A severe car accident can leave victims with long-term physical, financial, and emotional consequences. When catastrophic injuries are life-changing, accident victims in Hawaii have several possible avenues for pursuing compensation. Below, the car accident lawyers at Recovery Law Center discuss the long-term effects of crashes and how they might impact your insurance claim.
What are the Long-Term Effects of a Car Accident?
Some of the long-term effects of car accidents include:
- Physical effects: Many car accident victims suffer serious injuries such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries, and broken bones. Even moderate injuries such as whiplash can take months to treat. Some trauma, like a brain injury, can result in changes in memory, personality, and reasoning, limiting your ability to perform routine tasks of daily life. Others, such as orthopedic injuries, may leave you immobile or with chronic limitations and disabilities.
- Emotional and psychological suffering: Accidents can take an emotional toll, too. Though insurance companies try to downplay mental injuries, many Hawaii car accident victims also contend with emotional distress, anxiety, depression, avoidance behaviors, anger, survivor’s guilt, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a wreck. For these people, psychological therapy may be necessary for extended periods.
- Disabilities: Some people sustain injuries that leave them temporarily or permanently disabled. Having a disability can change the course of an individual’s life. They may no longer be able to pursue the same career or hobbies they once enjoyed. Depending on the severity of the disability, victims may also experience a significant reduction in their quality of life or life expectancy.
- Financial consequences: Car accidents can also have devastating economic consequences. In addition to the cost of medical expenses and property damage, victims may lose their source of income if they can no longer work. This can quickly plunge the individual into debt. If the victim is temporarily or permanently disabled, they may not be capable of performing all of their previous job duties once they return to work. Again, this limitation could result in a significant drop in household income.
How Long-Term Damages Can Affect Your Car Accident Claim
In general, the more losses you suffer, the more your accident claim will likely be worth. A person who suffered minimal vehicle damage and minor injuries will not be able to pursue the same amount of compensation as someone who became permanently disabled in a car accident.
Hawaii is a no-fault state, which means that in most cases, accident victims turn to their own insurance policies for coverage regardless of who was at fault for the accident. However, if you were involved in a severe car accident, you might be able to step outside Hawaii’s no-fault system and pursue a claim against the at-fault driver.
You could pursue additional compensation for pain and suffering through a third-party claim. This is often an option if your losses exceed your personal injury protection (PIP) policy limits or if you suffered a severe bodily injury, permanent disfigurement, or disability.
How A Dedicated Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You
If you were severely injured in a car accident in Hawaii, you have the right to demand answers and justice. The car accident lawyers at Recovery Law Center have the knowledge and resources necessary to help hold the at-fault party accountable for your losses.
Call or contact us today for a free consultation with a Honolulu car accident attorney. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain.
