Spinal cord injuries are notoriously expensive. Someone who suffers an injury in a car accident may need immediate medical care that costs tens of thousands of dollars, leaving them facing sudden debt. They may also be out of work indefinitely or unable to return to their chosen profession, meaning they are also experiencing lost wages and a reduction in earning capacity.
One key factor to consider is when the spinal cord injury occurs. The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation estimates that paraplegia costs $1,516,052 if the victim is 50 years old, for example. But if the victim is 25 at the time of their injury, even if that injury is exactly the same, then the estimated lifetime costs are $2,310,104.
Why does it go up so much?
Many spinal cord injuries lead to long-term disabilities. The person survives their injury, but they may need future medical treatment, in-home care, medication and much more. Simply requiring these services for so much longer drastically increases the cost.
The same is true when it comes to lost wages. If someone suffers a spinal cord injury in their 60s, they may have been close to retiring anyway, so the impact on their wages isn’t nearly as great. But someone who suffers a disabling injury at 25 had their entire working life ahead of them. They have essentially lost almost all of the wages they ever anticipated earning.
Seeking compensation
For all of these reasons, those who have suffered from spinal cord injuries due to the negligence of others need to know how to seek financial compensation to cover their costs.