The spinal cord is one of the most delicate and important parts of the body.
Because it plays such an important role in the nervous system, any damage to the spinal cord could mean that a person loses some ability to move and experience sensation. In too many cases, a spinal cord injury causes complete paralysis.
Spinal cord injuries happen for a number of reasons. Car accidents and accidents in other motor vehicle accidents cause about half of all spinal cord injuries each year.
Falling is another common cause of spinal cord injuries, and falls often happen because of the negligence of a property owner or another person. Medical malpractice can sometimes play a role in a spinal cord injury as well.
A spinal cord injury costs more than just medical expenses
Because they usually cause permanent damage, costs of spinal cord injuries can continue to mount for years after the injury.
A victim will have to pay money for ongoing medical treatments as well as other care and equipment that they will need to adjust to a new way of life.
Depending on the nature of the injury and the age of the victim, the cost can run between over $1.0 million all the way to over $4.7 million.
Even when a victim escapes complete paralysis, which is the result in 2 out of 3 cases, a 25-year-old victim will likely incur almost $1.6 million in out-of-pocket costs.
These costs do not include lost wages and non-economic costs, such as the value of a victim’s pain and suffering and the emotional turmoil a victim no doubt will go through during his or her recovery.
If someone else is responsible for the victim’s injury, it is only fair, and may well be necessary, for the victim to demand compensation.
