A spinal cord injury (SCI), though not as common as other types of injuries, can be devastating physically, socially, and financially. According to the National SCI Statistical Center (NSCISC), approximately 17,810 new spinal cord injuries occur each year in the United States. Males account for about 78 percent of new spine injuries, with the average age being 43.

Depending on where on the spine the injury occurs, your functions below that point can be lost partially or completely. More than half of those injured every year may suffer paraplegia, paralysis of the legs and lower body. The rest, especially those with injuries to the upper spine, may be subject to quadriplegia, paralysis of all four limbs (also called tetraplegia).

If you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury in or around Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, and Saint Augustine, contact the Glober + Glober. I have helped many others in your situation receive the just compensation they deserve to move on with their lives and get the treatment and support they need. I will treat you and your challenges with dignity and compassion

The most common causes of SCI, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), are automobile accidents (31.5 percent) and falls (25.3 percent). After that come gunshot wounds (10.4 percent), motorcycle crashes (6.8 percent), diving accidents (4.7 percent), and medical/surgical complications (4.3 percent). Automobile crashes are the most common cause of SCI up to the age of 45; after that, SCI from falls takes over as the leading cause.

Depending on where the spine is injured and how severe the blow is to the spinal cord, the result is termed either complete or incomplete. Complete means that all functions below that point on the spine are lost. Incomplete means all functions may be lost partially, or some fully and others not at all or partially.

The vertebrae protect the spine, which is the superhighway of your nervous system, coordinating functions throughout your body through signals sent from the brain. If the vertebrae are injured, the nerves can become dysfunctional. The higher the injury on the spinal cord, the more dysfunction can occur. Also, the spinal cord does not have to be severed to suffer a loss of function. It can be bruised, stretched, partially severed, or crushed.