Long-Term Effects of Auto Accident Injuries

Car accidents can result in injuries, vehicle damage, and other short-term effects. However, there are also some long-term effects of injuries. Millions of people are injured in the U.S. annually; sometimes, the effects of those injuries can continue long after the treatment is finished. Unfortunately, the long-term effects of auto accident injuries are often life-altering. Keep reading to learn more about the long-term effects of car accident-related injuries. 

Common Car Accident Injuries

• Whiplash
• Broken Bones and Fractures
• Burns
• Cuts and Lacerations
• Herniated Disc
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Joint Dislocation
• Soft Tissue Injuries
• Sensory deprivation, including blindness or deafness.

Physical Disability

One of the major long-term effects of car injuries is a physical disability, which could be permanent. A permanent disability prevents you from engaging in daily activities or performing normal work duties as you did before your accident. 

With a permanent disability, you may need to modify your home and vehicle, which can be expensive and disruptive for you and your family. Your work, personal life, and quality of life can all be affected by a physical disability. If someone else caused you to suffer a physical disability, you could seek compensation through the assistance of an attorney. Calling 1-800-Injured medical services for car accident victims can help you get medical treatment and legal assistance for your injuries. 1-800-Injured is an attorney and medical referral service.

Mental Health Issues

Mental health issues are just as detrimental as physical injuries in a car accident. Car accident victims can suffer no physical injuries but major emotional trauma from the crash. Mental and emotional trauma can persist for years and harm your work, relationships, and overall happiness. The following are some long-term mental health issues that can result from a car accident: 

• Acute Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Your car accident injuries can lead you to develop PTSD, which can continue for a long time depending on several factors, including the accident's severity. Trauma can give the victim a phobia of driving again. Untreated PTSD can persist for several months and even years, leading to major depressive disorder and even hallucinations. 

• Anxiety: Car accident victims can develop chronic anxiety due to the trauma. Long-term anxiety can lead to panic attacks, sleep disorders, and headaches. There can also be physical symptoms, such as muscle tension, headaches, nausea, difficulty breathing, and chest pain. 

• Depression: Depression is the persistent feeling of sadness, and victims of auto accidents can suffer from it. Depressive episodes can last for weeks or months, causing a lack of enjoyment, fatigue, significant weight loss, and eating disorders. Many car accident victims do not realize they have depression until months after the car accident. 

Financial Burdens

Being involved in a car accident can place a massive burden on the victim. They can suffer from a debilitating injury that keeps them hospitalized for weeks or months. With medical bills piling up and your vehicle needing repairs, you could have to use your savings until you recover compensation because personal injury cases can take several months to conclude. 

Being in a car accident could affect your credit score if you have to take loans that you can not repay on time. Once you get stuck in a debt trap where you can't make full payments and have to accrue interest, it can devastate your financial standing. The long-term financial burden can be worse if you don't have proper health insurance coverage. 

Loss of Earning Potential

Auto accidents can cause you to take significant time off your work in the short term. However, it can also lead to long-term loss of earning potential. For example, if your job is physically challenging, you may no longer be able to do it due to your car accident injuries. 

Recovery from serious injuries can take longer than expected, and in some cases, you might never recover fully from the accident. You would have to get disability financial aid to survive. 

If you sustain serious injuries such as paralysis or a traumatic brain injury that interferes with your mobility, you might not be able to work for the rest of your life. Loss of earning potential is a long-term effect of a car accident that can be reimbursed through personal injury compensation. 

Talk to a Car Accident Attorney

A car accident's physical, emotional, and mental effects can linger. Therefore, the lives of you and your family are severely disrupted due to the long-term impact of your car accident injuries. 

It is crucial to file a personal injury case to recover maximum compensation for your damages. You can hire a personal injury lawyer to help you with the legal proceedings so that you can focus on your recovery. In addition, your lawyer can ensure the insurance company does not lowball your claim or pressure you into accepting a devalued settlement offer. They can also represent you in court if you choose to take the case to trial.