An injury to the spinal cord is one of the most devastating types of trauma a person in New York or the greater Tri-State area can suffer.
For one, people do not ever fully recover from spinal cord injuries. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, a person could even be paralyzed from the neck down and require constant medical care for life.
The financial cost of these injuries are enormous. Someone with the most severe type of injury, total paralysis, will incur about $2.5 million in out-of-pocket costs assuming the injury happens when the victim is 50 years old.
A younger person, age 25, would incur about $4.75 million in expenses.
Only 14% of all spinal cord injuries end with complete paralysis, but those who are lucky enough to suffer a less extensive injury will pay hefty costs as well.
For example, a 50-year-old who suffers any lasting spinal cord injury will likely spend over $1 million on treatment and other costs.
These figures do not take into account lost earning ability. They also do not take into account the enormous emotional toll on a victim and his or her family.
Many spinal cord injuries are preventable
Many if not most spinal cord injuries are preventable. For example, common causes of spinal cord injuries include motor vehicle accidents, falls, violence, and accidents related to sports and recreation.
Even poor medical outcomes can involve an unexpected spinal cord injury.
While there are true accidents as well, too often, a driver’s negligence leaves a victim with a spinal cord injury.
Likewise, workers and others sometimes suffer these injuries after a fall that the property owner or someone else was responsible for preventing.
If a victim or family suspects negligence caused a spinal cord injury, then they may have options available to them.
