ATV Accident Injuries – Cost of Medical Treatment and Long-Term Care

Injuries that result from ATV accidents often involve visits to the emergency room. The initial costs can, therefore, be significant, even if a person is treated and released. According to the University of California San Francisco, the median charge for outpatients was over $1,200 in 2013, and medical costs continue to rise. The nature of all-terrain vehicle injuries, given the potential for burns, organ damage, and paralysis increases the likelihood that more expensive medical treatment is needed, in addition to long-term care.

Cost by Type of Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury: Patients with a brain injury face high costs for acute and long-term care. A study by Clinicoecon and Outcomes Research found that just a mild injury could cost nearly $36,000 per case, while a moderate one can exceed $80,000. Care can cost over $222,000 and, with rehabilitation, the price tag can exceed $450,000.

Tests: An X-ray may cost around a couple hundred, but a CT scan can cost a person over $1,000.
Burns: A study by Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters found that a two-day stay in the hospital due to a burn can cost over $15,000. The costs can be even higher if other health problems are factored in, which can follow a fire/explosion involving an all-terrain vehicle.

Other Urgent Medical Care Costs

These are just a couple of examples of injury types and the costs one might incur. Initial treatment is critical, and testing is part of the process. A brain MRI can cost over $2,500, and a chest X-ray can cost up to around $255. That doesn’t even come close to what emergency spinal surgery might cost, which can exceed $25,000. Abdominal operations can be quite costly too. If there is organ damage and, for example, the gallbladder has to be removed, it might go over $12,000, according to ConsumerReports.

Ambulance costs can also be quite high, especially for people without health insurance, in which case a ride can be over $1,000, in addition to the care provided for burns resulting from ATV fires and explosions. Insurance policies often pay for most or all of an ambulance trip, or just require the patient to cover a copay.

The nature of every ATV accident injury varies with each case. Therefore, the exact cost of treatment and long-term care is not set in stone. Surgeries, rehabilitation, and daily care can add up the costs, whereas prevention and attention to safety can prevent an accident, its associated injuries, and costs. Burns from fires and explosions need to be considered too. The expenses are much more than most people can afford, even with health insurance. Therefore, all-terrain vehicle safety should be a top priority.