2022 Spinal Cord Injury Statistics

• A recent estimate made by the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center stated that the annual incidence of spinal cord injury is 54 cases per one million people in the United States. About a total of 17,730 new cases are reported each year.
• Based on data collected between 2015 and 2019 by Statista, the most common cause of a spinal cord injury in the United States are from vehicle accidents (38.2 percent).
• Other common causes of a spinal cord injury are falls (22 percent), intoxication (25 percent), violence (16 percent), and sports (12 percent).
• Falls are more common amongst those who are 45 and older. 
• The average age an individual can suffer a spinal cord injury has changed from 29 years old in the 1970s to 43 years old as of today.
• Nearly half (47.6 percent) of all spinal cord injuries occur between the ages of 16 and 30.
• 78 percent of new spinal cord injury cases are from males.
• About 23 percent of spinal cord injuries took place amongst non-Hispanic blacks. 
• According to data compiled by the Loyola University Health System and quoted by Science Daily, the life expectancy of an individual who has a spinal cord injury could be 1.5 years for a ventilator-dependent patient who is over 60 years old, while 52.6 years for a patient who is 20 years old with good motor function.
• Nearly 10 to 20 percent of patients who had a spinal cord injury were not able to survive to reach acute hospitalization. 3 percent of patients passed away during acute hospitalization.
• Staying at the hospital to receive spinal cord treatment has decreased from 24 days in the 1970s to 11 days as of today. Furthermore, staying at a rehabilitation facility has also decreased from 98 days in the 1970s to 31 days as of today. 
• Since 2015, 30 percent of individuals who have a spinal cord injury are re-hospitalized more than once during any given year following the initial date of the injury. 
• Among those who are not entirely paraylzed, 80 percent were able to stand within 12 months and 50 percent successfully walked out of the hospital within 12 months. Improvements continued for two years after the initial date of the injury.
• 53 percent of spinal cord injury patients endure partial or full arm, leg, or torso paralysis. 42 percent experienced partial or full leg paralysis.
• Those who have a complete spinal cord injury are given less than a 5 percent chance of making a full recovery. If the complete paralysis continues more than 72 hours after the initial date of the injury, chances of a recovery are brought down to 0 percent.
•  81 percent of patients who live past the first 24 hours were still alive a decade later. Mortality rates are usually higher within the first year of the spinal cord injury than in the years following after. 
• 87.4 percent of patients with a spinal cord injury are discharged from hospitals to a private home. 6.7 percent are discharged and sent to nursing homes. 
• Since 2015, 17 percent of those with a spinal cord injury land a job within one year from the initial date of the injury. 
• The estimated cost for a first year spinal cord treatment is set between $320,000 and $985,000. However, treatment can also cost up to $5 million for the individual’s lifetime. 

West Coast Trial Lawyers Is Here to Help

If your spinal cord injury was caused by the negligence of another, you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit against the liable party. Lawsuits for spinal cord injuries typically fall into two categories: negligence and faulty or defective products.

Moreover, California is a comparative negligence state, which means that a spinal cord injury victim may still recover some damages even if he or she is found partially liable for the accident. An injury victim’s available damages will be reduced by his or her degree of fault.

Needless to say, a spinal cord injury is physically, emotionally, and financially devastating. A spinal cord injury attorney at West Coast Trial Lawyers can help you recover compensation for the losses you have suffered, including medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and more.

Contact us today by calling 213-927-3700 or filling out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with our experienced, caring, and compassionate legal team.