A spinal cord injury is one of the most expensive and devastating medical consequences that people may experience as a result of a motor vehicle collision. Spinal cord injuries typically require emergency medical care and ongoing support regardless of their severity and location on the spine. Even incomplete spinal cord injuries often lead to hundreds of thousands of dollars in lifetime medical expenses.
People understand that there will be a high price tag attached to any care needed after a spinal cord injury. They also understand that an injury will potentially affect their income. However, fewer people consider the two secondary financial consequences below when determining how to respond to a car crash that has caused a spinal cord injury.
1. Challenges around the house
Most people contribute to their households in the form of unpaid labor. They clean the gutters twice a year, cook dinner five nights a week or perform other crucial services to keep their family safe and comfortable. After a spinal cord injury, individuals may struggle to perform the same tasks that were once second nature. The loss of such services can create a very significant financial burden for the family that people may need to integrate into an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
2. Mental health challenges
Even the most optimistic person may struggle with the lifestyle changes that accompany a spinal cord injury. Depression, for example, tends to be a more common concern among those who have a traumatic spinal cord injury than those who do not. People don’t always consider how costly it can be to secure the services they will require to manage depression and other mental health symptoms that arise because of a spinal cord injury. Regular therapy sessions can cost several hundred dollars apiece and may add up to thousands of dollars annually for the rest of someone’s life.
People hoping to get an appropriate amount of compensation after a serious injury need to have an honest understanding of what their condition will cost them. Pursuing a claim after a catastrophic injury with the assistance of a legal professional may be necessary for the comfort and well-being of the injured person and their entire extended family.
