Causes of SCI Since 2005
- Motor Vehicle Crashes – 39.2%
- Falls – 28.3%
- Violence – 14.6%
- Other/Unknown – 9.7%
- Sports – 8.2%
The severity of the injury is often called “the completeness” and is classified as either:
- Complete. If almost all feeling (sensory) and all ability to control movement (motor function) are lost below the spinal cord injury, your injury is called complete.
- Incomplete. Some motor or sensory function below the affected area of your injury is called incomplete. There are varying degrees of incomplete injury.
- Paralysis from a spinal cord injury may be referred to as: Tetraplegia or quadriplegia. This means your arms, hands, trunk, legs and pelvic organs are all affected by your spinal cord injury.
- Paraplegia. This paralysis affects all or part of the trunk, legs and pelvic organs.
There are varying degrees of incomplete injury.
Paralysis from a spinal cord injury may be referred to as: Tetraplegia or quadriplegia. This means your arms, hands, trunk, legs and pelvic organs are all affected by your spinal cord injury.
Lifetime Costs of SCI –
Costs vary significantly according to the type of injury. The figures shown below do not include direct losses relating to loss of wages, fringe benefits.
High Tetraplegia (C1-C4) AIS ABC
- Average Cost 1st Year: $1,023,924
- Average Yearly Expenses/Each Year: $ 177,808
- Lifetime Expenses 25 Years Old: $4,543,182 Discounted by 2%
- Lifetime Expenses 50 Years Old: $2,946,856 Discounted by 2%
Low Tetraplegia (C5-C8) AIS ABC
- Average Cost 1st Year: $ 739,874
- Average Yearly Expenses/Each Year: $ 109,077
- Lifetime Expenses 25 Years Old: $3,319,533 Discounted by 2%
- Lifetime Expenses 50 Years Old: $2,041,809 Discounted by 2%
Paraplegia AIS ABC
- Average Cost 1st Year: $ 499,023
- Average Yearly Expenses/Each Year: $ 66,106
- Lifetime Expenses 25 Years Old: $2,221,596 Discounted by 2%
- Lifetime Expenses 50 Years Old: $1,457,967 Discounted by 2%
Incomplete Motor Function at Any Level
- Average Cost 1st Year: $ 334,170
- Average Yearly Expenses/Each Year: $ 40,589
- Lifetime Expenses 25 Years Old: $1,517,806 Discounted by 2%
- Lifetime Expenses 50 Years Old: $1,071,309 Discounted by 2%
*Data Source: Economic Impact of SCI Published in the journal Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Volume 16 Number 4 in 2011.
The Parrish Law Firm, PLLC spine injury attorney works with northern Virginia residents who have been injured in accidents and who are looking for fair compensation. Contact us today for a “no fee charged”, case consultation, or call us at 703-906-4229.
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A representative of Parrish Law Firm, PLLC researched and wrote this article with Mr. Parrish’s consent. If you have any questions regarding the legal implications of what you have just read, please contact us.
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