Condition fair for man hurt while surfing

A Ventura man who was injured in a surfing accident near the Newport Pier on Sunday remained in fair condition as of late Wednesday, officials said.

Jeremy Thomas Rossduggan, 43, was surfing Sunday afternoon when he fell off his surfboard; lifeguards said he may have hit a sandbar.

A friend removed him from the water and he was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. Lifeguards said Rossduggan may have suffered a spinal cord injury, but his injuries could not be confirmed.

“Anytime there’s a surf accident, we always take precautions, spinal cord precautions,” said Lifeguard Capt. Brent Jacobsen, who was working the day of the rescue.

Jacobsen said the man was an experienced surfer and a regular at Newport Pier.

Spinal cord injuries can happen to anyone and at anytime, said Kris Okamoto, a nurse at Hoag Hospital and director of Project Wipeout, a campaign to save lives and stop injuries at the beach.

“It’s a risk no matter what your experience is,” Okamoto said.

Even the most experienced ocean swimmers should take precautions: checking with lifeguards about conditions before going in the water, and knowing when waves are too powerful.

“The bottom of the ocean changes from minute to minute -- you never know what’s down there,” Okamoto said.

Statistically, most spinal cord injuries in water occur in diving-related incidents, but the injuries happen in several ways. Some injuries to the spinal cord can be as minor as a bruise or a more serious injury to the higher vertebrae. A cervical spine injury is serious and may result in the person becoming quadriplegic, Okamoto said.

Timing can be critical in treating a spinal cord injury. After a tumble in the surf, anyone who experiences numbness and tingling should go to the hospital immediately, Okamoto said.