What Happens When a Car Accident Causes a Permanent Disability?
Vehicle accidents often result in only minor injuries, but that is not always the case. There are certainly times when serious injuries occur that lead to a permanent disability. When individuals sustain a permanent disability caused by the negligent actions of another driver, they should be able to recover compensation. Consulting with a Chicago auto accident lawyer can provide crucial guidance in these situations. However, will a car accident settlement or jury verdict result in enough compensation to pay the expenses related to a total disability?
What Can Cause a Permanent Disability After a Car Accident?
There are a range of injuries that can lead to a permanent disability as a result of a vehicle accident. Some of the most common injuries that lead to long-term disabilities for individuals after a crash include the following:
- Spinal cord injuries with any level of paralysis
- Amputation or crush injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries that affect cognitive or physical functioning
- Severe internal organ damage
- Any injuries that lead to lasting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
These are just a few of the possible long-term permanent disabilities that could come as a result of a vehicle accident. A permanent disability would be any injury that leads to a person not being able to perform day-to-day activities or work duties that they participated in before the car accident. Permanent disabilities will affect an individual for the rest of their lives, and disabilities range in degrees of severity.
How Do Victims Get Enough Compensation?
The ultimate goal after sustaining a permanent injury caused by a vehicle accident is to secure enough compensation to help a person navigate the new reality of their altered way of life. A disability does not have to mean that life comes to an end, but it is crucial for individuals to secure the compensation they need from the at-fault party.
Just like any vehicle accident, there will need to be an extensive investigation into the incident in order to determine liability. Compensation could come in one of two ways – either through a settlement with the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier or as a result of a civil personal injury lawsuit against the driver and their insurance carrier. What complicates these claims is the fact that individuals need to secure long-term compensation, not just compensation to cover current medical bills and unexpected expenses.
Those with permanent disabilities caused by a vehicle accident will have to factor in the cost of future expected care. Some of the main costs to consider include:
- All future expected medical bills arising due to the disability
- The cost of modifying a home or vehicle to ease mobility
- Coverage of long-term in-home care
- Compensation for physical therapy or rehabilitation
- Long-term costs of prescription and over-the-counter medications
- Loss of future earnings if a person can no longer work due to their disability
It is crucial to work with a skilled personal injury lawyer in Chicago after sustaining an injury. An attorney can investigate the claim, handle all communication with other parties, and negotiate to recover a fair settlement on your behalf. There are various types of medical and economic experts that may need to examine the case and then testify to a personal injury jury about the expected long-term costs of the disability.