How much could an SCI cost you over your lifetime?

When you think of a spinal cord injury, it is easy to imagine a serious motor vehicle accident. That makes sense since those are the leading causes of SCIs. However, they are not the only source.

Regardless of how you sustain an SCI, be it through a catastrophic injury or a serious surgical error, it is important to understand its potential costs.

A matter of severity

The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center considers your SCI severity when estimating average yearly expenses. Losing motor function is one thing while tetraplegia — the partial or complete paralysis of your body — is another.

The first year represents the bulk of expenses, as it is the time you need immediate surgery and rehabilitation. The NSCISC estimates these average first-year costs range between $375,196 to $1.14 million.

A matter of time

Some may fully recover from an SCI, but since medical science has yet to devise a cure for paralysis, it is also possible the effects of your SCI stick with you for years to come. Estimated lifetime costs depend largely on how old you are when you sustain the SCI. NSCISC estimates are no less than $1.20 million, though. Some lifetime costs get as high as $5.1 million.

A matter of compensation

These costs represent a variety of health care and living expenses. The last thing you need while recovering from an SCI is financial stress that threatens the future of you or your family. Organizing a damages case against any negligent party responsible for this injury may help recoup these multi-million dollar costs.