Kentucky Bus Accident Lawyers

When the spinal cord severs completely in a bus accident, the victim may suffer paralysis below the site of the injury. Along with paralysis, the victim may lack feeling or function in organs below the site of the injury. Even after incomplete spinal cord injury, in which the spinal cord does not sever completely, the victim may face decreased motor function.

The severity of that decreased function may depend on the extent of the injury, including where it occurred. With an incomplete spinal cord injury, the costs in the first year alone may total an average of $347,000. Victims with paraplegia may face costs totaling around $518,000, while victims with high tetraplegia may face more than a million dollars of medical costs.

Following a spinal cord injury, many victims also face costs not included in their medical bills. They may, for example, need to make alterations to their homes to live there comfortably: installing a wheelchair ramp, widening doorways, and even remodeling the bathroom to make space for a wheelchair, add grab bars, or use a special shower intended to allow independence. Not only that, many spinal cord injury victims need expensive mobility devices like wheelchairs and modified motor vehicles. Our lawyers can help you recover compensation for these and other expenses.

Traumatic brain damage can vary widely in severity. At the scene of the accident, victims of traumatic brain injury may fall unconscious. Upon waking, many show signs of confusion and disorientation. Symptoms of even minor traumatic brain injuries can linger for more than a year after the accident itself. More severe traumatic brain injury, on the other hand, can leave victims with lifelong symptoms.

Symptoms may include:

• Memory problems, including difficulty with both long-term and short-term memory
• Problems regulating emotions
• Mood swings
• Changes in sensory perception
• Blurred vision or tunnel vision
• Ringing in the ears
• Difficulty with focus and concentration
• Problems completing cognitive tasks

It can cost anywhere between $85,000 and $3 million during a traumatic brain injury victim’s lifetime to recover from those injuries. Many victims may also struggle to remain employed, especially if they struggle with emotional regulation or have trouble with cognitive tasks. Others may find themselves severely limited in the careers they can acquire.

On average, the amputation of a foot or leg costs $30,000 to $60,000, depending on the complexity of the operation and any complication in the surgery. Amputees may also face substantial ongoing costs after an accident. Not only do prosthetic devices often require replacement in around three to five years, many amputees require ongoing physical therapy.

Amputees may also require substantial rehabilitative assistance immediately after the accident to learn how to cope with the lost limb and maintain as much independence as possible. Some amputees must have the stump revised several times to minimize pain and maximize function. The more of the limb an amputee can keep, the easier the recovery and the greater the function the amputee may have.

When a victim suffers burns in a bus accident, medical costs may mount fast. In the case of severe burns covering a large percentage of the body, treatment can cost as much as $10 million. In addition to those astronomical medical costs, many burn victims cannot return to work for a long time after the accident: pain and the risk of infection may keep those victims highly isolated.

Even with proper treatment and plastic surgery, burn victims may never entirely have the same appearance they had before the bus accident, which can cause substantial psychological trauma and leave the victim struggling to leave the house even once treatment is complete. Even after healing, burn victims may also lose mobility around joints due to the scar tissue and nerve damage left behind from the burns.

Treating a single broken bone without surgery costs an average of $2,500. With multiple broken bones, or if the break requires surgery to set, costs can mount significantly higher. Victims with broken bones may struggle to complete their daily work responsibilities, especially if their workplace cannot offer modifications to the job that allow them to return in spite of their limitations. Victims in highly physical jobs may not return to work until they make a full recovery. Even people who work in office jobs may need time off work for physical therapy, surgery, or to recover enough to wean off of many pain medications.

Even sprains and strains can leave victims with significant costs. While immediate treatment for, for example, a sprained ankle may only cost around $500, the victim may also face a wide range of other significant costs, including lost time at work. Victims of sprains and strains may not return to physical jobs immediately. Torn ligaments and tendons may also require surgical intervention. In addition, victims may require physical therapy to restore strength and mobility in the impacted limb.

Following a bus accident with serious injuries, you may struggle to piece together all of your expenses on your own. Contact an attorney after your accident to discuss the expenses you may have faced after your accident, including:

Immediate medical expenses. Medical expenses may include:

• Ambulance transport
• Emergency room treatment
• Hospitalization
• Procedures
• Scans
• Durable medical equipment
• Stay in a long-term treatment facility

In some cases, you may not know what your long-term medical expenses will look like following a bus accident. By talking with an attorney, you can often get a better estimate of your future medical costs, which can allow you to claim those anticipated expenses as part of your bus accident claim.

Modifications to your home or vehicle to accommodate your limitations. Many injuries with long-term implications, including spinal cord injuries and amputations, can cause you to need to make significant alterations to your home to accommodate your injuries. Including those expenses as part of your personal injury claim can help you recover some of those funds.

Lost wages as a result of your injuries. Following a bus accident, some employers will work with you to get you back at work as soon as possible. Others, however, may not have the capacity to accommodate your limitations or to allow you to return to work. Other injuries may prevent you from returning to work until you heal or, in some cases, prevent you from returning to your former profession at all. Even if you can return to work, you may still lose time for appointments, therapy, or further procedures, all of which can cause your time off to add up substantially.