A car accident can change your life instantly, but the ways in which it does so can be hard to estimate at first.
A car accident can leave a lasting impact on survivors in ways that are almost impossible to anticipate. Your life could change irrevocably in the blink of an eye, even if you emerge unscathed. You might have to face financial, emotional, and physical limitations that did not exist before and which may be difficult to immediately remedy. However, knowing the long-term effects of a car accident can help you make better decisions on the road and may help you better cope in the aftermath of one.
- Higher Insurance Bills
One of the most common ways that a car accident can haunt you is through higher insurance premiums. Your premium could jump about 20 to 30% over the next three years if you have been involved in an accident where you were determined to be at-fault.
More expensive insurance could place a major financial burden on you, especially if your premiums are already high. Many people find they’re unable to afford their car after an accident due to insurance costs alone.
- Physical Injuries
After an accident, you may sustain physical injuries that you need assistance to recover from and which may indicate permanent damage. They can also be very expensive to treat, especially if you need surgery, hospitalization, physical rehabilitation, or expensive prescription medications to cope with your injuries.
Some of the most common injuries experienced by car accident survivors include:
- Cuts, scrapes, and lacerations
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Hearing loss and tinnitus
- Brain trauma
- Soft tissue damage
- Paralysis
- Death
- Career Changes
Your ability to maintain your current job could be impacted by the accident and you may have to change careers. If your occupation before the accident required you to stand on your feet for much of the day, for instance, you might not be able to do this if you sustained extensive back injuries in the crash.
This could put your livelihood at risk which could soon lead to significant financial hardships, making it vital to speak with a car accident lawyer. You may also have to undergo career training, which can put a big den in your savings (if any).
- Emotional Trauma
One of the less obvious but long lasting ways that a car accident can impact you is through emotional trauma, which you may experience for years after the accident. Symptoms can manifest in many different ways and can have a severe impact on your mental and physical health.
Your ability to enjoy life could be forever altered due to trauma that may require therapy and medications to alleviate. Your personal relationships and career may be harmed as well due to your emotional trauma.
- Legal and Insurance Issues
From a moral and personal point of view, being responsible for a car accident resulting in injuries or property damage for you and another person is probably the most haunting thing of them all. From a legal standpoint, things can take steep turns very quickly in case someone sues you and requests compensation. In some states, even if you are 1% responsible for your car accident, you will get to see the ugly face of what insurance means, as contributory negligence is not something to take lightly (source: s).
A car accident can change your life instantly, but the ways in which it does so can be hard to estimate at first.
If you are the victim of one, it can also be difficult to judge the financial burdens traffic collision may place on you until enough time has passed, by which time it may be too late to pursue a claim if you haven’t already taken the steps necessary to do so.
That makes it vital to start a claim immediately after your accident to give yourself enough time to get the compensation you deserve. A skilled accident attorney can help you recover:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages to recovery
- Lost earning capacity
- Property damage
- Physical pain and emotional suffering (source: https://www.sinklaw.com).
Doing so can give you and your loved ones the ability to enjoy a quality of life similar to one you had before the accident even if you are faced with higher expenses.
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