WGK Personal Injury Lawyers | September 12, 2025 | Personal Injury
Every September is recognized as Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month, an important time to highlight the challenges faced by individuals living with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). These injuries can have life-altering effects on mobility, independence, mental health, and financial security.
Awareness efforts not only help educate the public but also provide support to survivors and their families while promoting research and prevention.
What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury occurs when trauma damages the spinal cord or nearby nerves. Because the spinal cord transmits messages between the brain and the rest of the body, damage can interrupt movement, sensation, and organ function.
The severity of the injury often depends on where along the spine the damage occurs and whether it is complete (causing total loss of function below the injury) or incomplete (allowing partial sensation or movement).
The most common causes of spinal cord injuries include:
- Car accidents – one of the leading causes nationwide
- Other types of motor vehicle accidents
- Falls, particularly among older adults
- Acts of violence, such as gunshot wounds
- Sports and recreation accidents, including diving or contact sports
- Medical or surgical complications that damage the spine
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, there are nearly 18,000 new spinal cord injury cases each year in the United States. While medical advances have improved treatment and survival rates, most people with SCIs experience long-term effects that reshape nearly every aspect of daily life.
The Lasting Impact of Spinal Cord Injuries
A spinal cord injury is rarely an isolated medical issue. Instead, it affects physical health, emotional well-being, and financial stability for years to come.
It can cause:
- Loss of mobility and independence: Depending on the level of injury, individuals may face partial or complete paralysis, requiring wheelchairs or other assistive devices.
- Secondary health complications: People with SCIs often experience respiratory issues, pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections, and chronic pain. These complications add to the complexity of care and increase medical costs.
- Emotional and psychological toll: Adjusting to a new way of life can lead to depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress, both for the injured individual and their loved ones.
- Financial strain: The lifetime cost of treatment for a spinal cord injury can range from hundreds of thousands to several million dollars, depending on the severity. Expenses often include emergency care, rehabilitation, home modifications, and personal caregiving.
These challenges show how a spinal cord injury can reshape every part of a person’s life. This underscores the importance of awareness, support, and resources for survivors and their families.
Why Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Matters
Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month is about more than education—it is about advocacy, prevention, and building stronger communities for those affected.
Raising awareness helps in several key ways:
- Promoting prevention: Many spinal cord injuries are preventable. Encouraging safe driving practices, fall prevention programs, and sports safety measures can reduce risk.
- Supporting research: Funding for SCI research can lead to breakthroughs in treatment, rehabilitation, and quality of life improvements. Advances in stem cell therapy, exoskeleton technology, and neural implants provide hope for the future.
- Improving accessibility: Advocacy for accessible public spaces, housing, and transportation ensures that people with SCIs can live more independently and fully participate in community life.
- Providing resources for families: Awareness campaigns often highlight local and national organizations that offer education, peer support, and financial assistance to families navigating the challenges of spinal cord injuries.
By increasing understanding, Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month encourages empathy and action—whether that means supporting a loved one, advocating for accessibility, or contributing to medical research.
Living With a Spinal Cord Injury
While life after a spinal cord injury presents significant challenges, many individuals build fulfilling lives with the help of adaptive technologies, rehabilitation programs, and strong support systems. Peer mentoring, vocational rehabilitation, and advocacy organizations play a crucial role in empowering survivors to remain active in their communities.
Stories of resilience also serve as powerful reminders of the strength and determination within the SCI community. Each September, advocacy groups share these stories to inspire others and to call for continued progress in accessibility, inclusion, and research.
Contact the Baltimore Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one sustained a spinal cord injury due to someone else’s negligence, you likely have legal options. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, rehabilitation, lost income, and pain and suffering.
For more information contact the Baltimore personal injury law firm of WGK Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation.
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers
14 W Madison St, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
(410) 837-2144
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers – Dundalk Office
7329 Holabird Ave Suite 3, Dundalk, MD 21222
By appointment only
(410) 970-3080
