When it comes to road accidents, the first consequence that comes to mind is injury, but the truth is – the consequences of such events can have many different layers in different areas of people’s lives. And when it comes to injuries in the first place, the extent and the type of injuries heavily dictate what follows. All of that being said, in this article, we are going to talk about different consequences of road accidents that you probably didn’t think about that much, but you should definitely know about in case you do happen to be in such an accident.
1. You Can Experience Pretty Significant Financial Setbacks
This is a pretty major consequence, and even though you are probably aware of this, you probably aren’t fully aware of the extent. There are many aspects to consider – medical bills, buying medicine long term if applicable, repairing your car or buying a new one if it has been severely damaged, the legal process, therapy, and many more, and all of them add up to a pretty significant sum of money.
That being said, if you have been in an accident due to another person’s negligence, you are able to get properly compensated by filing a claim. Experts on personal injury cases explain that there are many different variations of situations that can be categorized as negligent driving like failure to heed changing weather and/or road conditions, driving under the influence, failure to obey traffic signals, and other, which they further asses in detail on this page in order for you to understand when and how can you benefit from filing a claim. All of that being said, research is the key here.
2. Lack of Transport Might Affect You More Than You Think
Following the accident, you might find yourself in a situation where your vehicle is damaged to the extent that it can’t be repaired, and you need to buy a new one but due to already described financial setbacks, you aren’t able to do so.
This can make even the most basic daily tasks a lot more difficult to complete, like for instance taking your kids to school or going out to buy groceries, especially if you are also injured.
3. The Effect On Your Insurance Rates
When it comes to automobile insurance rates, they will rise after your accident, even if you weren’t at fault just due to the fact that an accident is on your record now. You may be surprised to see just how much your monthly premium can increase with just that one accident on your record, which further adds up to the already big financial burden of the whole situation. The worst thing though is the fact that this rate increase will probably remain for as long as your accident is on your driving record.
4. Mental Health
Many people tend to overlook the extent of the impact that a road accident can have on the mental health of people involved, in some cases, it can even damage the mental health of a bystander. The most common consequences that one may experience are anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, problems with sleeping due to recurring nightmares or even insomnia, and in some cases even depression. It’s extremely important for you to seek therapy, especially if you happen to realize that your day to day life is being impacted.
4. Delayed Injuries Happen Quite Often
Going to the doctor early on is very important since in some cases, even if you don’t feel like you have been injured, there might be an underlying injury that is going to start expressing symptoms after a couple of days, weeks, or even months. That being said, in order to start proper treatment and avoid further complications, be sure to seek appropriate medical treatment.
5. You Might Be Unable To Work
Depending on the severity of your injuries, it’s possible that you can end up being unable to work during your recovery. Now the thing is, if your job doesn’t provide paid sick leave, this could mean additional lost wages until you’ve recovered enough to return to work, which is obviously a problematic situation to be in.
6. Your Further Approach When It Comes to Driving
The probability is high that if you have been through a road accident, your approach to driving is probably going to change. Some people just become more careful, while some start to avoid driving as much as possible due to the fear of getting into an accident.
In the end, the consequences of being in a road accident vary heavily depending on your circumstances, and they shouldn’t be generalized since it just can’t be done properly. That being said, if you do happen to be in a car accident, be sure not to overlook different aspects of the effect of such an event since being able to see the whole picture is the first important step when it comes to resolving the situation in the best possible way.