I so often hear people say: "I'll take responsibility for my own actions. You don't need to worry". Sadly, these are the very people I DO worry about. They seem well meaning, but when faced with quadraplegia from a broken neck sustained in an organised activity, they (or their family if it is a fatality) are going to look for anyone they can to sue -- starting with the organisers and going right through to the property owner -- so they can have some quality of life.
(emphasis added)
My son became quadraplegic in a sporting accident, the result of no supervision by the college and coaching satff, and poor coaching.
You can bet we sued. The costs of providing for his care are astronomical. There is no "safety net" that provides anything but the barest minimal existence. It took 11 long years, but we finally won.
ALong the way we and he were able to get him through college, through Stanford Law School and he is, while still unable to move anything below his shoulders, a practicing attorney, nationally known, married to a Yale Law School graduate (and in answer to the common question - no she does not have a disability), has an office in Downtown Denver and does a lot of flying to and from Californaia, where he is highly respected. He was recently offered a top job at a nationally known commission regarding employment and disability, but turned it down.
This nearly bankrupted us, and along the way we continued to provide support for our other son, who is profoundly handicapped and also suffered a spinal cord injury about 5 years ago.
One view of carrying insurance that few people consider is that, if you ARE at fault, you have the resources (in the insurance) to help remedy your mistake, at least financially. Few folks consider this. And, as you say, it is devastating - to the person causing my son's injury, for example - and to the family. I had to quit my job in order to provide support for my son for 3 years.
Now he is a tax paying citizen, who pays for his aides and medical care/insurance out of his own earnings, not taxpayer dollars.