Few injuries have as much negative association as spinal cord injuries do. Many people fear a back injury more than a head injury, an amputation or multiple broken bones. The idea that you can permanently lose sensation and motor function terrifies people.
The costs associated with a spinal cord injury are also significant. People who hurt their spinal cords may have between six and seven figures worth of medical bills just in the first year after their injury. They will also need lifetime medical support because of a spinal cord injury, to say nothing of the possible loss of earning potential their injury could cause.
Researchers recently published an exciting announcement that may offer fresh hope for those with spinal cord injuries and create substantially more costs during the process of rehabilitation.
For the first time, there is evidence of recovery after a complete injury
For decades, even as modern medicine improved by huge leaps, complete spinal cord injuries remained untreatable. If someone severed the spinal cord in an accident, their prognosis was that the injury would be a permanent part of their life.
However, a recently published paper provides evidence of three adult men actually regaining motor function after complete spinal cord injuries. Through the implantation of electrodes powered by pacemakers, surgeons have helped those with complete spinal cord injuries regain the ability to stand and walk.
Obviously, this incredibly advanced technology is in its earliest stages. It will likely drastically increase the cost of treating spinal cord injuries when it becomes more available. However, for the first time ever, there is now real hope for those left paralyzed by a traumatic spinal cord injury.
Car insurance likely won’t cover spinal cord injury costs
The possibility of regaining motor function is a beacon of hope for those hurt in car crashes. Unfortunately for those hurt in motor vehicle collisions, the bodily injury liability coverage most people carry is not enough to cover all of the expenses associated with the spinal cord injury. A civil lawsuit may be the only way for someone to get enough compensation to cover the treatment they need.
Keeping up to date about medical advances can help those with catastrophic injuries from car crashes pursue a better future.
