Personal Injury Law

Paralysis Affects 1 in 50 Americans

By Jack Lebowitz, Esq. and Vadim Mzhen, Esq.

According to a new survey, released by the Dana Reeve Foundation, 5.6 million Americans have some sort of paralysis. That?s 1 in 50 Americans.

The survey was put together with input from over 30 experts in statistics and paralysis and conducted at over 33,000 households in the country. According to the report, One Degree of Separation: Paralysis and Spinal Cord Injury in the United States, findings included:

? 1.9% of the population in the US has been affected by paralysis.
? Spinal cord injuries are more common than previously thought, with 1.275 people affected.
? African Americans and Native Americans are among the groups of people that have a higher number of people living with paralysis.
? Low income appeared to be more common in households where someone was affected by paralysis.
? Approximately 1/4th of households where someone had paralysis had one person making $10,000 or less.
? The average age of people who said they were paralyzed is 52.
? 48 was the average age of someone who is paralyzed because of a spinal cord injury.
? Leading causes of spinal cord injuries were work accidents, motor vehicle crashes, and recreational/sporting accidents.
? Other causes of paralysis included multiple sclerosis, stroke, post-polio syndrome, and cerebral palsy.

Living with a paralysis is never easy and a person may require specialized nursing care and have to regularly undergo specific medical treatments and procedures, as well as costly rehabilitation. If you sustained your SCI because another party was negligent, there may be a way for you to obtain financial recovery to help you deal with your injuries, lost wages and benefits, as well as secure the funds you need to support your family.

Our Maryland spinal cord injury attorneys can help you explore your legal options.

One in 50 Americans Lives with Paralysis, Forbes.com, April 20, 2008

You and Your Motorcycle Riding Tips (PDF)

Related Web Resources:
Motorcycle Safety, NHTSA

2009 Motorcycle Safety Awareness, Maryland MVA

Full post as published by Maryland Accident Law Blog on April 24, 2009 (boomark / email).