Treating a spinal cord injury can be both challenging and costly. The exact costs can depend on the severity of the spinal cord injury and the age of the victim when the spinal cord injury was suffered. There are several categories of spinal cord injuries. Fewer than one percent of victims of spinal cord injuries enjoy complete neurological recovery when they are discharged from the hospital which means they will need additional care and treatment which can last well into the future or even be lifelong.
The average annual expenses and estimated lifetime treatment costs, attributed to a spinal cord injury vary by the education, employment history and level of neurological impairment of the victim. Average yearly costs to treat spinal cord injuries range from $350,000 to over $1 million the first year to between $42,000 to $184,000 each year following the first year. Lifetime treatment costs for a victim injured at age 25 ranges from $1.5 million to nearly $5 million. For victims aged 50 when injured, lifetime treatment costs are estimated between over $1 million to nearly $3 million.
Spinal injuries can be suffered in accidents such as car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents and other types of accidents that may not be the fault of the injured victim. When victims have been harmed by the careless and negligent actions of another party, such as a negligent driver, it is important they are familiar with, and understand, the resources available to help them recover compensation for the medical costs and other damages associated with the injuries they have suffered.
Victims harmed in a car accident by a negligent driver have important rights that can be enforced through the personal injury process. A claim for damages may help them receive assistance with the physical, financial and emotional burdens associated with a spinal cord injury or other harm suffered in a car accident.
Source: Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, “Costs of living with SCI,” Accessed Nov. 21, 2016
