Medical care for any injury can be costly. Unfortunately, severe injuries like injuries to the spinal cord can involve significant costs that add to the strain injured people already experience. How much does it cost to treat an injury to the spinal cord?
Care for spinal cord injuries can cost thousands every year.
Even a relatively minor injury to the spinal cord can require long-term treatment and lead to a lifetime of medical costs. If a spinal cord injury impacts motor function at any level, treatment can cost almost $350,000 in the first year and more than $40,000 in the following years. Over a lifetime, these costs can total more than one million dollars.
More severe injuries can have an even greater impact on families’ finances. Treatment of high-level tetraplegia—which causes a partial or complete loss of function in all limbs—can cost more than one million dollars in the first year alone. Lifetime costs for people over the age of 50 impacted by these injuries often total more than $2.5 million, and younger patients face an estimated lifetime treatment cost of more than $4.5 million.
Why is the treatment for spinal cord injuries so costly?
Spinal cord injuries can have a devastating impact on a person’s health. In the immediate aftermath of an accident, treatment for spinal cord injuries can include medications, immobilization, surgical intervention and other treatments. Long-term care may involve not only physical therapy to strengthen muscles, redevelop motor skills and establish adaptive skills for daily life. Patients may also need to manage related health concerns like pressure ulcers, infections and blood clots.
Because of the significant costs associated with treatment for a spinal cord injury, it is important for injured people and their loved ones to explore all the options for compensation available to them. With experienced guidance, you can fight for the financial support you need to address these costs.