All spinal cord injuries are incredibly serious. They can change the course of a person’s life. Complete healing is often impossible, and people may be left entirely paralyzed below the injury site.
These injured parties often want to seek financial compensation if someone else was responsible for their injuries. An example could be someone who suffers a spinal cord injury in a car accident caused by another driver. One important component to consider at this time is the level of the injury on the spine, as that can dramatically change both the short-term and long-term costs.
The cost of tetraplegia
For an example of this, look at the estimated costs of tetraplegia, according to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.
A high tetraplegia injury is between the C1 and C4 vertebrae. The costs in the first year alone are likely to exceed $1 million. For every year after that, the estimated cost is over $184,000 annually.
A low tetraplegia injury, on the other hand, is between the C5 and C8 vertebrae. The first year costs are just over $769,000, and the subsequent annual costs are around $113,000. This is still a very expensive injury, but notably less than a high tetraplegia injury.
Paraplegia could be even lower on the spine, and the costs are also lower. The first year costs are estimated at just over $500,000, and the subsequent costs are estimated at just over $68,000. Once again, this is very expensive for someone who has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, but you can see how the level of the injury changes those costs.
Seeking compensation
If you have been injured and another party was negligent and caused your injuries, you may be able to seek substantial compensation. Take the time to carefully look into your legal options.
