Long-Term Effects of Car Accidents
Anyone who has been involved in a car accident understands that there are always several immediate adverse consequences. Even relatively minor fender-benders can disrupt your day, harm your body, and drain your bank account. However, the more severe an accident is, the more likely its effects will be long-lasting. Here are some of the most consequential long-term effects of car accidents.
Physical Injuries After Car Accidents
Many car crash injuries become long-lasting or permanent disabilities. While almost any severe injury can have long-term effects, car accident victims with the following injuries are particularly likely to have persistent pain and limited mobility:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries (SCIs)
- Soft tissue injuries
- Facial injuries
- Neck injuries
- Chest injuries
- Severe bone fractures
- Substantial burn injuries
- Lost limbs
- Organ damage
In many cases, these serious injuries can prove deadly. Survivors of these catastrophic injuries might never be able to regain the physical capacities they enjoyed before the accident.
Psychological and Emotional Impact
The psychological pain of car crashes can be just as debilitating as any car accident injury. Many survivors experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression. These conditions can persist for months or even years after the incident. Flashbacks, nightmares, and a fear of driving are common car accident effects that can significantly impact daily life and relationships.
Financial and Economic Consequences
The long-term financial burden of a car accident can be overwhelming. Medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and lost wages can quickly deplete savings and lead to debt. Severe injuries can lead to job loss and reduced long-term earning capacity. These outcomes can create a cycle of financial stress that affects both the individual and their family.
Social and Lifestyle Changes
Severe injuries often necessitate significant lifestyle adjustments. Victims may need to modify their homes, change careers, or rely more heavily on family and friends for support. Social activities and hobbies might become challenging or impossible. These limitations can strain relationships and lead to feelings of isolation or loss of independence.
Coping and Rehabilitation
The recovery process after a serious motor vehicle accident often involves ongoing rehabilitation and adaptive strategies. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling may become part of daily life. Over time, a patient must learn to cope with new limitations and develop emotional resilience in the face of those limitations.
Proving Damages for Long-Term Injuries
It can be a complex process to demonstrate the full extent of the effects of long-term car accidents. Doing so often requires expert testimony from medical professionals, economists, and life care planners. These experts can quantify future medical needs, lost earning potential, and the overall impact on quality of life, helping victims put what are often nebulous or even subjective losses into numbers.
Contact an Experienced Akron Car Accident Attorney for Help
It can be daunting to face the prospect of long-term negative consequences due to car accident injuries. However, Ohio law allows you to seek compensation for what you’ve suffered, and the accident lawyers in Akron, Ohio at Amourgis & Associates, Attorneys at Law, want to help you get it. Contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced auto accident attorney. Let us use our skills and knowledge to seek the compensation you deserve for your immediate and long-term car accident consequences.
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At Amourgis & Associates, Attorneys at Law, we only represent consumers. We fight for regular people who have been seriously hurt in accidents. We fight for people who are being crushed by overwhelming debt and need a fresh start. We fight for individuals and families. Never businesses. Never insurance companies. We are loyal to the consumer.
