Living With Spinal Cord Injuries in the Aftermath of an Accident

After an accident, recovery from injuries often takes a great deal of medical care, time, and patience. But for those who have suffered from a spinal cord injury, the option of living as they were pre-accident may no longer exist. Spinal cord injuries can have a wide range of severity, but in most cases, nerves that sent and received messages from the brain are now damaged. This leads to a loss of function and sensation in areas of the body, depending on where the injury took place. 

An Unfortunate Prognosis

In many cases, a spinal cord injury prognosis is not a good one. Paralysis is only one of the ways that the health of individuals with spinal cord injuries is affected. Life expectancy can be diminished between 15 to 30 years from average. Spinal cord patients are at a higher risk of many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, blood clots, pneumonia, gastrointestinal issues, sexual dysfunction, bladder and bowel dysfunction, and chronic pain. 

The Cost of Care for a Spinal Cord Injury Patient

Although an average of 60 percent of spinal cord injury patients cannot hold employment, the cost of their case can range from $1.5 million to $4.7 million over the course of a lifetime, depending on the age of the patient and the type of injury. According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, expenses can range from nearly $350,000 to over $1 million in the first year alone. 

Getting Compensated for Spinal Cord Injuries

Although compensation can never make up for the catastrophic physical and financial impact of a spinal cord injury, a financial recovery can ease the burden. If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury due to the negligence of another, you may be able to collect compensation from the at-fault party for those injuries. Contact the experienced Cambridge personal injury lawyers at Hilborn and Konduros for a no-cost consultation to understand your rights under the law.