Spinal cord injuries come with significant immediate costs. In some cases, according to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, these costs could exceed $1 million just in the first year. If you suffer a spinal cord injury in a car accident, for example, the medical care and rehabilitative services you need over the next 12 months can be incredibly costly, and it is important to know how to seek compensation.
But at the same time, remember that a spinal cord injury is often permanent. It will bring numerous long-term costs. When you seek compensation, you need to include these long-term damages to ensure that the compensation package fully covers all of the costs stemming from your injury.
The impact of age
For this reason, your age when you suffer the spinal cord injury can play a major role in the financial costs that you are facing.
For instance, the estimated lifetime cost of high tetraplegia for someone who is 50 years old is $2.5M. The estimated lifetime cost for someone with the exact same injury who is 25 years old is significantly higher, at $4.7M.
The type of injury you suffer also makes a difference, often depending on the level of that injury on the spinal cord. The annual cost of high tetraplegia, for example, is $184,891, while the cost for low tetraplegia is $113,423 and the annual cost of paraplegia is $68,739.
Seeking full compensation
These are just estimates, so every unique case will have its own specific costs and damages. It is important to look at the big picture, and it can help to work with an experienced attorney to seek the full compensation that you deserve. If you’ve been injured in Illinois or St. Louis, Missouri, call today to set up a consultation.