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Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers | Truitt Law Offices Blog

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Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Cost of living with Spinal Cord Injury

The costs of living with Spinal Cord Injury can be substantial and vary greatly based on the severity of injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the University of Alabama National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, 42.6% of spinal cord injured individuals are considered paraplegic (losses of movement and sensation in the lower body) and 56.4% quadriplegic (losses of movement and sensation in both arms and legs).

Average yearly expenses by severity of injury are:

  • High quadriplegia (C1 – C4) – year one $775,567 – subsequent years $138,923
  • Low quadriplegia (C5 – C8) – year one $500,829 – subsequent years $56,905
  • Paraplegia – year one $283,388 – subsequent years $28,837
  • Incomplete motor function at any level – year one $228,566 – subsequent years $16,018
Contributing to those costs are the average length of stay in a hospital or rehabilitation unit: The average lengths of stay are 15 days of initial hospitalization and 36 days in a rehab unit. 87.9% of all people with spinal cord injury are discharged to a private home. 5.6% are discharged to nursing homes.

The estimated lifetime costs range between $681,843 (incomplete motor function) and over $3,000,000 (High Quadriplegic) for a patient injured at age 25. According to the research, developing therapies for those who have already sustained spinal cord injury and preventing new injuries would save as much as $400 billion in future direct and indirect lifetime costs.

The party or parties responsible for paying these costs also varies depending on a number of factors including the circumstances of the spinal cord injury. With costs that can eclipse $3,000,000 it is essential to find a qualified Spinal Cord Injury Attorney to help you navigate the course. If you live anywhere in Indiana and have suffered a spinal cord injury, please contact Truitt Law Offices.

posted by Megan P at 2:13 PM

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