On average, about six million cars in the USA get into road accidents every year. Such a situation causes very devastating effects on the victims, especially where family is involved. Here is a detailed guide covering how accidents can affect your family members and address such problems.
Physical Injuries and Death
A car accident can cause lasting physical impacts on the victims. The injuries can range from minor scratches to traumatic brain injuries and broken limbs that require amputation. Other people may suffer neck, back, and joints injuries that can affect your life permanently. You should seek immediate medical care. However, this can result in a substantial financial burden to the affected family.
You will have to pay for hospital stays, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, medications, and physical aids for all affected family members. Based on the extent of the accident, your family can face financial burdens that exceed their ability. Irrespective of how huge the medical bills seem, don’t fail to go to the hospital. You can even be entitled to some form of compensation.
Unfortunately, some car accidents can result in the loss of a loved one. The deceased family member leaves a permanent void that becomes a constant source of pain and suffering to their loved ones. This experience can cause trauma, depression, anxiety, and psychiatric issues.
When this happens, give yourself some time to process the grief. It’s also a good idea that you seek professional help. Work together with a counselor, and they will offer you advice on how to cope with specific thoughts and feelings brought about by your loss.
Inability to Perform Daily Activities
The injuries after a car crash may limit your ability to walk, work and fulfill other family obligations. Based on the nature of the accident, some people may be forced to miss work. This can put your family’s financial state at risk considering the situation at hand.
In many cases, the accident can lead to the loss of your family car. For those who rely on a single vehicle for transportation, this can significantly affect your life. Immediately after the accident, you may struggle to move to and from work, pick your kids from school or go to the bank.
For those recovering from home, in case of an issue, you should reach immediate medical assistance. This becomes very difficult when you don’t have a car. Depending on where you live, accessing quick public transportation may be a challenge, which places the lives of your loved ones at risk. Those families with a member who requires special care might suffer more. You can choose to borrow a vehicle from friends or hire one until yours get repaired or replaced.
Legal Issues
Once you get into an accident, most people assume that the insurance company will automatically cover the loss. However, the process involves a lot of examinations and negotiations to prove your case. Accidents involving severe injuries may even take months to resolve. Sometimes, coming into a settlement may be very difficult. In such a situation, you need to seek help from a New York motorcycle accident attorney.
Although legible to compensation, some victims may take settlements much lower than their claim value. Your lawyer will assess the specifics of the accident to unfold all the contributing factors. Sometimes the accident may seem like a driver’s fault, but it could have happened due to lack of proper signage, poor road condition, or vehicle malfunction. With such information, the lawyer can determine all the parties liable for compensation. For instance, in case the vehicle malfunctions, the manufacturer could be at fault.
The attorney will then deal with the insurance company giving you and the injured family members time to work on your recovery. They will then estimate all the medical and other expenses caused by the accident and file the claim. They can negotiate with the insurance company to get you a fair and just settlement. You might even recover compensation for wages lost during recovery.
Conclusion
A car accident happens unexpectedly but can cause life-changing effects to your family. The financial, physical, and emotional stress caused by the crash can even affect family member’s relationships. Seek medical care soon, and work with a lawyer to help secure compensation faster and minimize the financial impacts.
