Spinal cord injuries are among the most severe injuries a person can suffer in an accident. When these injuries stem from someone else’s negligence, the injured person can often seek compensation from the responsible party. In Illinois, this financial recovery should cover medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and long-term care costs.
Spinal trauma often leads to paralysis or permanent physical disability. As a result, compensation awards frequently account for lifetime medical needs, home modifications, and reduced earning capacity.
Medical Treatment and Long-Term Rehabilitation
Spinal cord injuries require extensive treatment, making healthcare expenses the largest part of most claims. Ongoing care can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over a person’s lifetime.
A successful personal injury claim can provide money for:
- Emergency medical treatment
- Follow-up medical care
- Long-term physical therapy designed to preserve physical function
- Mobility equipment
- Adaptive devices
- In-home nursing care and daily support services over a lifetime
Injury claims can cover a person’s expected future expenses alongside their past medical bills.
Lost Wages and Reduced Earning Capacity
Spinal cord injuries often disrupt careers. Illinois law allows injured individuals to seek compensation for both past lost wages and future loss of earning power.
Examples include:
- Lost salaries and wages accumulated during recovery periods
- Long-term reductions in earning capacity
- Job retraining costs needed to transition into a new line of work
Vocational and financial experts are often needed to evaluate future income losses caused by the injury. These damages can make up a substantial portion of an overall award.
Non-Economic Harms
In addition to direct financial costs, severe spinal injuries cause major personal losses that affect nearly every part of daily life.
An injured person can recover non-economic compensation for personal impacts like:
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent physical limitations
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Inability to participate in everyday activities
- Loss of consortium, which covers negative impacts on marriage and family relationships
Non-economic damages can be very high in spinal cord injury cases due to how deeply these injuries disrupt a person’s life. Sometimes, these damages equal 1.5 times or more the amount of economic damages awarded.
Punitive Damages and Wrongful Death Recoveries
Some cases involve damages that go beyond economic and non-economic losses.
In cases involving extreme or illegal conduct, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the defendant. One example is a driver who causes a crash while intoxicated. Punitive damages penalize the wrongdoer and discourage future misconduct rather than repaying specific financial losses.
Severe spinal trauma can cause life-threatening health complications in the months or years following an accident. If a victim passes away, surviving family members can bring a wrongful death lawsuit for lost financial support, funeral costs, and loss of companionship. Additionally, a survival claim lets the victim’s estate recover money for medical bills and personal suffering that occurred before death.
If you or a family member suffered a severe spinal injury due to negligence, Feagans Law Group can explain your legal options. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our St. Charles personal injury attorney.