How Do I Get Paid for the Long-Term Effects of a Spinal Cord Injury?

 Posted on February 19, 2026 in Personal Injury

A spinal cord injury can change your life in ways you never expected. Beyond the initial hospital stay, many people face ongoing medical care, lost income, and daily challenges that continue for years.

According to national spinal cord injury research, indirect costs alone, including lost wages and reduced productivity, average more than $95,000 per year for people living with spinal cord injuries. If your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may have the right to seek compensation for these long-term effects. Our Washington County, MD spinal cord injury lawyer helps injured individuals pursue financial recovery so they can focus on rebuilding their lives.

What Types of Compensation Can You Recover After an Accident That Resulted in a Spinal Cord Injury?

Compensation in a spinal cord injury claim is meant to address both financial losses and the personal impact of the injury. Because spinal cord injuries often result in permanent or long-lasting harm, it is important to include future losses as well as current expenses.

Under Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 11-109, you may be able to recover compensation for:

• Emergency medical care and hospitalization
• Ongoing treatment, therapy, and rehabilitation
• Lost income and reduced future earning ability
• Home modifications, such as wheelchair ramps or accessible bathrooms
• Assistive equipment, including wheelchairs and mobility devices
• Pain, suffering, and reduced quality of life

How Do You Prove the Long-Term Effects of a Spinal Cord Injury?

To receive compensation, you must show how the injury affects your life now and how it will continue to affect you in the future. This process involves gathering medical and financial evidence that clearly explains your condition.

Medical records are one of the most important forms of evidence. These records show the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term prognosis for your injury. Your doctors may also explain whether your condition is permanent and what care you will need moving forward.

In many cases, expert opinions are also used to explain how the injury affects your ability to work. For example, a medical expert may describe your physical limitations, while a financial expert may estimate your future lost income.

Can You Recover Compensation for Future Medical Care?

One of the most important parts of a spinal cord injury claim is compensation for future medical care. Many people need ongoing treatment for the rest of their lives.

Future care may include:

• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Follow-up doctor visits
• Prescription medications
• Medical equipment replacement or upgrades
• In-home care or personal assistance

These costs can add up quickly. Including future medical expenses in your claim helps protect your financial security.

How Do Lost Wages and Reduced Earning Ability Affect Your Claim?

Spinal cord injuries often make it difficult or impossible to return to the same type of work. Some people cannot work at all. Others must accept lower-paying positions.

Compensation may include both lost wages and reduced future earning ability. Lost wages cover the income you missed while recovering. Reduced earning ability addresses the income you may lose in the future because of your injury.

For example, if your injury prevents you from returning to your previous career, you may recover compensation for the difference in income over time.

What Does It Mean To Recover Compensation for Pain and Suffering?

Spinal cord injuries affect more than just your finances. They can also affect your daily life, independence, and emotional well-being.

Compensation may include damages for pain and suffering. This may address physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

For example, if your injury prevents you from participating in activities you once enjoyed, that loss may be considered when calculating compensation.

Most people who have not been involved in lawsuits before are unaware of all types of compensation they may be able to recover, and could end up missing out on ways to protect their financial future. A personal injury lawyer can review your case and advise you on all the possibilities of damages you should pursue.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Hagerstown, MD Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

At Serafini Law, we understand how overwhelming it can be to try to pick up all the pieces after your spinal cord is injured due to someone else’s actions. We work closely with clients to help them pursue the compensation they deserve. Attorney Serafini has more than 12 years of experience helping injury victims and gives every case his personal attention. He grew up in Hagerstown and remains active in the local community. He is supportive of clients while aggressively standing up to insurance companies and other defendants.

If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury because of someone else’s negligence, contact our Washington County, MD spinal cord injury lawyer at 240-744-1600 for a free consultation. We answer calls 24/7 and work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.