The Substantial Costs of Paralysis

November 1, 2013

One of the most devastating types of injuries to sustain in an accident is a spinal cord injury that causes paralysis. The impact it will have upon someone’s life depends on whether there is partial or complete loss of sensation and movement, and the level of the injury. But one thing that most paralysis patients can expect is substantial costs.

A Look at the Cost of Paralysis

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation reports that the first year of treatment for a spinal cord injury tends to be the most costly. But expenses are still significant in each subsequent year.

The average first year cost for paraplegia is close to $500,000. Afterward, the costs are about $66,000 each year. For those with a low quadriplegia, (impacting cervical nerves C5-C8) initial costs are nearly $740,000 and $109,000 every year after. But the most expensive is a high quadriplegia injury (C1-C4 nerves) with the first year’s costs totaling around $1,024,000 and $171,000 thereafter.

Lifetimes costs are estimated to be anywhere between $1,500,000 to more than $4,000,000. Much of this depends on age and a variety of other factors.

Breakdown of Paralysis Costs

The reason it’s so expensive is because of the treatment and care that patients may require. Initially an individual is hospitalized and could then spend time in a rehabilitation center.

There may also be expenses for:

• Surgery
• Physical/occupational therapy
• Medical equipment/devices such as a wheelchair, ventilator, special bed, assistive technology, home and vehicle modifications, and transfer devices

Of course, paralysis after a car accident could be another party’s fault. In those circumstances, patients and their families may file a claim for not only these medical costs but also other damages suffered. Lost income, pain and suffering, mental anguish and disability are some examples.

Talk to a lawyer at Hensley Legal Group about the costs of your injury and your ability to recover compensation.