Spinal Cord Injuries: Why the Real Cost of Spinal Cord Injuries Is Often More Than You Think

It is important to understand that the costs related to spinal cord injuries can extend far beyond those from immediate care like emergency room visits, doctor’s office visits, and overnight hospital stays. Although even these costs can add up, there are many other long-term costs that individuals with spinal cord injuries often face. The long-term and sometimes permanent care can put a huge financial strain on the injured person and their families. If you are a spinal cord injury victim or the loved one of a spinal cord injury victim, you need to learn about the realistic costs these types of injuries can lead to, as well as your options for collecting compensation to cover those expenses.

What is a spinal cord injury?

Spinal cord injuries include anything that causes harm or damage to any area of the spinal cord. The impact of these injuries can be catastrophic because the spinal cord is primarily responsible for communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Suffering a spinal cord injury can disrupt the messages to and from the brain and the rest of the body. This disconnect can lead to many long-term and permanent complications, such as:

• Paralysis
• Loss of bodily functions
• Infections
• Chronic pain and more

Why do spinal cord injuries accumulate significant costs?

Spinal cord injuries accumulate high costs because the injuries can cause long-term and often permanent symptoms that require ongoing, expensive treatment. This means that individuals suffering from spinal cord injuries need immediate medical attention and care followed by life-long care, rehabilitation, and more. Due to this, spinal cord injury victims find themselves out of work and unable to bring in any income, and their mental and emotional health can also become affected, leading to years of counseling or psychology appointments.

Overall, spinal cord injuries are one of the most serious types of injuries. Even though victims may be able to manage and prevent certain complications from emerging, some of the debilitating effects of these injuries are inevitable, making them also one of the most expensive injuries to treat and care for.

What are the known costs associated with spinal cord injuries?

The known costs associated with spinal cord injuries include:

• Hospital and doctor’s office visits: One of the most known costs associated with spinal cord injuries is hospital and doctor’s office visits. This is because a victim must visit a Washington, DC hospital or doctor’s office to be diagnosed with and treated for a spinal cord injury. At these visits, they will receive a physical examination, learn how severe their injury is, and start a treatment plan tailored specifically to them.
• Surgeries: Depending on the severity and extent of an individual’s spinal cord injury, there is a good chance that they will need surgery. Even though surgery may never be able to help the individual fully recover, many doctors recommend it to relieve pain and pressure or to reduce swelling and inflammation in the spinal cord.
• Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation costs are not exactly a surprise. Treatment plans typically require spinal cord injury victims to attend physical therapy and occupational therapy appointments. This support can sometimes help them restore or maintain some of their bodily functions. However, people might not realize that this sort of treatment might be necessary for many years or even the rest of their lives.
• Medical devices and equipment: Since a lot of people with spinal cord injuries experience mobility challenges or become completely paralyzed, medical devices and equipment are usually expected. Spinal cord injury victims may require wheelchairs, walkers, canes, or crutches. They may also need a special bed and other devices to help them shower or bathe, eat, communicate, get dressed, use the restroom, and more. These devices are critical for helping people regain some independence, but they are notoriously costly.
• Medications: Medications are another part of the treatment plan for those with spinal cord injuries. Different prescriptions can help treat pain associated with the injury and some of the other symptoms. A doctor may prescribe various medications, including muscle relaxers, painkillers, antibiotics, blood pressure medications, and more.

What are the hidden costs of spinal cord injuries?

The hidden costs of spinal cord injuries that many people overlook include:

• Lost income: Those who suffer spinal cord injuries usually spend long periods of time out of work, which results in losing income. Unfortunately, even after the initial recovery period, many people cannot return to work at their previous level. Specific training or education may help them find work in a new position, but they may suffer a pay cut, and in some cases, they may never be able to return to the workforce.
• Around-the-clock care: Many people do not realize how serious and life-altering spinal cord injuries are. Therefore, it may come as a surprise to learn that victims often need around-the-clock care for the rest of their lives. Families sometimes have to decide to place their loved one in a Washington, DC, rehabilitation facility, or they may need to quit their jobs to stay home themselves to ensure that their loved one gets the care that they need. In addition, they may also need to hire an in-home health aide to provide assistance to the victim throughout the day or night.
• Travel to appointments: Travel fees are another hidden cost accompanying spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord victims usually have to pay these fees to get to and from their doctor, hospital, and specialist visits. These fees may consist of gas, tolls, parking, bus tickets, train fares, plane tickets, and even hotel stays. Although the costs associated with traveling can be expensive, they are typically unavoidable as victims of spinal cord injuries frequently need to travel to other cities, towns, or states to receive the appropriate treatment they need.
• Counseling and psychology fees: Since spinal cord injuries are usually life-changing and permanent, it is common for victims of these injuries to experience mental and emotional challenges. For example, victims of spinal cord injuries often feel lost, confused, hopeless, depressed, defeated, sad, isolated, stressed, anxious, and more. This is because they adapt and cope with their new changes, which can be extremely difficult to accept. Therefore, managing the mental and emotional conditions that arise after a spinal cord injury typically requires counseling or psychiatry appointments for the rest of the victim’s life.
• Home and vehicle modifications: Individuals with severe and devastating injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, cannot ignore the need for home and vehicle modifications. This is because these types of modifications can help make their homes and vehicles more accessible to them. For example, a home may need wider doorways, lower light switches, lower counters and cabinets, a ramp to get inside, and a walk-in shower with handrails, and a vehicle may need hand controls, a ramp or lift, adjustable foot pedals, a raised roof or additional flooring space, and more.

How do I get assistance with covering some of the expenses associated with my spinal cord injury?

Spinal cord injuries can come from various types of accidents, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, surgical errors, labor and delivery mistakes, failure to or delayed diagnosis, and more. If you suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident that you believe was caused by another person or party’s negligence, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and seek compensation to help you cover the expenses. Most people cannot afford to pay for the medical treatment, ongoing care, and hidden fees out of pocket, which is why you must be aware of the legal options that may be available to assist you in these circumstances. However, in order to receive fair compensation to cover your bills and expenses, you will likely need to retain a lawyer to help you successfully prove that the at-fault party’s negligence caused your injuries and losses.

Please contact Paulson & Nace, PLLC, through this contact form or by calling our office.