Spinal cord injuries can lead to massive, unexpected life changes. You could be eligible for compensation if your spinal cord injury was caused by a negligent driver. However, this initial compensation may not be enough to cover all your injury expenses. In some cases, you could be eligible for additional compensation. Be sure to consult with a Kansas City car accident lawyer to find out more.
Challenges Caused by Spinal Cord Injuries
As many people already know, a spinal cord injury involves damage to the spinal cord that can result in paralysis. Most spinal cord injuries are permanent, meaning the damage cannot be reversed. People with incomplete spinal cord injuries may have some chances of partial recovery of functioning, but not always.
In either case, spinal cord injuries often require extensive and long-term medical care. This includes medical care right after the accident to stabilize the injury and lifelong medical care, depending on the severity. Spinal cord injuries with lifelong and full paralysis below the neck almost always involve at-home nurse care. Some people have family members who can take over this role.
How Medical Bills Add up
Assistive devices like computerized wheelchairs, specialized bathtubs, and other devices built into the home can help make life easier. However, these devices and the services of at-home nurses can add up to expensive medical bills. On top of that, ongoing medical bills may build up from various medical complications from spinal cord injuries like:
- Pneumonia
- Autonomic dysreflexia
- Pressure ulcers
- Chronic pain
- Circulatory problems like increased risk of blood clots
All of these medical expenses can add up and become financially overwhelming. This leaves many people wondering when and how they can obtain additional compensation.
How to Obtain Additional Compensation
Obtaining additional compensation in a personal injury claim is all about evidence and documentation. The more evidence you can provide from medical sources and the accident itself, the better your chances will be. Document as much as you can about the symptoms and daily struggles caused by your injury.
If you are unable to document your injury due to limitations caused by the injury, find someone you can trust to do this. Many people find success in documenting daily impairments in a medical diary with dates and times. Describing what you are experiencing in as much detail as possible will strengthen your need for additional compensation.
Include copies of your medical records, the police report, and car accident details. Keep receipts from medical costs, and have a doctor detail the prognosis for your injury. Consider contacting a Kansas City car accident lawyer to explore other ways to prove your need for additional compensation for things like future medical bills.