You may think the impacts of a car accident end when you receive your settlement check, but this isn’t always the case. Even a minor fender bender can have a long-lasting impact that affects you financially, physically, and emotionally.
The lasting impacts of car collisions are often difficult to ignore and even more difficult to live with. However, there are steps you can take to minimize the effect your vehicle accident has on your life.
How a Car Wreck Can Affect Your Life
Even if you walk away from a car accident relatively unscathed, you can still experience consequences that last a lifetime.
You may have physical injuries that require long-term treatment or even a lifetime of care. You may also be dealing with psychological trauma or a combination of both. Every vehicle collision is unique and this also applies to the injuries sustained in an accident.
The Long-Term Physical Consequences
Even an injury you may consider minor like whiplash can have consequences. If your injuries are more severe, the effects can stay with you for the rest of your life. Some examples of potential long-term effects include:
- Chronic pain
- Limited mobility (or paralysis)
- Loss of muscular strength
- Nerve damage
- Organ malfunction or failure (i.e., lung failure)
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Vision or hearing loss
Some injuries, like partial or full paralysis, can cause additional symptoms like a loss of bowel and/or bladder control. You may also notice your pain grows worse every time you move. Even if the pain eventually subsides with therapy, its impact can still negatively affect your life. You may not be able to enjoy activities you love and this can lead to other issues like a loss of life enjoyment.
Potential Long-Term Psychological Consequences
Car accidents can result in psychological consequences that last for a few weeks, months, years, or even a lifetime. Therapy and counseling can help treat and manage these challenges, but your life is still negatively affected. You even may develop a fear of vehicles after being in a car wreck—this isn’t uncommon, especially after catastrophic vehicle accidents.
Some other psychological consequences can include:
- Anxiety and depression
- Cognitive impairments
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty sleeping
- Emotional trauma
- Extreme fatigue
- Memory loss
- Post-traumatic stress
Any of these physiological symptoms can have other consequences. Maybe you’re unable to spend time with family and friends. This is common if you’re dealing with anxiety or post-traumatic stress (PTS). One psychological symptom can cause another, preventing you from enjoying life.
Financial Impact of Car Accidents
You expect your car accident to come with some expenses. However, you’re always depending on insurance to cover these costs. However, insurance rarely pays out within days of the accident and it may not cover all of your long-term costs.
Along with vehicle repair and/or replacement costs, you may also be dealing with travel expenses. This often includes rental fees, you still need to get around while your vehicle is in the repair shop. Taxi fares and vehicle rental fees can quickly add up, and these are expenses you need to pay. Very few car rental agencies are going to lease a vehicle without an upfront payment.
Medical expenses can leave you in debt for years, especially when long-term care is necessary. If your home requires modification for a wheelchair or to make it more handicapped accessible, you’re looking at another bill. Adding to your financial issues is potentially missing pay.
If your injuries are preventing you from returning to work, chances are, you’re not receiving a steady paycheck. This only adds to the financial impact your car accident is having on your life.
Minimizing the Long-term Impact of Your Car Accident
While you can’t minimize the effect your physical and emotional injuries are having on your life, you can reduce the financial impact. Sometimes, taking care of the financial impact can help reduce some of the emotional consequences. Your stress and anxiety may go down a little. You may even notice an improvement in depression when you’re not worried about paying off your mounting bills.
So, how can you reduce the long-term impact of your car accident? There are a few steps you should take immediately after being involved in a vehicle collision.
Seek Medical Attention
Even if you don’t believe you have injuries, you should still make an appointment with a physician. Some injuries take a while to show signs or symptoms. Soft tissue injuries are an example. Your medical records are also essential for supporting your injury claim. Without medical documents, your insurance may not be willing to cover these expenses. If you require long-term care, you’ll definitely need your medical records.
Report the Accident
Even if it’s only a minor fender bender, you’ll still need to report the accident to the authorities, and this also means remaining on the scene until the authorities arrive. Don’t expect an immediate copy of your accident report, it’ll take a few days to complete. You should be able to request a copy in seven to ten days. You can get a copy online or stop by your local police department.
Contact Your Insurance Provider
Yes, you’ll need to alert your insurance provider. However, don’t accept a settlement offer until you’ve talked to an experienced accident attorney. The initial insurance offer may be tempting, but it’s probably not going to cover the long-term impact of the auto accident.
Working with your attorney, you can calculate your economic and non-economic damages. This will include any necessary long-term care, along with your psychological injuries.
Keep your conversation brief and to the point with the insurance company. Give them the date and location of the accident but keep your damages vague. Another good tip is to refrain from allowing the insurance company to record your conversation. Anything you say can be misconstrued and used against you when you file a claim.
Let An Attorney Help Minimize The Long-Term Impact of Your Accident
The impact of an accident can extend well beyond physical injuries, often including psychological trauma, which cannot be minimized or overlooked. While addressing these injuries directly can be a complex process, enlisting the support of an experienced accident attorney can significantly aid in managing the financial repercussions.
An attorney can help ensure that you receive full and fair compensation, which can cover medical bills, lost wages, and even compensation for emotional distress. Sometimes, addressing the financial burden of an accident can provide some relief and create space for focusing on physical and emotional recovery.
