Living With Spinal Cord Injury Caused by Car Accident: Medical Expenses

In the United States today, approximately 200,000 people are currently living with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Of these injuries, 46% of SCI is caused by a car accident, semi-truck, or motorcycle accident.

Following a Chicago motor vehicle accident resulting in a back injury or spinal cord injury, the long-term costs are substantial. For many people, these costs will continue to accrue for a number of years.

Medical Costs of Spinal Cord Injury Caused by Auto Accident 

 Without differentiating according to the severity of the spinal cord injury, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the average medical cost of a Spinal Cord Injury is between $15,000 and $30,000 per year. 

Cullotta Law Offices can also help you estimate how much your damages may be in the first year and the rest of your life. For example, over a lifetime, the medical costs for a spinal cord injury can range from $500,000 to over $3 million. 

Moreover, The University of Alabama National Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Statistical Center takes the severity of the spinal cord injury into account, as well as the age at the time of the car accident.

• A spinal cord injury during the first year following the accident, based upon the severity of the injury. 

1. C1-C4 injuries (high tetraplegia injuries) – $1 million
2. C5-C8 injuries (low tetraplegia injuries) – $700,000
3. Paraplegia injuries – $500,000
4. Incomplete motor function at any level injuries – $300,000

• The lifetime cost of the spinal cord injury for a 25-year-old, the approximate cost is as follows:

1. C1-C4 cervical injuries high tetraplegia injuries – $4.5 million
2. C5-C8 injuries low tetraplegia injuries – $3 million
3. Paraplegia injuries – $2 million
4. Incomplete motor function at any level injuries – $1.5 million

•  Settlement of a Spinal Cord Injury claim or case will include damages beyond medical expenses.  

If you were injured in a Cook County car accident, it is important that you contact a Chicago spinal cord injury attorney to ensure that your damages accurately reflect the costs associated with the accident.  For more information, fill out our online form or call our office at 847-682-7755.