How a Car Accident Can Change Your Life

Posted on February 18, 2019 in Uncategorized

Car accidents are stressful, damaging events that can have a wide range of effects. While many drivers may simply consider accidents a dangerous possibility that can lead to injuries and vehicle repairs, they may not realize the full scope of the possible damages a car accident can cause. Some individuals suffer severe physical injuries that lead to long-term or permanent disability. Others also experience psychological trauma, potentially even developing depression stemming from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A car accident can have life-altering effects.

Permanent Disability From Physical Injury

Car accidents can easily cause severe injuries like bone fractures, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries. While some of these injuries may involve intense pain and only require moderate recovery times, others can have life-changing consequences. A spinal cord injury may result in permanent disability.

Depending on the location and severity of a spinal cord injury, the results can vary greatly. A wound higher on the spine will have more significant effects than one lower on the spine. While an incomplete injury leaves part of the spinal cord intact and the victim may retain some sensation or motor function, a complete injury severs the cord and prevents the brain from communicating with the nerves below the injury. For example, a complete injury to the lower region of the spinal cord may lead to paraplegia, or loss of use of the legs.

Other injuries like bone fractures may cause long-term damage. For example, a compound fracture to a victim’s arm and hand could require multiple corrective surgeries using steel rods and plates. The victim may lose sensation in all or part of the arm and experience motor limitations after healing. This can lead to long-term rehabilitation like physical therapy or occupational therapy to help the victim regain lost motor function and restore range of motion.

Psychological Damage

A car accident can happen very quickly and result in catastrophic damages. It is common for a person who experiences a car accident to have nightmares about the incident or experience other symptoms of PTSD. For example, a catastrophic accident in which a loved one did not survive is an extremely traumatic experience. A victim in this position could secure significant pain and suffering compensation to cover his or her personal pain as well as the trauma of losing a loved one in a violent and unexpected manner.

A car accident victim may require several years of counseling or psychotherapy to overcome the trauma of a serious car accident. Additionally, some injuries that result in disabilities will also lead to diminished enjoyment of life and psychological trauma. The knowledge that a victim cannot enjoy activities he or she enjoyed prior to the accident is a difficult thing to accept.

Economic Impact of a Car Accident

Car accidents can be life-changing in ways beyond injuries and disabilities. They can also lead to significant economic costs. Lawsuits can also take a long time to conclude. Medical bills and other expenses accrue while legal proceedings continue, and a plaintiff who is unable to work must contend with these issues as well as lost wages. If the plaintiff’s compensation is not as much as anticipated, the plaintiff could face a long and difficult road to financial recovery.

Any car accident has the potential to change a victim’s life in unpredictable ways. One of the best methods for handling these issues is by hiring an attorney who can help build a strong case and help the plaintiff manage his or her financial issues until the lawsuit concludes. A personal injury case intends to make a victim “whole” again after an accident caused by negligence, and the right attorney can help ensure a plaintiff receives acceptable compensation for the life-changing effects of a car accident.