By Dan Noll on October 30th, 2024 in Car Accident
Springfield Car Accident Lawyers Share the Long-Term Impact of Car Accident Injuries
Each year in the United States there are over 43,000 fatalities and almost 2.4 million injuries caused by car accidents. Although many injuries are minor or may be healed within a few weeks or months, car accidents often have consequences that extend far beyond the immediate aftermath of the collision. Indeed, the long-term impact of car accident injuries can extend well-beyond the immediate hospital bills and lost wages, but can impact victims for their entire lives due to permanent disability, lost earnings due to an inability to work in the same job, and the need for future medical care or treatment. These long-term impacts do not just affect victims, but also their entire family. As a result, the Springfield car accident lawyers at the Noll Law Office know how important it is for victims and their families to be properly represented to ensure they recover the compensation they both need and are entitled to under Illinois law.
At the Noll Law Office, their compassionate and experienced legal team will investigate a case thoroughly – not just through the lens of a lawyer, but also looking at your case and the medical needs you may have. This includes working with treating physicians, who Sarah Noll and Dan Noll have worked with many of the region’s medical offices and medical providers in the region and have developed a strong rapport with. But it also includes hiring experts to evaluate your vocational and medical needs now, and in the future. Sometimes an economist is also needed to evaluate and determine what financial needs you may have because of the long-term impact of car accident injuries. To learn more about how their Springfield car accident lawyers can help you and your family, call to schedule a free evaluation today by dialing (217) 414-8889.
Evaluating the Long-Term Impact of Car Accident Injuries
Motor vehicle accidents are traumatic events and even minor injuries can have a huge impact on a person and his or her family. These effects are not just around the time of the accident, although that is often the most difficult time as you try to recover from injuries, pay unexpected bills, and handle time off from work (and sometimes lost wages). But the long-term impact of car accident injuries is often much greater than just these damages, and can extend for many years or even a person’s entire life.
Some of the different types of impacts on a victim include the following:
Physical Injuries That Could Last a Lifetime
The physical impact of car accident injuries can be permanent and life-altering – dramatically changing a person’s daily life and routine. What might seem like a manageable injury in the immediate aftermath of a car accident can develop into chronic pain, limited mobility, restrictions to lift, carry and pull, emotional harm, and other damages that could increase over time.
Whiplash, for example, often presents minimal symptoms initially but can lead to ongoing neck pain and reduced range of motion months or years later. It could require a cervical fusion years later to resolve the pain, which is permanent and disabling – always reducing a person’s range of motion. Such spinal injuries might require multiple surgeries throughout a person’s life, including revisions as needed due to worsening conditions.
Disabling Chronic Pain
Chronic pain resulting from car accident injuries affects every aspect of daily life, both home and at work. Many accident victims find themselves unable to perform basic tasks they once took for granted, from picking up their children to working at their desk for more than a few hours at a time. This constant pain often requires ongoing medical treatment, physical therapy, and pain management strategies, resulting in substantial medical expenses that continue to accumulate years after the accident.
Such treatment could include repeated cortisone injections, oral medications, heat or cold therapies, or other types of treatment that further takes away from a person’s time to spend with family, friends, or at work earning income. Chronic pain and be just as disabling as the immediate aftermath and also lead to emotional damages, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and other emotional harm.
Lost Income and Lost Future Earnings
One of the most significant long-term consequences of car accident injuries is their impact on a person’s employment and even through long-term career. Serious injuries can force car accident victims to:
- Miss days from work due to the accident, treatment, follow-up care, or due to simple pain and disabling that prohibits a person from working
- Reduce their working hours or switch to part-time employment or per diem employment
- Take extended leaves of absence, affecting their advancement opportunities and income – especially if they are in a commission-based field
- Change careers to accommodate physical limitations and restrictions, especially if in a physically active field
- Accept lower-paying positions due to disability and inability to work at the same level as pre-accident
- Retire early from their chosen profession, or maybe from all professions, and
- Other types of life-changing job changes.
These career disruptions not only affect current income but also reduce retirement savings and future earning potential. This is why a Springfield car accident lawyer may hire an economist or vocational expert to help prove your case and your damages.
Psychological and Emotional Damages
The mental health impact of car accidents is often overlooked but can be just as devastating as physical injuries. Many accident victims develop PTSD, anxiety, or depression. These conditions can persist for years, affecting relationships, work performance, and overall quality of life. Some individuals develop a fear of driving or riding in vehicles, limiting their independence and social interactions but also their opportunities to work – especially if they are in a field that requires travel.
Injured in an Illinois Car Accident? The Long-Term Impact of Car Accident Injuries is Serious and Should be Evaluated by an Experienced Springfield Car Accident Lawyer
The long-term impact of car accident injuries extends far beyond the initial recovery period, affecting virtually every aspect of a victim’s life – and, in turn, the lives of family members who may also be entitled to compensation from a defendant. That’s why victims and their families need to hire an experienced Springfield car accident lawyer to help them protect their rights to compensation under Illinois law. At the Noll Law Office, they understand the importance of securing compensation that reflects not just immediate needs, but the full scope of future challenges their clients will face over the rest of their lives because of an accident.
Therefore, if you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident anywhere in Illinois, do not underestimate the potential long-term consequences of the crash and its effect on your life and your family’s lives. Seek an experienced Springfield car accident lawyer like one of those at the Noll Law Office to protect your rights and ensure you receive the compensation needed to address both current and future needs. Schedule your free consultation by dialing (217) 414-8889 or by sending a message here.