blog home Head Injury Will the Settlement Offer Cover the Long-Term Cost of Paralysis?

Will the Settlement Offer Cover the Long-Term Cost of Paralysis?

By Butler Prather LLP on July 5, 2021

Paralysis can be caused by various types of injuries, and it sometimes occurs due to the careless or negligent actions of another individual or business. Some of the most common causes of paralysis include vehicle accidents, workplace incidents, medical mistakes, near-drowning incidents, and more. In these situations, injury victims should be able to recover compensation for their losses. However, will a settlement cover the long-term costs of paralysis? Here, we want to discuss how settlements work in these cases, as well as the importance of working with a skilled attorney who can help recover maximum compensation.

The Lifetime Costs of a Spinal Cord Injury Can be Tremendous
Most people do not realize the true costs of a spinal cord injury. When examining the total losses that victims and their families will likely incur, we have to first look at the medical expenses. Data available from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) shows that the first year of medical care alone can range from approximately $380,000 to more than $1.1 million, depending on the severity of the injury. However, we have to look beyond the first year of care. Studies show that each additional gear until a spinal cord injury victim passes away will reach medical costs ranging from approximately $46,000 to $200,000.

Additionally, it is incredibly important to point out that medical costs are only one arena that can drain the finances of victims and their families. Additional expenses will revolve around the following:

  • Costs to upgrade homes or vehicles to aid with mobility
  • Travel to and from doctors and spinal cord injury specialists
  • Medical devices and prescription medications
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation
  • Hospital beds and wheelchairs

Will a Settlement Offer Cover all of These Costs?

If a person sustained a spinal cord injury caused by the careless or negligent actions of another individual or business, they should be entitled to compensation for their losses. However, any settlement offer has to take into account these long-term expenses, not just short-term medical costs. The overall costs for spinal cord injury victims will likely continue to increase, particularly if there is any level of paralysis that is permanent. The costs will never stop for victims and their families, and any settlements need to take that into account.

Often, insurance carriers will do anything they can to limit the amount of money they payout in a settlement, particularly for larger claims like spinal cord injuries. It is very unlikely that an initial settlement offer from an insurance carrier will include all the long-term expenses the spinal cord injury victim and their family are expected to incur. It is important to work with a skilled spinal cord injury lawyer in Atlanta who can get involved, determine liability for the incident, and handle negotiations with those involved to recover maximum compensation.

In addition to these long-term expenses, consideration should also be given to any income loss if the victim can no longer work, as well as income lost if a family member has to leave their job to become a full-time caregiver. Even though these are not direct medical costs, they are still losses that victims incur because of the actual injury. This has to be taken into account when considering a settlement offer.

Posted in: Head Injury


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