When it comes to motor vehicle collisions, anything you walk away from is a win. But sometimes fate deals us a hand that saddles us with a future that will take time, determination and resources to overcome. Paralysis changes your life irreparably, no matter how bad the situation is. Loss of motor function affects everything you have known up to that point.
It costs money as well. Regular doctor visits, equipment and physical therapy are liable to put you in severe medical debt. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center provides a data sheet that details the cost of living while paralyzed.
Initial costs
According to the data, any motor damage is going to run you an average first-year cost of just under $350,000 while a devastating High Tetraplegia (a paralysis at your C1-C4 vertebrae) could run an average as high as $1 million.
Lifetime costs
It does not stop there. Medical science has yet to develop a cure for spinal injuries, so you are likely to carry this disability for the rest of your life. The NSCISC estimates an average cost in the subsequent years to run from $42,000 to $180,000, depending on the severity of your paralysis.
Those costs are no joke, and by being in a car accident, you run the risk of paralysis. In these situations, though the reality can seem grim, it is important to understand the kind of resources you need to live a full life after a collision and to pursue any relevant damages that are pertinent to your case.