Car accidents are always a big deal, even if no one seems to be seriously hurt at first. Even knowing this, many people can underestimate just how much a car accident can cost them medically, financially, and personally. Here are seven hidden ways a car accident might hurt you without you realizing it:
- Neck and back injuries
- Damage to the neck and back are extremely common in car accidents, due to the sudden jolt caused by a car being forcibly halted in a car accident. Even a minor car accident can cause whiplash, a kind of neck injury caused by the head suddenly moving due to impact or force. Moreover, these injuries may not become apparent until days or weeks after the accident, which can make it harder to trace back to the accident itself. This is why you should be examined by a doctor as soon after an accident as possible, to detect these kinds of hidden injuries.
- Joint pain
- Joint pain is extremely common after a car accident, especially if you were severely injured and suffered bone fractures. Like the neck and back pain mentioned above, joint pain is not always apparent, and may be mistaken for more conventional arthritis without other signs of injury. However, a doctor’s visit may reveal the cause of your pain is the result of an injury, not merely the result of mundane wear and tear.
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Often called the “invisible injury,” traumatic brain injuries (often referred to as TBIs) can easily be written off if there is no other sign of harm. It does not take much, however, for someone to suffer a TBI, which can have a wide range of potential medical and psychological consequences. Also, like other types of injuries from a car accident, the signs of a TBI may not become apparent until long after the accident occurs, requiring professional medical examination to diagnose.
- Lost wages
- Not all injuries from a car accident happen to your body. Some, instead, are delivered straight to your bank account, such as from lost wages due to needing to miss work. Between recuperating from your injuries, going to doctor’s appointments, and everything else you need to handle after a car accident, the need to take off from work can add to your financial woes. This is especially true if your workplace does not offer enough sick or vacation days for you to handle your medical needs.
- Rehabilitation costs
- If you are severely injured in a car accident, you may lose a degree of functionality in one or more of your limbs. If that happens, you will need to go to rehabilitation to help restore you back to health. Unfortunately, rehabilitation can be costly, and if you do not have insurance that covers all of the rehab you need, you may wind up feeling it in your wallet as well as your body.
- Psychological harm
- An often underestimated consequence of a car accident is the psychological impact a car accident can have. Many people who suffer car accidents later deal with anxiety issues related to driving, while others may suffer from nightmares and insomnia. This psychological harm is very real, and may take professional therapy to overcome.
- Damage to your family and social life
- Finally, there is the harm that is done to your family and social life by a car accident. In the short term, an accident may keep you locked up in a hospital, but in the long term, it can hinder your ability to play with your children, be intimate with your spouse, or engage in activities with friends. Compared to physical injuries, this kind of harm can seem trivial, but the pain and suffering caused by this social isolation is very real, and you can seek compensation for it.
Fox Law Firm, PLLC is a New York personal injury law practice serving clients throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties. With more than three decades of law practice experience, attorney Kevin Fox has helped clients in personal injury cases obtain the compensation they deserve. For more information or to ask for a consultation, call our Riverhead office at 631-779-3400 or visit our contact page.
