Maybe you were driving home from work when an 18-wheeler smashed into your vehicle on I-45. Or you were enjoying a concert at the American Airlines Center when you slipped on an unmarked wet floor and fell. Now, you’re facing a life-altering spinal cord injury that leaves you paralyzed and wondering how you'll afford the astronomical costs of your care and recovery.
As skilled Texas catastrophic injury lawyers serving clients in Plano, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Bryan, the team at Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group understands the physical, emotional, and financial devastation that follows such a drastic medical emergency caused by someone else's negligence. We're ready to provide comprehensive legal guidance and representation to help you understand the full scope of your needs and pursue compensation for the full lifetime costs of your spinal cord injury.
Medical Expenses Will Be Your Largest Immediate Cost
After suffering a spinal cord injury (SCI), your primary concern is getting the medical treatment you need to stabilize your condition and begin the long road to recovery. According to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation (CDRF), high tetraplegia injuries that cause paralysis in the arms, hands, trunk, and legs have average first-year treatment costs of over $1 million, while paraplegia injuries that affect all or part of the trunk, legs, and pelvic organs have average first-year costs of more than $500,000.
These initial costs include factors such as:
- Emergency medical care. This includes transportation to the hospital and any emergency surgical interventions necessary to prevent further damage to your spinal cord.
- Hospitalization. The costs of staying in a medical center, which may include time spent in the intensive care unit if your injury is particularly severe.
- Rehabilitation. Both inpatient and outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other rehabilitation services to help you regain as much function and independence as possible. In some cases, inpatient rehabilitation can last 2–3 months.
- Medical equipment. You'll need mobility aids like wheelchairs and home medical equipment like hospital beds, Hoyer lifts, and shower chairs upon discharge.
Remember, these are just the initial costs related to your SCI and its acute state. Unfortunately, the CDRF also notes that “Less than 1% of affected people experienced complete neurological recovery by the time they were discharged from hospital.” This means there’s a strong chance you’ll have to return to the hospital for various reasons in the first year due to complications of your condition.
As your legal representatives in a catastrophic injury case, the team at Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group carefully documents all of these expenses and more to build a strong case on your behalf. We also consult with medical, professional, and life care experts to get a clear picture of your prognosis and what ongoing care you'll require.
Modifying Your Home Carries Substantial One-Time Costs
After a spinal cord injury, your home will likely need significant accessibility and adaptability modifications to accommodate the necessary functions of daily life. The CDRF estimates these one-time home modification costs at nearly $23,000, on average.
Common home modifications for spinal cord injury survivors include, but aren’t limited to:
- Ramps and lifts. Installing ramps and/or vertical platform lifts at the entrances to your home to bypass stairs.
- Widening doorways. Enlarging doorways to at least 32 inches wide to allow wheelchair access to all areas of your home.
- Bathroom renovations. Expanding the space in your bathroom to include a roll-in shower, grab bars, and an ADA-compliant sink and toilet.
- Kitchen modifications. Lowering countertops and installing accessible appliances so you can prepare meals independently.
- Flooring changes. Removing carpet and installing hardwood, vinyl, or tile flooring for easier wheelchair mobility.
Your Dallas catastrophic injury attorney presents evidence to the insurance company or court to ensure these expenses are included in your settlement or verdict.
Your Ability to Earn an Income May Be Permanently Altered
One of the most devastating financial consequences of a spinal cord injury is the impact on your ability to work and earn a living. In the most severe cases, spinal cord injury survivors are unable to work at all.
Lost wages and loss of earning capacity are critical factors in your catastrophic injury settlement. At Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group, we assess numerous aspects, such as:
- Past tax returns and pay stubs showing your pre-injury earnings history.
- Medical records explaining your physical limitations and why you can't return to your previous job.
- Expert analysis from vocational rehabilitation specialists and economists to calculate the earnings you likely would have made over your lifetime if you hadn’t been injured.
The CDRF reports that the average lifetime work-related losses for a 25-year-old with high tetraplegia are $1.6 million. Younger spinal cord injury survivors usually have higher projected losses because they have more working years ahead of them.
Considering the average annual costs for maintaining quality of life with an SCI average between $70,000 and $190,000, depending on the severity of your condition, you deserve to pursue a settlement against the responsible party that provides at least some remuneration for lost income potential.
Recovering Lifetime Costs Related to Your Spinal Cord Injury
We know that no amount of money can make up for what happened. However, the National SCI Statistical Center indicates that the average lifetime medical care and living expenses total millions of dollars. It’s critical to your future to have a Texas catastrophic injury lawyer who’ll protect your legal rights and fight for not only what you need to survive, but thrive.