Spinal cord injuries are one of the most expensive types of personal injury, according to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.  In fact, depending on the type of injury, an SCI can cost more than $4.7 million over the lifetime of a victim.

Facts and Figures

Spinal cord injuries can be categorized by the severity of the injury.  High tetraplegia affects the entire body, causing the loss of motor function from the neck down.  Low tetraplegia occurs lower on the spine and also affects both arms and legs, but many victims are able to retain some function, such as breathing independently.  Paraplegia affects the body from the waist down, resulting in the loss of use of the legs.  Various other SCIs may result in some type of loss of motor function without full paraplegia or tetraplegia.

The estimated costs for each of these types of injuries are as follows:

• For high tetraplegia, occurring on the cervical spine between C1-C4, the first-year costs are estimated at $1,064,716, with $184,891 in costs for each subsequent year. Estimated lifetime costs for high tetraplegia range from $4,724,181 for a 25-year-old to $2,596,329 for a 50-year-old victim.
• Low tetraplegic costs for the first year are estimated at $769,351, with $113,423 for every subsequent year. A 25-year-old victim will spend $3,451,781 over a lifetime, and a 50-year-old victim will spend $2,123,154.
• A paraplegic victim will spend $518,904 the first year, with $68,739 each year thereafter. Over a lifetime, a 25-year-old paraplegic will spend $2,310,104, while a 50-year-old victim would spend $1,516,052.
• Victims of SCIs with partial loss of motor function spend an average of $347,484 the first year and $42,206 every subsequent year. The average 25-year-old victim will face lifetime costs of $1,578,274, while the average 50-year-old victim will spend $1,113,990.

Clearly, the costs associated with an SCI can be enormous.  Most victims do not have enough savings to even begin to pay for this level of care, and so they are dependent upon insurance or other means to afford adequate treatment.  Sadly, many are forced to accept standards that are less than they deserve.  In fact, many victims are simply unable to pay all the bills associated with a spinal cord injury and must make difficult decisions about where to live and what to do in order to obtain the treatment they need.

It does not have to be this way.  The attorneys at Barber & Associates have been helping victims of spinal cord injuries for many years.  We are able to help our clients secure the compensation they need to pay for treatment, medical care, lost wages, living expenses, and all other costs associated with a spinal cord injury.  Our experienced attorneys understand how to hold accountable those who have refused to pay for their negligence and to recover the funds necessary to ensure that an SCI victim can receive the best treatment possible.  Give Barber & Associates a call today to learn more about how we can help you with your spinal cord injury.