The Long-Term Effects of Car Accidents and How a Lawyer Can Help
An auto accident can happen in the blink of an eye. However, it can take much longer to determine the ultimate impact of an accident, significantly if you or a loved one was injured.
Accidents are only sometimes accessible. Sometimes vehicle damage is the only visible sign that a car accident has occurred. But just because an accident seems minor doesn’t mean it doesn’t have significant consequences.
Severe car accident injuries occur late or are masked by the rush of adrenaline that occurs when the human body is under stress. Victims may not even realize the emotional impact of the accident until an unrelated event triggers a psychological response.
Here are some of the long-term effects of car accidents.
Physical Effects
The extent of your physical injuries from a car accident case may affect your ability to work, perform tasks of daily living, or resume hobbies you once enjoyed. Your injuries can also limit the activities you can participate in with your spouse, partner, or children, creating missed opportunities to make memories together.
The most common physical injuries in car accidents include:
Broken Bones
Long-term consequences of a car accident despite all modern safety precautions in today’s vehicles, the violent impact of an accident can lead to broken bones. Car accidents often result in broken arms, legs, ribs, hips, ankles, and collarbones.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Head injuries are very different. A milder form of traumatic brain injury is a concussion, which can take as little as a few weeks to recover. However, a more severe blow to the head can cause life-altering bleeding and brain damage.
Amputation
Some car accident claims victims may become trapped in their vehicle after an accident. This is often the case when a limb is pinched or crushed. When a stem cannot be repaired through surgery, doctors may recommend removal to save the victim’s life. Amputees often live with complications such as pain, muscle spasms, joint weakness, blood clots and phantom limb syndrome.
Spinal Cord Injuries
A severe spinal cord injury can result in partial or total paralysis, leading to permanent problems with body temperature regulation, bladder function, breathing, and changes in other vital bodily functions.
Emotional Effects
Every car accident is stressful. But accidents with severe or permanent injuries can also have lasting emotional effects, such as:
Fear
After a car accident, many victims and their families experience anxiety. It can be fear of returning to a vehicle or what the future will be like after the injury. Generalized anxiety can cause panic attacks, insomnia, weight fluctuations, and the development of other psychiatric disorders.
Depression
Depression is characterized by overwhelming sadness, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and many other symptoms.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Experiencing the horror of a car accident can lead some survivors to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms of PTSD include feelings of abnormal fear, helplessness, panic, numbness, or dislike for people or places related to the event.
Financial Effects
Car accidents can have lasting financial repercussions. The most common of them are:
Medical Costs
The cost of routine medical care is relatively high. However, the medical costs incurred after a car accident can be astronomical when emergency care and future treatment are factored in.
Lost Earnings
Disabilities resulting from an accident can prevent a victim from returning to work or making as much money as they could before the accident. Maximum compensation as part of a successful car accident claim can cover past, current, and future lost wages and potential loss of income.
Ways a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
Auto Accident Attorneys Will Investigate Your Accident
An accident investigation is one of the most critical aspects of your personal injury case. Your personal injury lawyer will collect all evidence, including accident reports, witness statements, photos, etc. You can also speak to investigators and witnesses for more details.
A car accident investigation may include the following:
- Organize your medical records and bills
- Evaluation of the scene of the accident
- Compilation of all police and accident reports.
- Collection of all eyewitness statements
- Get video feeds from nearby traffic cameras
Car Accident Attorneys Talk To Insurance Companies
Most people don’t like dealing with insurance companies after an accident. Car accident lawyers can handle this correspondence to save you trouble. While insurance companies want you to believe they have your best interests in mind, they are corporations. And as a company, they are not motivated to pay large sums of money.
Traffic personal injury lawyers are essential if you want to get fair compensation. An auto accident attorney has years of experience dealing with complex personal injury claims and large insurance companies. They will work on your behalf to recover compensation.
Car Accident Attorneys Calculate Your Future Medical Expenses
After a car accident scene, you not only receive compensation for ongoing medical costs. Traffic accidents often require continuous and long-term treatment. A knowledgeable attorney will help you count the specific itemized costs when calculating your settlement price.
Your right car accident lawyer will draw up a list of your damages in specific dollar amounts. A detailed description of the eligible damages will help build strong car accident cases.
An Auto Accident Lawyer Negotiate A Fair Settlement
A car accident attorney will ensure you don’t settle for a low offer by negotiating a better deal. Because your personal injury attorney knows all aspects of your case, he is uniquely positioned to review and reject any bid from the insurance company. And if the insurance company refuses to settle, your personal injury lawsuit can take your case to court.
Quality Car Accident Lawyers in Illinois
Michael J. Brennan provides excellent free case evaluation services in Illinois. He is highly experienced and dedicated to providing quality personal injury attorneys. We have offered most car accident cases for over ten years and have mastered the industry’s best techniques for quality work.
Our company charges a fair and affordable price for serious injuries and police reports. We will offer free consultations or advice with questions about most personal injury attorneys, how to find personal injury lawyers and litigation expenses. Contact us today, and let us help you with legal representation.