In the best case scenarios, accident victims are able to walk away with only minor injuries that are easy to treat and have quick recovery times. In the worst case situations, though, accident victims are not so lucky; oftentimes left with severe injuries that take a very long time to recover from. So, how long before accident victims can expect to return to their best health and best life after an accident? And, how much can they expect to pay during that recovery time?
The answers to these questions depends on the type of injury. While the following figures are only rough estimates, a skilled Kentucky personal injury lawyer can help you figure out how much medical care you will need in the future and how much that care will cost.
Spinal Cord and Paralysis Injuries
Spinal cord and paralysis injuries are some of the worst a person will suffer after an accident. Even a slipped disc can prevent a person from working, and can require extensive surgery. When a person is paralyzed after an accident, the injury is naturally much more severe, and will cost even more to treat over the patient’s lifetime. The majority of recovery for these injuries will occur in the first 6 months with remaining loss of function after 12 months likely becoming permanent.
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center has provided figures for treating paraplegia (tetraplegia) and quadriplegia. During the first year, these injuries can cost anywhere between $770,000 to over $1 million. After that first year, these injuries can cost between $113,000 and $185,000 to treat.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
There is no such thing as a minor brain injury. Even concussions, which are fairly common, are considered to be traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs. These injuries are nearly impossible to estimate recovery times and costs because most of the time, no one can see these injuries. Brain scans and other tests do not always adequately show the full extent of the injury.
Most brain injuries will start to show improvement within 6 months, with the majority of most improvement occurring within the first 2 years. An injured individual at this time will start to show improvement and may seem to be improving steadily. Due to the mysterious nature of TBIs though, this may not always be the case, and sometimes a brain is still able to recover even after the normal 2 year period
It is typically stated that individuals with TBIs will continue to improve over the first two years after sustaining the injury. Although it is widely believed that after these two years have passed, an individual likely will not show much improvement, that is not always true. Some individuals continue to show improvement up to five years after the injury.
Traumatic brain injuries, particularly when they are very severe, can also be very costly to treat. Over a patient’s lifetime, depending on how long they live, it is estimated that a serious TBI will cost between $85,000 and $3 million to treat.
Severe Burns and Disfigurement
Burns can be incredibly serious injuries that can become complicated and cause other permanent issues due to scarring or nerve damage. When burns are very severe, such as with third- and fourth-degree burns, or they cover a large area of the body, they can cause disfigurement, loss of feeling, loss of range of motion, and other serious symptoms. And, burns can even be more costly to treat than paralysis and TBIs. A first degree burn will usually heal within a few days, a second degree burn will usually heal within 2 or 3 weeks, and a third degree burn will usually take longer than 3 weeks to heal.
According to some sources, severe burns can cost over $10 million to treat successfully over a patient’s lifetime. On average, serious burns can cost approximately $1,617,345, while even moderate burns can cost approximately $206,853.
A Kentucky Catastrophic Injury Attorney Can Provide the Help You Need
Living with an injury that requires extensive treatment can be traumatic for any individual, even without thinking about the large costs associated with them. Those high costs can add insult to injury. There is help available though.
A catastrophic injury attorney in Kentucky can review your claim, determine if someone else was responsible, and help you get the funds to pay for necessary medical treatment. More importantly, they can provide the help you need to get your life back and help you return to your best health. Don’t wait. Call the Kentucky injury recovery lawyer today!
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