Spinal cord injury victims often struggle with transportation options after their injury occurs. This is particularly true for those who sustain short- or long-term paralysis and do not have a vehicle that can safely and comfortably transport them from one location to another. Unfortunately, this becomes much more of an issue when spinal cord injury victims need to make it to and from medical appointments or procedures.
Here, we want to review some of the accessible transportation options for spinal cord injury patients in Colorado.
Transportation To and From Medical Appointments
The state of Colorado offers various options for getting to and from non-emergency medical visits for patients. This is done through the Colorado Medicaid program. In order to qualify for this specific program, individuals must have a Health First Colorado ID.
If a spinal cord injury victim is eligible for this service, they must schedule their ride at least two days before the non-emergency medical visit.
The state of Colorado will also cover personal vehicle mileage reimbursement for qualified patients, as well as coverage of airfare, train fare, or out-of-state travel.
Transportation Options for Your Daily Life
One of the hardest aspects of daily life for spinal cord injury victims is adjusting to their new needs, including transportation needs. Unfortunately, most vehicles are not designed with spinal cord injury victim needs in mind. It is not uncommon for spinal cord injury victims with long-term disabilities to need new types of transportation, including wheelchair-accessible vans.
We encourage you to take some time to research your available options. There are many companies across the country that retrofit vehicles for specific spinal cord injury victims’ needs. These vehicles can be customized based on the level of mobility the victim has remaining.
Rideshare Company Options
Major rideshare companies that operate in Denver also offer certain options for accessible transportation to and from medical appointments. Uber has a non-emergency transport service available that patients can take advantage of, including door-to-door, non-emergency medical transportation and wheelchair rides from credentialed drivers. Similarly, Lyft offers the same type of service.
We encourage spinal cord injury victims to explore all of their potential transportation options, including services like Uber and Lyft. Often, there are subsidized rates available, and these companies may even offer their services for free depending on the specific factors related to your situation.
Recovering Compensation for Transportation Needs
Spinal cord injury victims may end up involved in a personal injury claim against another party. If the spinal cord injury was caused by the careless or negligent actions of another individual or entity, an injury claim could help recover the compensation needed to accommodate transportation needs. This includes not only temporary transportation but also long-term transportation options for victims.
Spinal cord injury victims should work with a trusted personal injury lawyer who can adequately calculate all of their total losses, including current and future transport needs. Ultimately, these losses should be properly calculated and added to the demand letter sent to the insurance carrier or presented to a personal injury jury during a trial.