How Much Compensation Do You Need for a Spinal Cord Injury?
Spinal cord injuries can require a lifetime of treatment, surgeries, and therapy. Recovering fair compensation is vital to ensure spinal injury victims can live the rest of their lives without financial strain or the threat of bankruptcy. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you collect evidence to build a claim and negotiate with insurance companies to ensure you receive a fair settlement for your injuries.
What Types of Treatments Are Necessary for Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation?
Several approaches may be necessary to ensure that a spinal cord injury victim recovers as much functionality as possible while avoiding deterioration in mobility.
Surgery
The appropriate surgical option for each patient depends on the victim’s circumstances. One common type of surgery, spinal decompression surgery, helps relieve pressure on the spinal cord by removing damaged tissue or bone. In some cases, fusing vertebrae may also be necessary to stabilize the spine.
Other types of surgery that may be used to treat a spinal cord injury include injection procedures, which help to reduce inflammation, and electrical stimulation, which can help to improve nerve function.
Spinal cord surgery costs depend on the condition’s severity and the medical institution where the procedure occurs. The cost to the patient can reach tens of thousands of dollars per procedure.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapists work with victims to help them regain as much function and mobility as possible. Physical therapists help patients improve their range of motion, strength, and flexibility through exercise, stretching, and massage. Physical therapists also provide guidance on how to adapt to life with a disability.
If you require physical therapy sessions for an extended period, the costs can grow significantly. Each session can cost patients between $75 to $350 out-of-pocket, while the average cost is typically around $150 per session.
Other Expenses Associated With a Spinal Cord Injury
If your injury is severe, the emotional trauma can be devastating, requiring help from a trained counselor. You may also have to seek expensive solutions to everyday tasks that are now more challenging to complete, such as vehicle modifications or a live-in caregiver.
Psychological Counseling
Counseling can help individuals cope with their injury, develop positive coping strategies, and rebuild their lives. Counselors can also provide support to family members who may be struggling to adjust to the changes brought on by the injury.
Depending on the route you choose for your counseling needs, you may need to pay anywhere from $60 to over $200 per session.
Home and Vehicle Modifications
Spinal cord injuries often result in a loss of mobility and sensation, making everyday activities difficult or impossible. However, home modifications can help make life easier for people with spinal cord injuries.
Ramps, grab bars, and specialized appliances can help people with limited mobility remain independent. Accessible showers and bathrooms can provide a much-needed sense of normalcy. Making these changes can be expensive and time-consuming, but their quality-of-life improvement is well worth the investment.
Car modifications can range from simple adaptations, like hand controls for steering and brakes, to more complex systems that allow people to drive using only their head or mouth. Many companies also offer other services, like wheelchair-accessible van rentals.
What Compensation Can You Recover for a Spinal Cord Injury?
Economic damages are those that reimburse the injured person for financial losses resulting from an accident. This can include lost wages, medical bills, future lost earnings, and other out-of-pocket expenses.
Non-economic damages compensate the injured person for intangible losses such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
Why Is It Important to Hire a Lawyer to Get a Fair Settlement?
When you are dealing with a spinal cord injury, the last thing you want to worry about is whether you are getting a fair settlement. Unfortunately, insurance companies are often more interested in protecting their bottom line than in providing you with the compensation you need.
That’s why hiring a lawyer with experience handling spinal cord injury cases is crucial. A good lawyer will know how to investigate your accident, gather evidence, and negotiate with the insurance company to get you the best possible outcome.
It is critical to get the maximum compensation, as the settlement amount may need to last you a lifetime. You cannot file an additional claim for damages after settling, even if your injury worsens over time.
Get the Compensation You Deserve
Living with a spinal cord injury can be financially devastating for victims who don’t recover adequate compensation. If you’ve been in an accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury, contact a Wisconsin personal injury lawyer to estimate your projected expenses and to learn how much your case is worth.
Don’t rush into a lowball settlement with insurance companies. Contact Brian Hodgkiss Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with an attorney who will fight aggressively on your behalf.