One of the most common and devastating injuries one could suffer in a car crash in Florida is a spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injuries can cause long-lasting health problems or could even result in permanent disabilities. In addition, the costs associated with a spinal cord injury can majorly impact a person’s finances for years to come.
Medical Costs Related to Spinal Cord Injuries
The medical expenses incurred during the first year of a spinal cord injury can be staggering. Those with high tetraplegia can expect to incur as much as $1 million in medical expenses in the first year of their injury. Those with low tetraplegia can expect to incur approximately $769,000 in medical expenses in the first year of their injury. Those with paraplegia can expect to incur approximately $518,000 in medical expenses in the first year of their injury. Finally, those who sustain incomplete motor function at any level can expect to incur approximately $347,000 in medical expenses in the first year of their injury.
Spinal Cord Injuries Can Also Lead To Lost Wages and Impact Earning Potential
In addition to medical expenses, it is important to note that just under 12% of spinal cord injury victims are able to work one year after sustaining their injury. Once 20 years have passed since sustaining their injury, only around 35% of spinal cord injury victims are able to work. This makes lost wages and lost earning potential a significant expense for spinal cord injury victims. Even many of those who are eventually able to return to work will still lose a significant amount of wages during the time they must take off to heal from their injuries.
What Can Be Done to Address the Costs of Living with a Spinal Cord Injury?
If your spinal cord injury was caused by another person’s negligence, such as in a car crash, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against the responsible party. Negligence can be established if it can be shown that the defendant owed you a duty of care, which was breached, and that breach both actually and proximately caused you to suffer damages. While this post does not offer legal advice, if you believe negligence was at the root of your spinal cord injury and you want to seek compensation for your losses, you may want to discuss your situation with a professional. Call Burnett Law, P.A. for legal assistance.