The injuries that you might suffer in a car crash could change your life in a moment. The costs related to those injuries and the impact they have on your daily life could far exceed the insurance available to you after a wreck. The coverage that should reimburse you for lost wages and medical expenses might not be enough to cover just your trauma care after the crash.
Spinal cord injuries are a perfect example. They often require intensive trauma care immediately after a crash, followed by months of pain management, physical therapy and medical support for the patient. Both complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries will mean a lifetime of medical expenses and secondary costs.
A wheelchair can be quite expensive. So can updating your home so that you can get around in your wheels here. Even your vehicle will require expensive upgrades to accommodate a wheelchair.
Wheelchair vans are expensive vehicles
You might not expect it when you see wheelchair vans, but they are some of the most expensive vehicles on the road. You consider that even a standard van might cost $30,000 or more, the cost of a wheelchair van starts to make more sense.
Someone may need to install a special driving system or a lift for the wheelchair, possibly both. Those additions are not cheap. A brand new wheelchair van could cost as much as $100,000. Modifying a van that you already own can also be expensive. It can cost between $15,000 and $30,000.
Insurance policies may not be enough for spinal cord injuries
Many drivers carry the least amount of insurance they can. Their goal is to keep their costs low, not actually protect themselves from liability. You get into a wreck with someone who only has $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage, you will need more compensation than that to cover the costs of your ongoing care and secondary needs.
Civil lawsuits can help some people coping with crash-related spinal cord injuries. There may also be options beyond car insurance, such as underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy or someone with third-party liability for the crash. Exploring all of your options will help you better cover the cost of a spinal cord injury after a car wreck.
