The incredible force of a car crash can easily cause a spinal cord injury. Particularly when a crash occurs between a vehicle and a pedestrian or cyclist or it involves high speeds, the potential for a spinal cord injury is hard to ignore.
Some people immediately recognize the warning signs of a spinal cord injury because they cannot extricate themselves from the vehicle after the crash. Other people may have incomplete injuries that they don’t immediately identify until they see a doctor.
In both cases, treating the spinal cord injury could very well cost far more than the injured party might receive through insurance. The expenses generated by a spinal cord injury tend to last for life.
Medical costs can reach seven figures
Researchers looking at the cost of medical care for people with spinal cord injuries estimate both the high costs the first year after the injury and then the average annual expense thereafter. For those with complete injuries, the first year alone can produce between half a million and more than a million dollars in care costs. Even incomplete injuries can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars initially and tens of thousands of dollars per year for the rest of someone’s life just in medical care.
Injuries can affect income
Obviously, someone recovering from surgery or going through intensive inpatient rehab can’t work. Those recovering from spinal cord injuries may lose out on months of wages. They may also experience a permanent reduction in their earning potential. The functional limitations of a spinal cord injury can forever affect the career of the injured party. In some scenarios, they may not be able to continue their career at all, especially if they previously enjoyed a blue-collar profession.
The cost of accommodations
People with spinal cord injuries typically rely on mobility devices including wheelchairs. They may need to make adaptations to their living space so that they can safely shower and cook their meals. They may also need to drastically modify their vehicles so they can operate them using just their hands or to allow for wheelchair access. Every new residence and vehicle may require modifications for the safety of the person with the spinal cord injury. The total lifetime costs of a spinal cord injury are often so high that people cannot pay their costs with insurance alone.
Personal injury lawsuits are often necessary for those trying to adjust to life with a catastrophic injury caused by a car crash. Holding another driver accountable for a wreck can help people limit their economic losses following a collision.