The average individual involved in a motor vehicle collision will have tunnel vision following a crash. They may focus solely on handling short-term needs, like getting to a hospital or arranging for a tow truck to come to collect their vehicle.
They spend so much time and energy focusing on simply fulfilling the basic requirements, like notifying their insurance company, that they fail to take the appropriate steps to truly protect themselves. In a car crash where you suffer noteworthy injuries or your vehicle incurred substantial damage, you need to think about the long-term impact that the collision will have on your health and your finances.
What will the consequences be?
The first step toward protecting yourself from the damaging consequences of a car crash will be to estimate what those consequences may be. You often need to look at the long-term financial impact, especially if you got hurt.
For example, if you suffer an incomplete spinal cord injury, you will incur an average of nearly $380,000 in medical costs in the first year following the crash. Before you settle your insurance claim, you need to think about the future expenses that you will have. The average incomplete spinal cord injury will cost someone another $46,000 in medical care every year for the rest of their life.
Beyond that, you may need to change your vehicle or modify your home to make it accessible. You could also find yourself unable to continue the same profession you have long performed. You may have to consider multiple decades of lost earning potential when looking at your claim as well.
Insurance may not be enough for your costs
Unless the other driver carries extra coverage beyond the minimum requirements set by the state, you could very easily have thousands of dollars in medical costs in lost wages that insurance won’t cover.
Not only is having an understanding of the long-term costs of your injuries important when negotiating with an insurance company, but that information is also crucial when you make the decision about whether or not to take the other driver to court or look into possible third-party liability claims.
From lingering medical expenses to the diminished resale value of your vehicle, there could be many expenses that will affect you in the long term after a car crash that will not be immediately obvious in the first days following the wreck. Securing help from someone familiar with the challenges that arise after a major car crash can help you ensure you are able to meet your long-term care needs.