How an Accident Injury Can Affect Your Life
A severe injury caused by an accident may be a big bump on your journey through life, or your life may grind to a halt. It depends on many factors, but what remains the same is you may be compensated for that injury and all the harm that comes with it through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
For those dealing with such injuries, seeking help from a personal injury attorney in Southern California can be essential to navigate the legal complexities. Orange County personal injury lawyer Aaron Hicks has helped thousands of clients suffering from injuries caused by others, and he can help you too. Call 949-541-9944 or fill out our online contact form to learn more about your rights and what you should do next.
There are many potential effects an injury can have on an accident victim’s life. They can vary with the severity of the injury, what part of your body is involved, your age and overall health at the time of the accident, and your emotional and financial ability to cope with it. To ensure you receive the compensation you deserve, consulting with a Southern California personal injury lawyer is highly recommended. Accident injuries to someone suffering severe health challenges before an accident may be forced off an emotional and economic cliff.
Australian Study Documents Effects of Severe Accident Injuries
Research published in 2021 documents health-related outcomes for 2019 people older than 17 with different levels of injuries after vehicle crash injuries in New South Wales, Australia. The study found:
- Increasing injury severity is significantly associated with working less, more pain, more disability, worse health-related quality of life, and worse psychological states at six and 12 months after the accident
- At 12 months post–injury, being more severely injured resulted in 50% lower odds of being employed
The accidents covered by the study happened between 2013 and 2016.
Issues Accident Survivors May Contend With
- Financial Problems
You may work less or be fired from your job because you can no longer perform it, depending on what happened to you. Before your injury, you may or may not have saved enough to cushion the accident’s financial blow. Your long-term earning capacity may be impaired. You may face unplanned medical and rehabilitation bills, even if you have health insurance.
Insurance to cover these expenses when you’re injured, or a disability policy can help cushion these blows, but not everyone has the financial ability or foresight to buy this coverage before an accident. Social Security disability payments may help if you cannot work for more than a year.
- Chronic Disability
You may have a long-term disability that impairs your earning potential and ability to enjoy your life. You might deal with chronic pain, lost mobility, and it can impact you emotionally and affect your relationships. Though physical injuries may be felt immediately, problems with mental focusing, processing information, mental fogginess, and headaches may take more time to show themselves.
Some injuries are more likely to cause chronic disabilities than others. Traumatic brain damage can cause drastic changes to your intellectual capacity, personality, emotional life and cause severe physical limitations. Spinal cord injuries can result in partial or total permanent paralysis.
- Emotional Stress
The psychological impacts can be immense and be felt immediately or long-term. Physical limitations may cause emotional hardships, stress, and anxiety that make it harder to complete daily activities and recover. Some people may have post-traumatic stress disorder after the accident and stressful medical treatments.
We want to think a married partner will rally and lovingly support their severely injured spouse, but this doesn’t always happen. The emotional, financial, and physical stress of a severe accident’s aftermath may drive a couple to divorce, which carries its own negative consequences.
- Adaptive or Assistive Technologies
Assistive and adaptive technologies (like wheelchairs, ramps, and handicap–accessible vehicles) can improve your quality of life and allow you to regain some lost function, but they can result in lifestyle changes and substantial costs.
Aaron Hicks is an Orange County Personal Injury Attorney You Can Trust
If you or a loved one are injured because of another party’s negligent or intentional acts, Aaron Hicks at the Hicks Law Firm will aid you in any way we can. Our personal injury law firm helps clients with personal injury claims throughout Orange County, including Costa Mesa, Irvine, Tustin, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and throughout Southern California.
Thanks to our years of experience, we can help you through this challenging period. We will do our best to make this process as easy as possible so you can focus on your family, return to work, and recover from your injuries.
We have assisted many injured plaintiffs in Orange County over the years and look forward to helping you, too. Call 949-541-9944 or fill out our online contact form so we may discuss your case.
Aaron Hicks is a civil trial attorney and founder of Hicks Law Firm, based in Orange County with offices in San Diego and Tennessee. His practice includes representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases including motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, dog bites and wrongful death. Mr. Hicks is and AV Rated attorney, Super Lawyer and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association where he serves as 1st Vice President.
