There are few injuries that can change a person’s life as a spinal cord injury can. These injuries are devastating to both a victim and their family and often involve complete lifestyle changes. There are many ways that spinal cord injuries can occur, including at work.
If you or a loved one work in the construction industry, then you know there are risks. When you go to work, you do everything you can to be safe, but sometimes the negligence of other people causes you harm.
When you need a El Centro spinal cord work injury attorney, you can count on Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP to be by your side, working to secure the compensation you deserve.
The Injuries
In the United States, there are around 282,000 people living with a spinal cord injury.The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center gives us a clear picture of the causes of these injuries:
- Vehicle Accidents – 38%
- Falls – 30%
- Violence – 14%
- Sports and Recreation – 9%
- Medical Errors – 5%
- Other Incidents – 4%
Looking at those causes, we can see that many of them can happen in the workplace, especially in the construction industry. If we take a look at the OSHA construction “Fatal Four” list, we can see some overlap:
- Falls (38.7 percent)
- Getting struck by an object (9.4 percent)
- Electrocutions (8.3 percent)
- Getting caught in between objects (7.3 percent)
The Costs Of Spinal Cord Injuries
The cost of treating SCIs is hard to calculate. The first-year medical costs alone are tremendous, though they vary depending on the severity of the injury:
- Quadriplegia – between $769,000 and $1 million
- Paraplegia – $518,000
- Incomplete Motor Function – $347,000
Of course, those numbers do not factor in the major hidden costs of a SCI, which can include:
- Cost of travel to and from hospitals and specialist centers.
- Lost income of the victim as well as of a family member who becomes a caregiver.
- Accommodations that must take place to a home or vehicle.
- The extreme psychological and emotional costs for a SCI victim and their family.
Proper Safety Precautions
When we consider the ways these accidents happen, we can see that many of them are preventable. It is up to the construction company to ensure that all safety procedures are learned and followed. They should provide all of the proper safety gear needed for a worker to be safe and complete each job.
If an employer fails to take the steps necessary to prevent the causes of spinal cord injuries, they should be held liable for any injuries that occur.
What Are Your Options?
Do not stop fighting. When you come to us, we will help you secure the compensation you need if someone else has caused your spinal cord injury. At Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP, our qualified and experienced team knows the laws regarding work injuries. We want to make sure you have coverage for:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Long-term care
- Lost wages and benefits
- Pain and suffering damages
If you need a El Centro spinal cord work injury attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling our office.