The answer to this question depends on the severity of your injury. You are more likely to participate in gainful employment if you have an incomplete injury that allows you some function and sensation. Likewise, if your injury is located lower on the spine, you can control more of your body, making certain types of work possible. Unfortunately, fewer than 12 percent of spinal cord injured individuals are employed a year after their injuries, and only 35 percent are employed 20 years after their injuries.