Spinal injuries often alter the way people interact with the world, whether the injury is severe, permanent, or temporary. To adjust to a new way of living following a devastating injury, some home modifications may be necessary.
Floor Materials
The last thing any spinal injury victim wants is to injure themselves further by falling on unsuitable materials. In homes where the carpet was favored, this may need swapping out for nonslip and gripping surfaces like rubber. Having suitable flooring materials will help elevate confidence and reduce anxiety, which can make coping with these injuries feel a little easier.
Ramps, Lifts, and Elevators
Many spinal injury victims struggle with mobility, from full paralysis to excruciating chronic pain. To help with accessibility, it may be essential to install ramps, lifts, and elevators around the home. For example, ramps may be essential for getting through doorways and lifts may help with making it up the stairs successfully.
Changing Heights
If your spinal injury leaves you wheelchair-bound, you’ll need to think about your height in relation to surfaces in your home. You may need to have your kitchen counters, shelves, and other surfaces lowered to suit your new way of life. Getting this job done quickly will help with adjusting to the changes, as you’re likely to require less professional support.
Widening Hallways and Doorways
Permanent spinal injuries may lead to extensive home modifications. For example, to make way for mobility aids, doorways, and hallways may need to be widened. This type of work will need to be carried out by a professional, and it likely won’t come cheap either.
If your accident was caused by someone else, whether it was the actions of a motorist or the negligence of an employer, the cost of dealing with the injury can be claimed as compensation. Our team of expert personal injury lawyers will investigate the accident and then put together a reasonable compensation amount, which should attract a settlement.
Altering the Bathroom
Most people take going to the bathroom for granted, but suffering a spinal injury makes for a powerful change in perspective. Using a bathroom with a spinal injury will involve plenty of space, grab bars, and other slip-proof additions. Therefore, you should get in touch with a contractor to discuss having your bathroom made bigger, which may involve moving it to a different location.
Driveway Reconstruction
Not all of the changes will happen inside the home because you have to safely get to your front door. If you currently have a stone or gravel surface, you will likely want to swap this for smooth concrete, which will allow a wheelchair to glide over it.
Spinal injuries can be caused by a number of different accidents, and the severity will vary between each case. However, mobility is a common issue for people to consider, which is why home modifications are often essential. Even though many of the changes outlined above will be costly, they’ll help improve your quality of life.
If you need legal support following a spinal injury, visit Scarlett Law Group at 536 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133.
For a free consultation, call us now on (415) 352-6264.