Spinal cord injuries are rare in New Mexico. But when they do happen, the recovery is in the millions. Spinal cord injuries fall under that umbrella a good amount of the time. The attorneys we work with dedicate the time and resources into these cases because the victim is very likely left with permanent damage for the rest of their life. Making the victim whole again despite the life changing incident is what matters most.
It should come as no surprise how delicate a spinal cord is and typically once damage has been done it is irreversible. The average spinal cord injury case resulting from a fall or botched surgery hoovers around $1 million.
According to the National Spinal Injury Statistical Center, the annual incidence of spinal cord injuries in the United States is approximately 54 case per one million people. The entire US sees around 18,000 cases per year, sometimes more. The majority of new spinal cord injury cases in New Mexico happen to males between the ages of 16 to 30 years old. Males take much bigger risks than females when doing dangerous tasks such as climbing a ladder and falling off. This accounts for the reason why males are more likely to injury their spinal cord, especially younger males. Spinal cord injuries that are serious come from car accidents while violence, falls, sports injuries or a serious event at work result in the remaining cases.
The nerves that carry messages from the brain to the spinal cord are prone to injury if violent blows to the back are a common occurrence. The spinal cord itself is 18 inches long. It carries messages to the brain and to the rest of the body. When an injury happens, the higher the damage is up the spinal cord, the more function will be limited than before the injury.
Many patients that undergo surgery can become paralyzed by a risky surgery that never should have been performed. It is recommended to never undergo a surgery that is unproven. A procedure can cause more harm instead of addressing the injury at hand. Unless it is life threatening, untested procedures on the spine can lead to permanent damage.
There is not enough information available on spinal cord injury settlement amounts in New Mexico as they are increasingly rare. 9% of cases settled in the United States are for between $500,000 and $1 million. 11% of cases are between $2 and $5 million and 14% of cases are for $5 million or more. Falls are more likely to pay out $1 million or more as opposed to car accidents which typically are not extreme cases of spinal cord injuries.
Suffering a spinal cord injury in New Mexico is a matter that should not be taken lightly. You need to take the time to consider your legal options with a qualified attorney. First you should discuss and find out the severity of your spinal cord injury from a doctor or other medical professional. The more documents you have on the potential malpractice or injury incident, the easier it will be for personal injury attorneys to help. Our attorneys handle spinal cord injury cases in New Mexico and will consider your case. Contact New Mexico’s Injury Experts today.