For a show that is about the underground world of methamphetamine production, AMC’s original series ‘Breaking Bad’ did a great job of highlighting the damages associated with spinal cord injuries, especially the cost of spinal cord injury treatments.

Our firm’s paralysis lawyers in San Diego have seen families and relatives break their own backs trying to pay the medical bills associated with serious damages to their spinal column.  It’s a frustrating time for those living with paralysis and the families they are used to supporting them or who now must take the role of the provider.

‘Breaking Bad’ accurately portrays the financial woes of spinal cord injuries.

In its third season on cable television, ‘Breaking Bad’ supporting character Hank Schrader is gruesomely attacked by two gunmen and shot in the back.  He survives, only to wake up in the hospital, with his wife Marie and his family gathered around him, to find the he has a spinal cord injury that might paralyze him for the rest of his life.

Halfway through the episode, doctors attempt to diagnose the spinal cord injury’s severity and test for responses in Hank’s legs.  Some nerve functions look to be regrowing, leading Marie to ask, “So when do we get him walking again?”

This is the point where reality sets in and ‘Breaking Bad’ doesn’t shy away from not only the slim chance of Hank making a full recovery, but for the daunting cost of living and therapy expenses that loom in the near future.

According to the hospital, Marie’s insurance is delaying coverage, citing policy limitations, which prompts her to make the decision to go out of plan.  Her sister, Skylar, who just went through the medical costs of treating her husband’s lung cancer, advises Marie to not pick up the bill herself, but she does so anyways.

True to life, our firm’s paralysis lawyers in San Diego know that the price of treating someone year after year for their spinal cord injury can break your bank, with annual figures ranging anywhere from $681,000 to $3,000,000.  It is almost impossible to do on your own.

Upcoming episodes will reveal exactly how Marie and Hank manage to afford the spinal cord injury treatments and pay the medical bills they have now picked up, but if art mirrors reality, it won’t be easy.

If you or someone you know has a spinal cord injury or was paralyzed during an accident, contact our bilingual San Diego law firm at 1-858-551-2090 for a FREE consultation with an experienced paralysis lawyers. You may also click here and submit your case for a FREE online review. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you owe nothing until we recover a fair settlement on your behalf.