If you or a loved one is currently dealing with the aftermath of a serious car accident, then you know can be terrifying. Sure, your car might be totaled, but your physical and emotional health is much more important. All too often, car accidents result in serious injuries that reshape the ways in which victims live their lives. In many cases, car accident victims are left permanently disabled.

A spinal cord injury, for example, can leave an individual with significant physical limitations. He or she may suffer from extensive paralysis that makes living what was once his or her normal life nearly impossible. These individuals often have to relearn how to perform everyday tasks, usually in a different way, requiring a significant amount of medical treatment and rehabilitation.

As stressful as these limitations can be, and the impact they can have on one’s emotional well-being, they can also be costly. Treating the most severe spinal cord injuries can cost millions of dollars over the course of an individual’s life, and even those who suffer from a less severe spinal cord injury can still see lifetime costs upwards of a $1 million in medical costs alone. When lost wages and lost earning capacity are taken into account, the damages can skyrocket further.