car Accidents Are Leading Cause of Spinal Cord Injury in the United States
At the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff and Bily, we have handled thousands of car accidents cases since 1979. Not so surprisingly, most of the people that we represent in car accident cases suffer spine injuries and many times the spine injuries are so severe that they lead to paralysis or death with resulting life altering consequences.
In the year 2007, 41,000 people in the United States died in car accidents and almost 2.5 million were injured in more than 6 million car accidents. A recent article published in US News and World Report on Friday, February 6, 2009 by “Health Day” reporter Steven Weinberg indicated that car accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injury in the United States for those aged 65 and younger. Spinal fractures are the most significant cause of disability and death according to the research findings. Dr. Marjorie Wang, an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at The Medical College of Wisconsin noted that the incidents of spine fractures increase year by year over the study period from 1994 to 2002. For more information on spinal injuries please visit U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Spinal cord injuries can have a devastating effect on one’s life and earning capacity. Spinal cord injuries typically begin with a trauma or blow that fractures or dislocates the vertebrae and the bone discs that make up your spine. Most injuries do not sever your spinal cord. Instead, they cause damage when pieces of vertebrae tear into cord tissue or press down on the neurons that carry nerve signals. A spinal cord injury is a medical emergency and immediate treatment can reduce long term effects. Later treatment usually includes medicine and rehabilitative therapy according to The National Institute of Neurological Disorders.
The experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily have investigated and litigated spinal injury cases since 1979 and deal with them on a daily basis. The law of Pennsylvania states that if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident and sustain a spinal injury that affects your well being, you are entitled to recover monetary damages.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident and would like a free consultation regarding your rights and obligations, please call one of our experienced Philadelphia car accident attorneys at Reiff and Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.
