Spinal Cord Injury Statistics

Spinal cord injuries are devastating. They can cause paralysis. They can take away your ability to move, to feel, or even to breathe on your own. They steal independence in an instant and replace it with pain, uncertainty, and fear.

Recovery isn’t just about healing; it’s about learning to live in a completely new reality. Simple things, such as getting out of bed, going to work, or hugging your loved ones, may suddenly feel out of reach.

The spinal injury statistics below show how widespread these injuries are and the physical, financial, and emotional toll they take. But numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. If you're reading this because someone you love is hurt, or because you are, we want you to know that the Brain Injury Law Center is here to help.

At the Brain Injury Law Center, we’ve walked this road with thousands of clients and families. We know that a spinal cord injury, like traumatic brain injuries, is more than a diagnosis. It’s a life-changing event that demands focused, experienced help. 

Call us at (757) 244-7000 or fill out our secure online form today. Your consultation is free, and your fight is one we’re ready to take on with everything we’ve got.

“The attorneys and staff are great to work with. They care not only about a successful recovery, but ensuring their clients know what options are available for protecting the recovery long-term.”

- Andy H. | Client

Spinal Cord Injury Prevalence: How Many People Are Affected?

These spinal cord injury statistics show that many people face similar struggles, and there's a large community of survivors living with spinal cord injuries today.

• New Injuries Each Year: Approximately 18,421 new traumatic spinal cord injuries (tSCI) occur in the United States every year. This number focuses on new injuries and does not include those who tragically pass away at the scene of the incident.
• Living with SCI: Currently, an estimated 308,620 people are living with a traumatic spinal cord injury in the U.S. 

Breaking Down Spinal Cord Injury Facts: Who Is at the Greatest Risk?

Spinal cord injuries can happen to anyone, but statistics show some patterns in who is most often affected.

• Age: The average age of someone who experiences a traumatic spinal cord injury has changed over the years. In the 1970s, it was around 29 years old. Today, the average age at injury is 44 years old. This increase suggests that falls, which tend to affect older adults more, are becoming a more common cause.
• Gender: About 78% of new traumatic spinal cord injury cases since 2015 are male.
• Race/Ethnicity: Looking at recent statistics on spinal cord injuries shows:
  
  • 55.1% White – Not Hispanic or Latino
  • 25.1% Black – Not Hispanic or Latino
  • 14.6% Hispanic or Latino
  • 2.7% Asian
  • 1.9% Other
  • 0.6% Native American

It's important to note that while Black – Not Hispanic or Latino individuals make up about 12% of the U.S. population, they account for approximately 25% of recent traumatic spinal cord injuries.

The Leading Causes and Statistics on Spinal Cord Injuries

Understanding the common causes can help highlight where prevention efforts are most needed.

• Leading Causes: Vehicle crashes (like car accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents) and falls together account for nearly 70% of all recent spinal cord injuries.
• Other Causes: Acts of violence (most often from gunshot wounds) and injuries from sports or recreational activities make up about 23% of cases.

Living After Spinal Cord Injury: Recovery, Setbacks, and the Long Road Ahead

We’ve seen firsthand how challenging the recovery process can be after a spinal cord injury. Recovery doesn’t end at the hospital doors. 

Getting back to some sense of normalcy following a spinal cord injury continues through rehabilitation, re-hospitalizations, and the lifelong adjustments that follow. The spinal injury statistics below offer a clearer picture of just how difficult this road can be:

• Hospital Stays: The average time spent in the hospital's acute care unit has gone down over the years, now averaging about 19 days since 2015. Following that, the average stay for rehabilitation care is about 37 days.
• Re-hospitalization: About 29% of individuals with a traumatic spinal cord injury are re-hospitalized at least once during any given year after their injury. These re-hospitalizations average about 18 days. Common reasons include issues with the urinary system, skin problems, and respiratory infections.
• Neurological Recovery: Unfortunately, less than 1% of people with a tSCI experience a complete neurological recovery by the time they are discharged from the hospital.
• Employment: Since 2015, about 18% of people with a tSCI are employed one year after their injury. While this number shows the challenges, it's worth noting that the employment rate often increases over time, peaking around 30 years post-injury. This statistic truly reflects the deep physical, emotional, and financial changes these injuries bring.

Long hospital stays. Months of rehabilitation. The real possibility of never returning to work. A loved one left in a coma or vegetative state. If someone else’s negligence caused your spinal cord injury, why should you be the one left carrying the financial weight for the rest of your life?

At the Brain Injury Law Center, we believe in holding the right people accountable. Call us at (757) 244-7000 or fill out our secure online form to speak with a legal team that actually cares about setting you up for a better future.

What Spinal Cord Injury Statistics Tell Us About Lifetime Costs

Beyond the personal impact, spinal cord injuries also come with substantial financial burdens. These costs cover direct medical care and living expenses, and they do not include indirect costs like lost wages or productivity.

Here are the estimated average yearly expenses (in 2024 dollars) and lifetime costs, which vary based on the severity of the injury:

On top of these direct costs, indirect costs like lost wages, benefits, and productivity can average an additional $95,309 per year (in 2024 dollars).

The Brain Injury Law Center Is Here for You

At the Brain Injury Law Center, we know these aren’t just statistics; they’re the daily realities of the survivors and families we’ve stood beside for nearly five decades. 

That is why we built our entire firm around helping survivors of spinal cord and brain injuries. This isn’t a side practice for us. It’s our purpose. It’s the reason attorneys from across the country turn to us when their clients need experienced help.

We are here to fight for your future and to make sure you have the resources you need to live with dignity, support, and strength.

Call us today at (757) 244-7000 or fill out our secure online form to schedule your free and confidential consultation.