It is estimated that 10 to 12 thousand people suffer some form of spinal cord injury every year in the USA. Approximately 250,000 Americans — that is to say, a quarter of a million Americans — are living with the long-term consequences of spinal injury, which can include chronic pain; secondary effects such as blood clots, infections, and breathing difficulties; even paralysis. That's more than 30 people a day who suffer an injury that could potentially leave them paralyzed in some way. Sadly, many injury victims aren't experts on the injuries they sustain and don't enlist an advocate who might secure them the best care.

Nearly 40% of spinal injuries are caused by car accidents, while about 25% result from violent encounters such as fights. The rest are caused by injuries occurring in the workplace or in sporting accidents. Many athletes at the peak of their careers retire early due to some form of spinal damage or the fear of such. In fact, the majority of spinal injury victims are men between the ages of 16 and 30.

These are unsettling statistics, implying that quite a few people are being injured right in the prime of their lives. Spinal injuries can rack up massive medical bills for victims, and that's in addition to the difficulties of chronic pain and the efforts involving therapy and total recovery. Plus, the suffering usually expands beyond the immediate victim, causing hardship and heartache for their families and friends as well.

That said, medicine's growing experience with, and knowledge of, spinal injury is offering new hope. Christopher Reeve remains one of the prominent examples of how far someone can come with proper attention after such an injury. Before his unfortunate death, the final result of being thrown from a horse which left him a quadriplegic, Reeve was reporting that he was regaining some sense of feeling and limited movement in his legs again. Doctors have found that specialized steroid medications can limit the severity of nerve damage and preserve movement abilities if applied soon enough after injury.

The Reeve case is but a small window to a possible future where spinal injuries are treated more quickly and effectively, and long-term injury is minimized. Victim advocates will likely play a large role in this in the form of experts who understand the law and how to use it to assist injury sufferers in getting the best treatment possible rather than the treatment someone else decides to give them. Victim advocacy will play an ever-increasing part in ensuring proper health care is administered as science progresses and there are more options to fight for.