Texas Ranger Works To Overcome Spinal Cord Injury

On behalf of Lovett Law Firm posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Saturday, April 6, 2013.

50-year-old Texas Ranger Lt. James Scoggins, who serves in the Waco area, has reportedly sbeen transferred to a rehabilitation hospital in Houston to recover from serious injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident that occurred in far West Texas back in February. Scoggins and other off duty officers were reportedly riding motorcycles in the Chisos Mountains, north of Big Bend, when he hit an object in the road and was thrown over the handlebars of his bike.

Following the accident, he was flow to a hospital in El Paso, where he was brought to a stable condition, though with multiple injuries. Scroggins, according to McLennan County Chief Deupty Matt Cawthon, will need intensive rehabilitation to fully recover from his injuries. Scoggins reportedly suffered damage to his spinal cord as a result of the accident.

Spinal cord injuries are one of the more serious consequences that can result from motor vehicle accidents. The spinal cord is, of course, one of the most vulnerable parts that can be damaged. When damage does happen in an accident, temporary or permanent neurological impairments can result.

Traumatic injury to the spinal cord can result in musculoskeletal, respiratory, urinary or gastrointestinal complications, as well as psychological effects. All of this can be costly to treat. The average medical cost, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is between $15,000 and $30,000 per year, and between $500,000 and over $3 million, depending on the injury severity.

Motor vehicle accidents account for 46 percent of spinal cord injuries in the United States.