Personal Injury and Premises (injury while on another's property)Damages in Spinal Cord Injury Cases
Posted by
Scott SmithMay 05, 2007 10:11 AMEvent the slightest trauma to the spinal cord is usually devastating. The nature of a spinal cord injury (SCI) 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 $572,000 for the most severe injuries. For each year after that, the average cost is approximately $102,000. The average spinal cord injury costs approximately $250,000 in the first year and $30,000 for each year after that. The figures below do not include any indirect damage such as lost in wages, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of enjoyment of life, and mental anguish. All of these damages continue throughout the life of a victim.
Average Yearly Expenses (in 1999 dollars)
Severity of Injury First Year Each Subsequent Year
High Tetraplegia (C1-C4) $572,178 $102,491
Low Tetraplegia (C5-C8) $369,488 $41,983
Paraplegia $209,074 $21,274
Incomplete Motor Function $168,627 $11,817
at any Level
Estimate lifetime costs by Age at Injury (discounted at 2%)
Severity of Injury 25 years old 50 years old
High Tetraplegia (C1-C4) $2,185,667 $1,286,714
Low Tetraplegia (C5-C8) $1,235,841 $782,628
Paraplegia $730,277 $498,095
Incomplete Motor Function
at any Level $487,150 $353,047
In spinal cord injury cases it is essential that measures be taken promptly to preserve evidence, review the medical procedures in question, and to enable physicians or other expert witnesses to thoroughly evaluate the accident record and injuries. If you or a loved one is a victim of injury caused by a spinal cord injury, call Smith Phillips - Trial Lawyers at 614-846-1700 or 1-888-311-5297.