If you were recently in a car accident, it's important to understand how it may affect your life so you can better prepare for potential changes.
Car accidents can significantly impact your life and those involved; from physical injuries to emotional and financial ruin, the effects of an accident can be possibly life-changing.
Even a minor accident, such as a parking lot accident, can disrupt your daily life.
With the possible changes a car accident may bring to your life, it's essential that you understand them so you may better prepare and mitigate lasting damages.
One of the most apparent consequences of a car accident is the physical injuries that result from it.
These injuries can range from minor cuts and bruises to severe damage such as broken bones, spinal cord injuries, or traumatic brain injuries.
In severe car accidents, you can experience long-term or permanent disability from their injuries, which can cause additional damages such as depression.
The emotional and psychological damage resulting from a motor vehicle accident can almost be as damaging as physical injuries.
Depending on the severity of the accident, you can face emotional and psychological damages such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, or, in some cases, fear of being or operating a vehicle.
These emotional effects resulting from a motor vehicle accident can cause you to be detached from your family, job, and daily activities, which can harm relationships and your life.
Getting rid of these emotional damages can potentially require years of therapy and mental rewiring.
Even minor car accidents can result in significant financial burdens, such as medical bills, vehicle repair costs, lost wages, and increased insurance premiums.
While your insurance company can cover most of the initial costs, depending on the amount of damage, you may still have out-of-pocket expenses.
In addition, if a car accident results in life-changing injuries, you may require costly home modifications to function with your disabilities; these modifications may not be covered by insurance, resulting in you needing to pay out-of-pocket.
Following a car accident, you may face a civil lawsuit or seek to file one against the other party or parties involved in the auto accident.
Whether you are the plaintiff or defendant, there will be legal complications such as determining fault, negotiating a fair settlement with insurance companies, and potentially taking your case to trial.
Pursuing or defending legal action often requires assistance from an experienced car accident lawyer, and even with help from a legal professional, it can take months or years, depending on the scale of the accident.
A car crash that causes serious injuries, such as a TBI or spine injury, may result in you needing to undergo permanent or temporary lifestyle changes.
These lifestyle changes could include needing to use mobility aids, step back from physical activities, attend regular medical checkups, or obtain assistance with everyday tasks.
Permanent or temporary lifestyle changes resulting from a car accident may alter your sense of independence and how you live your life.
If a car wreck causes injuries that prevent you from working or your vehicle is totaled in the accident, making you unable to get to work, it could lead to lost income or inability to continue in that chosen career,
However, it's important to understand that while a car accident can potentially result in the loss of income or your job, you can seek financial compensation by filing a personal injury lawsuit.
A car accident can potentially cause strain on personal and new relationships, as the stress of recovery, financial burdens, and emotional distress can create tension and disconnection in personal relationships, which can also hinder making new ones.
This negative impact on relationships can cause isolation, which can result in further emotional damage.
Those who survive a car accident or, on that fact, any traumatic event experience changes in their outlook on life.
These outlooks are often positive, with survivors valuing life and time with their loved ones more while also getting motivation to pursue new goals.
However, some survivors may develop new outlooks that lead them to be more cautious.
