It goes without saying that the nature of spinal cord injury is such that the amount of damages that may be recovered against a party responsible for causing such injury is substantial. The average out-of-pocket cost of coping with a spinal cord injury in the first year can be as high as $741,000 for the most severe injuries. For each year after that, the average cost is approximately $132,000. The figures below do not include any indirect damages such as lost in wages, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of enjoyment of life, and mental anguish, which average about $60,000 a year. All of these damages continue throughout the life of a victim.
| Average Yearly Expenses (in dollars) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Severity of Injury | First Year | SubsequentYears |
| High Tetraplegia (C1-C4) | $741,425 | $132,807 |
| Low Tetraplegia (C5-C8) | $478,782 | $54,400 |
| Paraplegia | $270,913 | $27,568 |
| Incomplete Motor Function at any Level | $218,504 | $15,313 |
| Estimated Lifetime Costs by Age at Injury | ||
| Severity of Injury | 25 years old | 50 years old |
| High Tetraplegia (C1-C4) | $2,924,513 | $1,721,677 |
| Low Tetraplegia (C5-C8) | $1,653,607 | $1,047,189 |
| Paraplegia | $977,142 | $666,473 |
| Incomplete Motor Function at any Level | $651,827 | $472,392 |
For more information on Damages in SCI Cases, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking talk Arnold F. Phillips by calling (301) 387-2800 today.