Many oil rig workers in North Dakota work around areas with risks of high falls. This includes climbing up on derricks as needed or walking along high scaffolds around an oil refinery. A fall from such a height may yield catastrophic injuries.
When the fall results is a spinal cord injury, there are many costs to consider in the immediate term and the future.
SCI costs come down to severity
Falls make up nearly a third of all SCIs and can result in anything from mild motor function loss to full-body paralysis. Out in the oil fields, where medical assistance may be far off, the very first expense could be an expensive ambulance or life flight.
From there, surgery, rehabilitation and recovery stack up on hospital bills. For example, if a person suffers paraplegia as a result of an SCI, the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates an average first-year cost of $560,287. After that, subsequent years cost an average just under $75,000 due to medical checkups and disability aids for the future.
SCI compensation comes down to communication
Oil field workers may have workers’ compensation or a negligent damages case to navigate after this. It is vital to know what to document and how to document it. Receipts for medical bills, costs of prescriptions and estimated values of lost productivity all factor into a case.
Anyone facing this challenge, all while recovering from a life-changing injury, may wish to learn more information about their unique case to determine the best course of action.