The cost of spinal cord injuries is something that can cause serious financial grief. The issue comes at a time when money might be a sore subject because you might not be able to work because of your injury. This puts a big financial burden on you and your family members.
When you think about the cost of spinal cord injuries, there are a few things to note. The cost of care is usually the most exorbitant expense. Life expenses are another financial drain. Combining these two can result in astronomical figures that are financially devastating. Of course, medical insurance can help a lot, but there are still a lot of expenses that you will have to cover.
The costs of care and living
The costs of care for a spinal cord injury depend on the type of injury you suffered. For example, a person who has an incomplete injury will incur fewer costs than a person who has a high complete injury. A higher injury is more costly than a lower injury.
These costs include the medical care needed, as well as the personal care necessary to get basic life tasks completed. Some victims might need help with tasks like bathing, getting dressed, and other tasks that most people don’t think much about.
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation estimates that a person who has an incomplete injury will incur around $347,484 in the first year and around $42,206 each year after. For a person who has a high tetraplegia injury, the cost is more than three times that amount. In the first year, the patient will incur costs of around $1,064,716. Each year after, the cost is estimated to be around $184,891. Other spinal cord injuries are likely to fall between these amounts.
Extraordinary expenses
There are some expenses that are considered extraordinary not because they aren’t common but because they are on top of the normal care costs. Some of these include the costs of living with a wheelchair. These can include having to make modifications to your home or purchase a wheelchair-friendly vehicle. The cost of assistive devices is also included in these expenses.
Some of the expenses that are incurred by a person with a spinal cord injury are because of the need for the person to remain a productive member of society. For example, social inclusion is important, so the person would need to find ways to remain social after the injury occurs.