Every year, roughly 2 million people are injured as a result of motor vehicle collisions. In 2017, the latest year for which figures are available, an estimated 40,100 people were killed in car accidents.
A car accident can change your life in multiple ways, from lasting physical pain and disability to emotional damage. Here are some of the ways in which a car accident can change your life.
1. You will need transportation.
If your car is damaged, it will have to be repaired. If the damage is large enough, the car may be a total loss (cost more to repair than it is worth). You may then need to get a new car. While it is being repaired, or while you look, you will need other transportation.
2. Your insurance premiums are likely to rise.
If you’ve been in a car accident, whether you were at fault or not, your insurance premiums are likely to go up.
3. You or a loved one may be injured.
Car accident injuries can range from cuts and bruises that heal fairly quickly to serious trauma, such as broken limbs, head injuries, or even spinal cord injuries, which can cause lasting problems with mobility and even paralysis. You may be dealing with doctors and other medical personnel, hospitals, physical therapy, and more as a result of the injuries.
Injuries can leave lasting emotional scars as well as physical ones. You also may incur high medical bills and, depending on the nature of the injury, lose time and wages from work.
4. A loved one may have been killed.
If a loved one has been killed in an accident, you will suffer profound emotional loss. If your loved one was the breadwinner for the family, you may be suffering financial uncertainty as well.
5. You may suffer emotional damage
Many people who have been in car accidents, whether they were physically injured or not, suffer lasting emotional damage. They may experience post-traumatic stress disorder, reliving the frightening incidents over and over again, or they may become fearful of driving. People who are dealing with serious injuries are often known to experience depression as well.
If You Need a Louisiana Car Accident Attorney
As you can see from this list, car accidents can have multiple negative impacts on victims and their loved ones. You may suffer grief and trauma. You may be paying for a damaged vehicle, medical bills, therapy, and more. You may have lost your family’s primary earner or become unable to work yourself.
If the other driver was at fault, it may be possible to recover money damages by filing a lawsuit.
Baton Rouge and Lafayette car accident lawyer Bart Bernard will handle your case with the utmost care and concern. The initial legal consultation about your potential case is free. Call today to see if you are eligible to seek monetary compensation for your losses by filing a lawsuit.
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Additional Sources:
- Bomey, Nathan. “U.S. vehicle deaths topped 40,000 in 2017, National Safety Council estimates.” USA Today. February 15, 2018. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2018/02/15/national-safety-council-traffic-deaths/340012002/.
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths. How Is the U.S. Doing? https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/motor-vehicle-safety/index.html.
