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2 acrobats suffer spinal injuries in circus accident

On Behalf of | May 9, 2014 | Spinal Cord Injuries |

Circus acts have intrigued individuals throughout the nation since their creation. While many of the acts are awe inspiring, for many spectators, those involving acrobats are particularly thrilling. Recent circus spectators received a bigger thrill than they likely expected when a carabiner fastener failed sending acrobats performing in a “human chandelier” act to the floor, 20 feet below. A total of nine individuals were injured in the incident, eight acrobats and one person on the ground below. After the acrobats fell, the frame that supported them fell upon them. It weighed 350 pounds.

Of the nine individuals injured, two suffered spinal cord injuries. While the extent of these injuries is unclear, according to one of the performers her troupe leader indicated that she could not feel her legs.

Paralysis is probably the best known symptom of a spinal injury. Depending on which portion of the spine is affected, the paralysis will affect different parts of the body. Regardless of which part of a body is paralyzed, this dramatically changes the life of the affected person often making what were once simple tasks, difficult or impossible to accomplish.

Depending on the circumstances that lead to a spinal injury it is possible that a personal injury lawsuit could be filed. This type of lawsuit could be appropriate if the negligence of another person is to blame for the injury. Any compensation recovered in a personal injury lawsuit could go a long way toward securing the things necessary to make life for a spinal injury victim easier. It is unclear whether such action will be taken in the accident that occurred at the circus.

Source: The Boston Globe, “Two performers in circus accident suffered spinal injuries,” Laura Crimaldi, May 7, 2014

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