Making Lives Better
After Accidents

Motor Vehicle Accidents And Recovery

If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident through no fault of your own, you usually think of the resulting physical injuries, such as bruising, whiplash, fractures and the like. You are entitled to seek recovery (that is, damages) for the suffering caused by these injuries. What exactly, though, are your items of recovery? The following are the most common:

Medical treatment

An automobile accident may result in health-related costs, which may be considerable for a serious incident, involving surgical treatment and a prolonged hospital stay, all of which involves major and extensive bills for treatment.

Missing and potential wages

When you are hurt in a car incident, a probable consequence is lost employment time because of sheer inability to get to work due to a disability or hospital stay, which will probably result in lost wages, for which you deserve to be financially compensated. Not only will you lose the wages generated by your current employment, but serious injuries may cause you to be unable to secure employment in the near future, which involves potential wages for which you also deserve to be compensated.

Bodily distress

Even if some of your injuries are not life threatening, they may well be life modifying, involving stiffness, soreness, and discomfort, which may be long lasting, even staying with you for your lifetime.

Bodily therapy

Motor vehicle accidents, if they are serious enough, may result in necessary physical therapy or rehabilitation aimed to get your body back in shape. Such treatment can be expensive, painful, and time consuming.

Prescription drugs

Drugs which are prescribed for injuries suffered from a car accident can be highly expensive, even if they partly reimbursed by insurance. Such medication may be for pain, discomfort, and nervousness.

Mental distress or psychological trauma

All the above-mentioned items involve some sort of physical injury or distress. But physical distress may not be the only distress suffered for those persons involved in auto accidents. Mental distress, or psychological trauma, is a common occurrence for accident victims, who may suffer anxiety or panic.

Psychological trauma may not be considered or understood following involvement in a motor vehicle accident, especially when you do not respond to usual types of treatment (medical, physical, or chiropractic). You may struggle to become more functional and to overcome your pain and suffering, which seems to get worse, even uncontrollable, but are overwhelmed by the psychological experience of the accident. You may suffer from the following symptoms, which may be downplayed or ignored:

  • Irritability and problems in concentration
  • Sleep problems
  • Recurrent recollections and dreams of the incident
  • Psychological distress, and being “wound-up” or startled
  • Avoiding thoughts and activities associated with the incident

Mental stress is also referred to as “emotional distress.” Some people think that this term is thrown around too often in personal injury cases, and that is difficult to prove and to obtain damages for this type of injury, either from an insurance company or in the courtroom. But a lot depends both on the seriousness of the accident and the extent of the injuries.

If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident and think that you may not be at fault, and if you suffer injuries as a result, you should contact a personal injury lawyer immediately, who will investigate the facts of the case and determine how best to get the compensation you deserve.