Some people walk away from accidents such as car crashes with only minor scratches and bruises. Others survive but can no longer walk at all because they injure their spine and are left paralyzed.
As with all injuries, you should be entitled to compensation if the other party caused the crash. Yet, the insurers may offer you well below what you need, and paralysis will need more compensation than most things.
The cost will vary depending on the extent of paralysis
Which parts of your body are paralyzed depends on which part of your spine got damaged. Generally, paralysis will be from the injury point downward.
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center worked out the average lifetime cost for someone injured aged 25 and someone injured aged 50. They vary according to the type of paraplegia:
- High Tetraplegia (C1–C4): $5.16 million for a 25-year-old and $2.84 million for a 50-year-old
- Low Tetraplegia (C5–C8) AIS ABC: $3.77 million for a 25-year-old and $2.31 for a 50-year-old
- Paraplegia AIS ABC: $2.52 million for a 25-year-old and $1.66 million for a 50-year-old
- Motor Functional at Any Level AIS D: $1.72 million for a 25-year-old and $1.21 million for a 50-year-old
Those figures are for 2020, so it will cost even more now. They’re also not the complete picture as they only concern health care and related living costs.
The total cost will be much more. Paralysis could affect your ability to work, play with your children and much more. It can also have massive emotional implications for you and your loved ones. If you are left paralyzed because of someone else’s actions, getting legal help will be crucial to understand how much compensation you should seek.