Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Serving Lake and McHenry Counties


Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer, Bob Edens from The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, represents accident victims suffering from serious spinal cord injuries who seek justice and fair financial compensation for injuries caused by the negligence of others. Back, neck, and spinal cord injuries can sometimes cause radiating or shooting pain in the arms or legs, experience weakness or tingling in extremities. Severely injured may be completely paralyzed, while others may suffer from losing control of their limbs or bladder and bowel functions. These types of injuries can completely change the life of the victim.

Spinal Cord Facts and Figures


According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) automobile accidents cause 41.3% of spinal cord injuries. More than 12,000 people suffer a spinal cord injury each year in the United States, while some victims will experience a full recovery, others will be completely and permanently paralyzed. Car accidents are also frequently the cause of other serious back injuries such as a herniated disc, cervical facet joint injury, and severe whiplash injury, among others.

The number of people in the United States who are alive in 2013 who have SCI has been estimated to be approximately 273,000 persons, with a range of 238,000 to 332,000 persons. Note: Incidence and prevalence statistics are estimates obtained from several studies. These statistics are not derived from the National SCI Database.

Age at injury: SCI primarily affects young adults. Nearly half of all injuries occurred between the ages of 16 and 30. From 1973 to 1979, the average age at injury was 28.7 years. As the median age of the general population of the United States has increased by approximately 9 years since the mid-1970, the average age at injury has also steadily increased over time.

Since 2010, the average age at injury is 42.6 years. Other possible reasons for the observed trend toward older age at injury might include changes in either referral patterns to model systems, the locations of model systems, survival rates of older persons at the scene of the accident, or age-specific incidence rates.

Gender: Overall, 80.7% of spinal cord injuries reported to the national database have occurred among males. Over the history of the database, there has been a slight trend toward a decreasing percentage of males.

Average Yearly Expenses

1st Year Subsequent Years
$1,044,197 $181,328

Estimated Lifetime Costs by Age At Injury

25 Yrs Old 50 Yrs Old
$4,633,137 $2,546,294

What is a spinal cord injury?


The spinal cord is the major bundle of nerves that moves nerve impulses between the brain and the rest of the body. Spinal cord injury usually starts with a sudden, traumatic blow to the spine that fractures or dislocates vertebrae. The impact causes the vertebrae to fracture or compress, which in turn crushes the extensive nerve cells (axons) that carry signals along the spinal cord between the brain and the body. The specific effect of a spinal cord injury depends on the location and severity of the injury. An injury to the spinal cord can damage a small number of axons or almost all of them.

Spinal cord injuries are called either “complete” or “incomplete”. The victim of a complete injury totally lacks sensory and motor function below the level of the injury. An incomplete spinal cord injury victim retains some sensory motor function below the injury site. Tragically, many brain and spinal cord injuries are irreversible. Neck injuries, back injuries, and spinal cord injuries can vary in severity and have a range of short and long-term complications.

In addition to draining the victim both physically and emotionally, spinal cord injuries can also drain a family’s finances because medical care for spinal cord injuries is costly and long-term. Many people who live with spinal cord injury have secondary complications including pain, respiratory and heart problems, bladder and bowel dysfunction, pressure sores, respiratory complications, urinary tract infections, spasticity, and scoliosis.

What is Paraplegia or Quadriplegia?


Paraplegia is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities (legs). It is typically the result of spinal cord injury. The area of the spinal canal which is affected in paraplegia is either the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral regions. If both arms are also affected by paralysis, quadriplegia is the proper terminology.

Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Representing Paralysis, Paraplegia, Quadriplegia Victims – Free Consultations


Spinal cord injury from an accident? Want to know if you have a legal case? Want to know what your spinal cord injury is worth? Want compensation for your injuries? Want justice for your loved ones? Want to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to someone else?

Get the legal aid that you need. Call attorney Bob Edens at The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens to schedule a free legal consultation. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.

Call 847-395-2200 for a FREE, no-obligation spinal cord injury or accident consultation. There is no obligation to hire a lawyer. We are usually retained on a contingency fee basis. There is no fee until our spinal cord injury attorneys successfully recover fair compensation for you.

Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers in Lake and McHenry Counties


We can help whether you live in Fox Lake, Gurnee, Grayslake, Lake Villa, Ingleside, Antioch, Lindenhurst, Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Heights, Round Lake Park, Waukegan, Zion, Highland Park, Libertyville, Mundelein, Algonquin, Crystal Lake, Lake in the Hills, McHenry, Woodstock, and North Chicago. The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens has the skill, expertise, and spinal cord injury attorneys necessary to help you.

Call today for a free consultation

(847) 395-2200