Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury can change everything in an instant. Whether the injury came from a wreck on I-40, a fall on a Winston-Salem construction site, a hit on a sports field, or an act of violence, the road forward is rarely simple—and the financial toll is often staggering.

Survivors and their families face surgeries, intensive rehabilitation, long-term care, home and vehicle modifications, and the immeasurable challenges of adapting to a permanently altered life.

If you or someone you love suffered a spinal cord injury in or around Winston-Salem, the catastrophic injury team at Lewis & Keller Injury Lawyers can help you fight for the compensation needed to support your future. Reach out today for a free consultation.

How Common Are Spinal Cord Injuries?

Spinal cord injuries are more common than many people realize. According to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, there are approximately 18,000 new spinal cord injuries in the United States each year.

An estimated 302,000 Americans are currently living with a spinal cord injury, and the average age at injury has steadily climbed, from 29 years during the 1970s to 43 today. About 79% of new SCI patients are male.

Looking more broadly, the Reeve Foundation’s research has found that nearly 1 in 50 Americans is living with some form of paralysis—approximately 5.4 million people. Spinal cord injury is the second leading cause of paralysis nationwide, after stroke. Behind every one of those numbers is a person, a family, and a future that has been radically reshaped.

What Causes Spinal Cord Injuries in North Carolina?

Spinal cord injuries can result from almost any incident that delivers sudden, severe force to the back or neck. The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation lists motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of SCI in the U.S., closely followed by falls. Similarly, common causes we see in Winston-Salem and across North Carolina include:

• Motor vehicle crashes, including car wrecks on I-40, U.S. 421, Salem Parkway, and Business 40, as well as truck and motorcycle crashes throughout the Triad.
• Falls, including falls from heights at construction sites, falls on dangerous property, and falls suffered by older adults.
• Workplace and construction accidents, especially on the dozens of major projects underway across Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
• Sports and recreational injuries, including football injuries and other contact-sport trauma.
• Acts of violence, including gunshot and stab wounds
• Pedestrian and bicycle accidents, commonly along busy corridors and unsafe intersections.
• Medical malpractice, including birth injuries and surgical errors
• Defective products, including failed safety equipment, defective vehicles, and dangerous machinery.

What Are the Different Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?

Spinal cord injuries are typically classified by where they occur on the spine and how severely the cord is damaged. Each level of injury affects different bodily functions:

• Cervical (Neck) Injuries (C1–C8): The most severe SCIs. Damage to the cervical spinal cord can cause tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia), with paralysis in the arms, hands, trunk, legs, and pelvic organs. High cervical injuries (above C3) often require ventilator support to breathe.
• Thoracic (Upper Back) Injuries (T1–T12): Generally affect the chest, trunk, and legs. Survivors sometimes retain use of the arms and hands but may experience paraplegia.
• Lumbar (Lower Back) Injuries (L1–L5): Typically affect the hips and legs. Survivors usually have full use of the arms and upper body but may need a wheelchair or other mobility devices.
• Sacral Injuries (S1–S5): Generally affect the hips, the thighs, the buttocks, and pelvic organs, but most people retain the ability to walk.

Spinal cord injuries are also classified as complete (total loss of feeling and movement below the injury site) or incomplete (some preserved sensation or function). Incomplete injuries vary widely in their effects and recovery prospects.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of a Spinal Cord Injury?

Beyond paralysis itself, spinal cord injuries can produce a wide range of long-term complications, including:

• Loss of bladder and bowel control
• Chronic pain and neuropathic pain
• Spasticity and uncontrolled muscle movement
• Pressure sores and skin breakdown
• Respiratory infections and breathing complications
• Circulatory problems and blood clots
• Sexual and reproductive health changes
• Depression, anxiety, and PTSD
• Increased vulnerability to other illnesses and injuries
• Reduced overall life expectancy

What Treatment Options Are Available for SCIs?

While there is no cure for spinal cord injury today, modern medicine and ongoing research continue to expand what’s possible for survivors. Acute care typically begins with emergency stabilization, surgical decompression of the spine, and intensive monitoring in a specialized hospital unit. From there, survivors usually transition into long-term rehabilitation focused on:

• Physical therapy to maintain muscle tone and prevent complications
• Occupational therapy to relearn daily living skills
• Assistive technology training, including powered wheelchairs, communication devices, and adaptive equipment
• Mental health and counseling services
• Recreational therapy
• Family education and caregiver training

The Reeve Foundation’s research program and other major research efforts continue to push toward better treatments—including epidural, electrical, or neural stimulation, stem cell therapies, and other emerging interventions—that may one day restore meaningful function to SCI survivors.

Where Can SCI Survivors Find Support in Winston-Salem?

In the Winston-Salem area, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist not only provides a Level 1 Trauma Center but also comprehensive care for patients with spinal cord injuries through its Spine Center.

In addition, the North Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association (NCSCIA) and the SpiNet, Spinal Cord Injury Support Group in Winston-Salem, offer valuable connections and resources.

How Much Does a Spinal Cord Injury Cost?

The lifetime cost of a spinal cord injury is staggering, often running into the millions of dollars. Costs include:

• Emergency and acute hospital care
• Surgical procedures and follow-up surgeries
• Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation
• Skilled nursing or in-home attendant care, which alone can run six figures annually
• Adaptive equipment, including powered wheelchairs, ventilators, hospital beds, and communication devices
• Home modifications such as ramps, widened doorways, accessible bathrooms, and stair lifts
• Vehicle modifications or wheelchair-accessible vans
• Medications and ongoing medical supplies
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Mental health and counseling services

Many SCI survivors are unable to return to their previous occupations. According to Reeve Foundation data, only about 15.5% of individuals living with paralysis are employed, compared to 63.1% of those without disabilities.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Winston-Salem Spinal Cord Injury?

When someone else’s negligence caused your spinal cord injury, North Carolina law allows you to seek compensation. Depending on the cause of the injury, potentially liable parties may include:

• A negligent driver or trucking company in a motor vehicle crash
• A property owner who failed to maintain safe conditions
• An employer, general contractor, subcontractor, or equipment manufacturer in a workplace or construction injury
• A doctor, hospital, or medical facility in a malpractice case
• A manufacturer of a defective product, vehicle, or piece of safety equipment
• A government entity responsible for dangerous road conditions or unsafe public property

Identifying every potentially liable party is critical, both for accountability and for accessing the multiple insurance policies that may apply to a catastrophic injury case.

What Compensation Can Spinal Cord Injury Victims Recover?

In a successful SCI claim, you may be able to recover:

• Past, current, and lifetime medical expenses, including surgeries, rehabilitation, medications, and ongoing care
• The full cost of attendant care or skilled nursing, whether at home or in a facility
• Adaptive equipment and assistive technology
• Home and vehicle modifications
• Lost wages and reduced future earning capacity
• Vocational rehabilitation when injuries force a career change
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish, depression, and emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium for spouses and family members
• Wrongful death damages when an SCI proves fatal

Catastrophic injury cases typically involve life-care planners, medical experts, vocational specialists, and economists who calculate the full lifetime cost of the injury—experts Lewis & Keller regularly work with.

How Long Do I Have to File a Spinal Cord Injury Claim in North Carolina?

North Carolina law generally gives you three years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (N.C.G.S. § 1-52). However, cases involving government entities often require written notice within much shorter timeframes, and medical malpractice cases follow their own complex rules. The earlier you involve an attorney, the better your position on every deadline and every piece of evidence.

Contact Our Winston-Salem Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys Today

Spinal cord injury cases require a legal team with the experience, resources, and tenacity to take on insurance companies, hospitals, employers, and corporate defendants who would much rather pay you nothing.

At Lewis & Keller Injury Lawyers, we have decades of experience helping Winston-Salem families navigate catastrophic injury cases. We work with leading medical experts, life-care planners, and economists to calculate the true lifetime cost of an SCI—and we fight for every dollar your future requires.

Reach out now for a free, confidential consultation.