3 Long-Term Effects Of Car Accidents

1. Physical Effects

Car accidents put you at risk of bodily harm. In serious collisions on the road, most victims end up with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), fractures, and spinal cord injuries. Even less severe injuries, such as whiplash, can take several months to heal.   

Traumatic brain injury is the most severe damage a person can sustain in a vehicular accident. This condition can put people in a comatose state. Those who come out of it experience some loss or difficulty in healthy functions, like balance, speech, articulation, and memorization. Such problems limit a person’s ability to perform daily tasks, affecting their quality of life. 

Meanwhile, orthopedic or spinal injuries can leave a person immobile for months, with some cases leaving victims briefly or permanently disabled. Depending on its severity, it can prevent a person from continuing their work or living routines, leading to a massive drop in their quality of life.  

Aside from limited mobility and hampered brain function, chronic pain is another major issue for many victims. It takes time for many to deal with chronic pain, whether from the head, spine, neck, or any body part or limb. Some cases can lead to disability, as well. Continuous care will be needed to help these patients maintain therapy and medication intake to manage it.

2. Mental And Psychological Effects

From the moment of the incident to weeks or months after, a car accident victim naturally experiences a mixture of dread, worry, fear, confusion, and many other negative feelings. This potent mix of emotions can be just as debilitating as physical injuries, especially if they cannot be addressed immediately. In fact, it’s common for victims to develop some form of mental or behavioral disorder as a result. Anxiety and depression are among the most prevalent diagnoses.  

Car accident victims may get an anxiety disorder, causing panic attacks and dread, especially if they have to think about traveling on the road or getting near cars. 

Others may experience depression instead, experiencing bouts of lethargy, grief, or pessimistic thinking. The severity of an accident’s aftermath plays a role, especially if it involves disability, loss of life, or the endangerment of prospects in work or academics. 

Perhaps a more prevalent diagnosis than those two is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is a disorder where the brain’s chemistry is altered by extreme conditions. This results in a person going into fight, flight, or freeze whenever they feel something that recalls their previous experience.  

It’s another condition that severely impairs a person’s ability to live well, often leading to issues like:  

• Self-isolation 
• Addictive behaviors 
• Irrational fears   
• Loss of sleep 
• Flashbacks   
• Anger issues   
• Loss of libido  

The mental and psychological effects of car accidents encompass many parts of a victim’s life. Sometimes, major interventions must be taken to keep them from getting into worse situations, such as addiction.  

Fortunately, many programs aim to support accident victims, offering resources for getting therapy and medication, referrals to support groups, access to medical social services, and more.  

Getting legal aid is also a part of this, especially since compensation may become a primary source for paying for such services.

3. Financial Difficulties

If you can take anything away from this article at this point, it’s that car accidents cost so much. 

Nowhere can this be felt more clearly than in the wallets of their victims. An accident can take out a massive chunk of your financing from paying for property damage and covering repairs. 

Some collisions only result in scrapes or minor indents on the body. But serious ones do a number on many critical components of your car, such as the engine, powertrain, and controls. You can always get repairs and replacements for all of these. However, some drivers see scrapping as the wiser choice. 

Aside from that, victims may lose their source of income, especially if they rely on transportation for their job. If they also get a momentary or permanent disability, they may be put out of work altogether. This can lead to a serious cascade of problems that put a household in danger. 

And that’s not even counting the medical expenses. The cost of emergency care and succeeding treatments can soar to staggering levels, especially if you end up with injuries that require complex surgical procedures or therapy. Sadly, this is the case for many people who get involved in accidents. 

Insurance policies typically provide relief for these problems. That’s why it’s mandatory to get car insurance.

Know What You Will Have To Deal With

A car accident can have several lasting effects on a victim’s life. That’s why receiving fair compensation is crucial to ensure the path to full recovery is manageable. If you get involved in an accident, work with an experienced car accident lawyer. Regardless of the severity of your case, you can always get the support you need to receive optimal recompense with their help.