Spinal Cord Injuries from Car Accidents Can Devastate Whole Families

Few injuries are more devastating than those to the spinal cord. The complexities and intricacies of the spine combined with how much of our ability to move or function day-to-day is dependent upon on it means that spinal injuries can completely change the life of an accident victim as well as the family that now must assist their loved one to recover or engage in basic activities that they once took for granted.

The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) estimates that approximately 12,500 people in the U.S. suffer serious spinal cord injuries every year. The leading cause of spinal injuries is vehicle crashes.

A serious injury to the spinal column can not only lead to permanent paralysis, it can impact almost every other part and system in the body. Spinal injuries can result in:

• Incontinence
• Sexual dysfunction
• Quadriplegia
• Respiratory difficulty
• Nerve damage leading to tingling and burning sensations
• Loss of muscle control
• Persistent vegetative state

The Costs of a Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries cost victims millions of dollars each year. Over the course of a lifetime – a lifetime which on average is significantly shorter than for people without spinal injuries – the costs can be astronomical.

According to the NSCISC, the average yearly cost of care for those with the most serious spinal cord injuries (High Tetraplegia (C1–C4)) are $1,064,716 for the first year and $184,891 for each subsequent year. The estimated average lifetime costs of care for someone injured at 50 is $2,596,329 while a lifetime of care for someone injured at age 25 is $4,724,181.

While these dollar figures are enormous, so are the practical burdens placed on the family and loved ones of a spinal injury victim. Painful rehabilitation, around-the-clock care, physical alterations to the home and daily routines that revolve around the injury victim can take a severe physical, emotional, and psychological toll on caregivers.

The Metro Atlanta Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys of The Parian Law Firm, LLC understand the upheaval caused by spinal cord injuries and other catastrophic injuries. We are committed to getting injury victims and their families the compensation and resources they need to recover and get their lives back. Please reach out to us today by calling (770) 727-5550 or by filling out an online contact form at www.westgalawyer.com.