Posts Tagged ‘Spinal’

The High Costs of a Miami Spinal Cord Injury after a Car Accident

Thursday, August 16th, 2012

Miami spinal cord injuries are most often caused by Miami car accidents and traffic accidents, violence, and falls. Miami traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of these types of injuries. Unfortunately for patients who have sustained this type of injury, spinal cord injuries can be among the most expensive injuries to sustain in a Miami truck accident or car accident. The medical costs alone in the first year can exceed 0 000, in part because of the many treatments that these patients need:

1) Emergency medical care. Most Miami spinal cord injury patients are rushed to hospital directly from the accident scene, where they require immediate medical help.

2) Rehabilitation. Miami spinal cord injury patients almost always need years of rehabilitation in order to strength muscles, regain some mobility, and learn to deal with a severe injury. Thes cost of this type of help can be substantial.

3) Counseling and support. Depression is a common concern for Miami spinal cord injury patients, many of whom suffer from depression and even substance abuse problems as they try to cope with their injury. In many cases, patients require help for the depression or even medication for the condition.

4) Surgery. After sustaining a traumatic spinal cord injury, many patients require emergency surgery to stabilize the spinal cord or to remove pressure from the spinal cord. These surgeries generally require a specialist and are quite complex, resulting in higher costs.

5) Extended hospital stays. Most patients who have sustained a spinal cord injury need to be in traction or kept immobilized in order to allow the injured area to heal. Patients may also require more healing time after surgery, resulting in extended hospital stays as well as numerous costs.

6) Ventilators and other costs. Patients who have sustained injuries high on the spinal cord may not be able to breathe on their own and may need to be on a ventilator or may need a pacemaker for the rest of their lives. The yearly costs of the ventilator and patient care for someone using this type of device can be quite high.

7) Transportation costs. If a Miami spinal cord injury patient recovers some mobility, they may be able to drive but may require a special vehicle or a specially modified vehicle that accommodates the injury. In cases where patients do not have the mobility to drive a car, they may need to pay for other methods of transportation. Many patients will also need a wheelchair.

8) Loss of income costs. Many patients spend months away from work after a Miami spinal cord injury. In some cases, mobility issues do not allow a patient to return to work and the patient must find some way to replace the lost income of decades.

9) Home care and home accessibility changes. Many patients with severe Miami spinal cord injuries need home care and in some cases require around-the-clock care because they do regain enough mobility to take care of everyday tasks themselves. The cost of a lifetime of at-home care can be substantial. In addition, in most cases, some changes to the home will also be needed to accommodate mobility issues. For example, grab bars may need to be installed in the bathrooms, lifts on the stairs, and ramps to the house. In some cases, doorways may need to be widened and counters lowered if a patient is wheelchair-bound.

10) Medication and incidental medical costs. Medications are usually required for Miami spinal cord injury patients. In addition to pain medication and anti-depressants many patients may also need medication to deal with occasional infections. In fact, spinal cord patients are subject to many complications, including pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and other problems which may require treatment and medication.


Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Options for Florida Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

Many Florida spinal cord injury patients sustain their injuries as a result of a car accident. The force and impact of a car collision often causes extensive trauma to the entire body. Being ejected from the car or being tossed about inside of the car – often the result of not wearing a seat belt – can easily lead to brain injuries and spinal cord injuries as the body comes into violent contact with hard surfaces.

Florida spinal cord injury patients traditionally face many obstacles. Back injuries sustained in traffic accidents are often very serious, due to the impact of the accident. As well, spinal cord injuries are among the more expensive Florida car accident injuries to treat. Many patients have in excess of 0 000 in medical bills in their first year after their accident alone. This is because spinal cord injuries often require extended hospital stays, surgery, and other expensive treatment.

Florida spinal cord injury patients often face additional challenges after their accident, as well. For example, some of the treatments for spinal cord injuries – including rehabilitation work and home care – are not covered by health insurance. As well, car insurance is often capped far below what spinal cord injury patients will need to pay for their injuries, and since patients often cannot work after their injury, there are few resources available. Worse, in many cases spinal cord injuries are permanent, and require a lifetime of home care and medical treatment and represent a lifetime of lost income.

For all of these reasons, it is important to contact an experienced South Florida personal injury attorney soon after a serious car accident. A good attorney can investigate the accident, find all liable parties, and aggressively pursue all sources of recovery. This can make a tremendous impact on a spinal cord injury patient’s outcome. With financial resources in place, a back injury patient can get the support, medication, income, and medical care needed to make the best possible recovery.

There is also good news for Florida spinal cord injury patients. Traditionally, some patients have been treated with spinal fusion, which helps patients with herniated discs in the neck. While the treatment can be effective, it does usually require multiple surgeries and months of recovery. However, doctors as Bay Medical Center have been offering a new procedure for patients with herniated discs in the neck. The new procedure places an artificial disc in the neck and patients who have this procedure often enjoy a shorter recovery time and may not require repeat surgeries. Surgery takes about an hour and a half and currently the procedure is available for patients with only one damaged disc. The ideal patients for the surgery are under 50, in good general physical condition, and are non-smokers. Currently, only a few physicians offer the procedure in Florida.


Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog