4 Ways an Injury Could Affect My Life
Being involved in a car accident isn’t just a scary and traumatic experience; it’s an event that could affect you for the remainder of your life. To be sure, if you are involved in a serious crash that results in injuries, your life may never look the same, and you may have to completely adapt to a new way of living. At the Gardner Law Firm, we have seen firsthand the effect that a serious accident can have on an individual and their family, and we are here to help you pursue a claim to recover compensation for the full value of your losses. Consider these four ways that an injury could affect your life:
1. The Inability to Return to Work & Loss of Economic Opportunity
One of the greatest financial losses that you may face if you are seriously injured in a car accident (or other accident type) is your inability to return to work. If you are unable to return to work because of your injury, you may face:
• Lost wages;
• Loss of employment of future opportunities;
• Loss of health benefits; and
• Loss of other benefits, such as yearly bonuses, 401(k) contributions, a pension, etc.
This loss can total thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of dollars, and can put a huge level of stress on you and your family. The inability to earn an income may not only be a financial stress, but an emotional one too. You may feel shame or embarrassment as a result of not being able to provide monetarily for your loved ones.
2. Loss of Mobility
What may be even harder than a loss of income and financial benefits is the loss of mobility that you may suffer as a result of your accident. You may:
• Be unable to walk, run, or/and exercise like you once did;
• Be unable to handle basic self-care tasks for yourself, such as bathing or food preparation;
• Be unable to run errands, like pick up groceries, without assistance;
• Be unable to hold or pick up your child;
• Be unable to engage in marital relations with your partner;
• Be forced to use technology and tools, such as a wheelchair, to help you move; and
• Be unable to participate in activities that you love most.
The loss of mobility can take a huge physical and psychological toll on an individual and those close to them. While physical therapy and rehabilitation may be able to restore your mobility to some extent, or even completely, for some injury types, mobility will always be significantly limited.
3. Emotional & Psychological Effects
Dealing with lost income, lack of mobility, and the other things that accompany a car accident and injuries – such as permanent scarring or disfigurement – can have a huge emotional and psychological effect on a person. It is not uncommon for a person who is recovering from injuries to develop anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a direct response to their accident. In some cases, the accident itself may even be the cause of the emotional effect (rather than psychological harm developing later).
4. A Toll on Your Relationships
Dealing with injuries is a very stressful process, and for families, recovery and loss can be difficult to cope with. As such, you may notice that a strain is placed on your relationships. If you are unable to provide care for your family like you once did, you may feel unfit or unworthy of their love. Similarly, family members may become frustrated with the claims process and may feel as though your injuries and the fact that this happened to you is unfair, developing anger towards the world, and even potentially misdirected resentment towards you. For families, family counseling and therapy after an accident to develop coping skills and have a healthy outlet for emotions is highly recommended.
These four items show how an accident can affect your life and provide a small glimpse into how difficult dealing with an injury can be. If you are injured by another’s negligence, call me, I want to meet with you. A consultation with our law firm is free, and we can guide you through what you need to know about recovering economic and noneconomic damages for your losses. Call us at (228) 436-6555 or contact us online.
