The emotional and physical consequences of a car collision can last for years, but the crash may also have a devastating impact on your finances. The short-term effects are inconveniences, but the long-term effects are those for which you deserve monetary compensation. We will explore those below:
Medical Expenses and Rehabilitation
Traumatic brain injuries are commonplace after car accidents, and they require that you go to the emergency room. After that, you will need further medical treatment for an extended period of time. This can add up to an astronomical amount of money. For example, experts determined that a traumatic brain injury can result in lifetime medical costs equal to $4 million.
If you have a traumatic brain injury, you may not be able to work for several months. During this time, you will have lost wages, and this makes your financial situation even worse. Fortunately, the monetary compensation you would be entitled to would cover your past lost wages, current lost wages, and future lost wages. If you are unable to earn as much money as you earned before the car collision, you may be compensated for this as well.
You may have to renovate your home. In a scenario where you need to sit in a wheelchair in the future, you will be required to get your doors and hallways expanded and ramps built in your home. You may need stairlifts and fittings for your bathroom, and these are known to be very costly. A sum of money for construction costs may be necessary after a car accident.
You had more responsibilities than just supporting your family. You may have been responsible for childcare, housework, cooking, or maintenance. When you fail to do these things after an automobile accident, you have to employ a person to assist you in these actions. If you do receive money from an injury claim, it is possible that it could be garnished if you have other financial responsibilities, such as back taxes or court-ordered child support. All the expenses associated with your injury must be carefully accounted for to enable you to get the biggest reimbursements you are entitled to.
Long-Term Psychological Consequences
Being in a car accident also leads to psychological consequences for those injured and the witnesses. Both these groups of people experience post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Some people also develop anxiety, and this is particularly devastating when they need to get behind the wheel again. Extreme nervousness, while they are on the road, keeps them from performing their driving duties as attentively as is required.
The fact that you or your passenger has emotional difficulties because of the crash also leads to another financial loss. For example, you may find that you require therapy or counseling sessions. You may also need to miss work because you are having difficulties dealing with the stress of the car collision. This adds to the financial burden that you experience because of a car crash.
Long-Term Physical Consequences
Car collisions cause some of the worst physical injuries. Traumatic brain injury has been described previously and may cause certain disabilities that cannot be overcome, seizures, personality changes, motor disorders, cognitive deficiency, problems with speech, and memory loss. You might require treatment and therapy for such problems throughout your life.
There are also chances of patients suffering amputations during a car crash. This can happen in an accident, but it is also possible when they are in surgery and the surgeon feels that there is a need to amputate a given body part. This results in long-term effects including phantom limbs, blood clots, infections, and even movement. Psychological effects of amputation are equally devastating, as there is a lot of depression, and the issue is that the person feels so grieved.
Auto accidents also cause thermal burns through explosion or body engagement with any hot objects or debris. Some victims may even experience chemical burns when hot liquids make contact with their skin. This type of burn leads to permanent scarring that causes a great deal of distress. It also leads to repeated surgeries so that the victim can heal, and repeated surgeries are also very expensive.