Lifetime Costs of a Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries are some of the most serious and traumatic physical injuries that can arise from preventable accidents in California. If you or a loved one is diagnosed with a spinal injury, the related costs can be overwhelming. You may be facing a lifetime of medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses. Work with an experienced spinal cord injury attorney in Los Angeles to pursue the compensation you need as a victim.
Medical Care
The health care needs of a spinal cord injury survivor can reach into the millions of dollars. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the average lifetime cost in only health care and living expenses for someone with high tetraplegia (full paralysis) is over $6 million (at 25 years of age). A motor function disability of any level from a spine injury can result in over $2 million in medical and living expenses.
The medical care needed by someone living with a spinal cord injury can include multiple surgeries, rehabilitation, therapies, prescription medications, treatment of secondary problems or complications (such as pneumonia or blood clots), life care planning, medical and mobility assistive devices, and spine injury specialists. Living with a permanent disability from a spine injury can come with numerous ongoing health care costs or live-in care.
Disability Accommodations
Damage or injury to the spinal cord can result in paralysis, or the loss of feeling and function below the point of injury. Paralysis can be irreversible if the victim has suffered a complete spinal cord injury. Living with a disability like paraplegia (paralysis from the waist down) or tetraplegia (paralysis from the neck down) requires significant modifications to the individual’s life, including to his or her home and vehicle. Paying for these accommodations can be expensive.
Lost Wages
Lost wages can occur throughout a spinal cord injury victim’s lifetime due to the inability to return to the job the individual had prior to the incident. Long-term damage could lead to a difference in income from the victim’s inability to work at the same level as before or to maintain any gainful employment at all.
The amount that a victim will suffer in lost wages depends on his or her earnings before and after the accident, as well as the victim’s age and the number of years he or she reasonably would have remained in the workforce until retirement. Lost wages can include bonuses, commissions, employment opportunities and retirement benefits.
Reduced Quality of Life
A spinal cord injury victim can also suffer lifetime costs that are not monetary in nature, such as personal costs. These can include diminished quality or enjoyment of life, loss of independence, the inability to participate in favorite hobbies or activities, lost quality time with children or loved ones, inconvenience, lowered self-esteem, depression, anxiety, loss of consortium, and psychological trauma.
Can I Recover Compensation for a Spinal Cord Injury?
If someone else caused your spinal cord injury in California, you can seek financial compensation for all of the costs and losses associated with the injury. The person or party at fault can be held financially responsible for your present and future medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and beyond. To receive a monetary settlement or judgment award, you or your spinal cord injury lawyer must prove fault. This may take evidence such as an accident report, eyewitness statements, photos and videos, medical records, and expert testimony. Working with a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, CA can make it easier for you to receive the financial compensation you deserve for the immense lifetime costs associated with a serious spinal cord injury.