When individuals suffer serious spinal cord injuries, it may result in paralysis. This is a serious and life-altering injury that is often caused by someone else’s negligence. Not everyone knows what this means for the injured individual in the long-run.
Unfortunately, some individuals fail to take legal action when someone’s negligence causes a serious spinal cord injury. However, knowing the lifelong costs associated with paralysis makes it easily apparent why legal action should be taken to pursue compensation.
What are the Yearly and Lifetime Costs?
Each year, individuals suffer serious spinal cord injuries and are left to deal with the long-term effects of the pain and emotional trauma. It is the expenses, though, that may be most damaging as costs can be difficult to recover when an individual is unable to work.
Yearly average costs are dependent on the severity of the injury. For instance, someone who suffers incomplete motor function at any level may expect to pay over $347,000 in the first year following the injury and $42,000+ each subsequent year.
For a more serious type of injury, such as high tetraplegia, an individual may expect to pay roughly over $1 million in just the first year and nearly $200,000 each subsequent year. This may make the yearly costs over $4.7 million for the lifetime of the injury if the person was 25 years old when the injury occurred.
For someone who sustains high tetraplegia at the age of 50 years old, the lifetime costs could still surpass $2.5 million. For the mildest spinal cord injuries, the costs over a lifetime can still reach upwards of $1-2 million.
These costs make it so individuals who have been seriously injured need to take legal action and pursue compensation from the negligent party in order to cover the costs associated with the spinal cord injury.
At The Stewart Law Firm, our Austin paralysis lawyers can help explain your rights and options and guide you through the entire process. You deserve a strong legal team in your corner focused on helping you get the most favorable outcome possible.
Contact us today and discover more about what you may be able to do to seek compensation.
