How to Avoid Spinal Injuries When Diving

Spinal InjuriesDiving can cause serious spinal injuries, but these are preventable if precautions are taken beforehand. A single dive can result in disabilities that impact your quality of life. Most diving injuries occur in swimming pools, creeks, rivers, lakes, and other swimming holes.

How You Can Injure Your Spinal Cord During A Dive

A spinal cord injury results from severe trauma to the bundle of nerves in the bone that run from the base of the brain to the waist. This can happen during a poorly planned dive. For example, if the diver plunges headfirst into the shallow part of a pond, their head may hit the bottom hard enough to result in this injury.

When the head strikes the bottom, the vertebrae covering the spinal cord collapse, thus preventing the nerves from transmitting signals to and from the brain. This usually leads to paralysis, but depending on the location of the injury, you can suffer from other debilitating complications as well.

This is understandable. When the entire weight of our body hits the bottom of a pool, the sheer force of the impact has an immense effect on the cervical spine. Most of these accidents occur in water that is less than three feet deep, so paralysis is imminent in most cases. According to an experienced Grayslake spinal cord injury lawyer, a preventable accident can result in permanent machine dependency.

How to Avoid Diving Spinal Injuries

Some of the best ways to avoid spinal injuries from a dive include the following:

  • NEVER dive into the shallow end of a pool. There is a reason there are no diving boards there.
  • Always enter feet first into the water. Don’t guess the depth and dive in headfirst.
  • Do not drink alcohol before a swim or dive. It will impair your judgment, and you may dive in without taking precautions.
  • Don’t dive if you are inexperienced. Water may look soft, but it cannot cushion you sufficiently if you dive in headfirst. Your body enters the water like a torpedo. The water may not be able to protect you from serious impact. Experienced divers know how to prevent serious injuries when they dive.
  • Don’t think you can dive anywhere safely because you are an experienced swimmer. You may be taller than before, and each body of water is different.

Top Signs of a Spinal Cord Injury

A spinal cord injury is imminent if you fail to take the precautions mentioned above before a dive. If you experience these symptoms post-dive, call emergency services immediately:

  • Weakness in your limbs.
  • Cuts and bruises across your face.
  • Tingling and numbness in your arms and legs.
  • Difficulty breathing.
  • Partial or complete paralysis.
  • A tender back or neck.

Contact the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens and Get the Compensation You Deserve

You deserve fair financial compensation, whether you suffered a spinal cord injury during a dive or a car accident. Why should you pay out of pocket for someone else’s negligence? Get in touch with a compassionate and experienced Grayslake spinal cord injury lawyer from the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens today. We have years of experience fighting for the rights of spinal cord injury victims such as yourself and can ensure you get the compensation you deserve.

Spinal Cord Injury Statistics & Prevalence In The US

spinal cord injuryA spinal cord injury can be devastating for your career, and physical health depends on its severity. Whether you injured your spine in a car crash from disease or the result of medical malpractice, the damage can be long-lasting.

Global Prevalence

According to the World Health Organization, this injury is common in 40 to 80 cases per million. Most of them result from traumatic causes, but the non-traumatic cases are also rising.

The symptoms of this injury depend on its severity and location. These can include complete or partial loss of motor control in the arms, legs, or any part of the body. Some can also affect bowel and bladder control, heart rate, and blood pressure if they are serious enough—most people who suffer from this injury experience chronic pain for the rest of their life.

Prevalence in the US

As per statistics, in the US, a person injures their spinal cord every hour of every day. Let’s put this into perspective. According to studies conducted by the National SCI Statistical Center (NSCISC):

  • There are approximately 17,800 new SCI injuries in the US every year
  • Men account for almost 80 percent of cases
  • About 294,000 people live with the injury in the US, and most of them are over 40 years old
  • Most people who get an SCI stay in the hospital for 11 days but can spend a month in rehab afterward

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

According to Spine Universe, the top causes of SCI include the following:

  • Acts of violence – approximately 13 percent
  • Slip and fall accidents – approximately 31 percent
  • Sporting accidents – approximately 8 percent
  • Medical complications – approximately 4 percent of cases

SCI Severity Range

The severity of a spinal injury depends on its location as well as whether it is complete or partial:

Complete SCI

Complete loss of function and feeling below the injured area.

Incomplete SCI

There is some sensation or movement below the injured part of the spine.

Depending on the type of SCI you have, you can suffer from paraplegia or tetraplegia. The former is paralysis of both legs, and the latter, aka quadriplegia, can paralyze both arms.

High tetraplegia manifests if your SCI is at the top of your spine or neck and low tetraplegia occurs in the lower spine. If your spine was injured because of someone else’s negligence and you suffered from any of these two conditions, hire an Illinois spinal cord injury attorney. Get the compensation you deserve so you don’t have to pay for treatment and rehab out of pocket.

Contact Robert Edens for a Legal Consultation If You’ve Had A Serious Spinal Injury

Thousands of people are denied worker’s compensation in Illinois every year, whether their injuries are severe or mild. They should be compensated for damages in either case, but some employers may make their lives difficult by denying their claim.

 

If you or someone you know suffered a spinal cord injury at work, contact the Law Office of Robert T. Edens today. Get an experienced Illinois spinal cord injury attorney who can fight for your rights till you get the compensation you deserve.