3 Long-Term Effects Of A Car Accident
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A car accident is an unfortunate situation that no motorist will ever want to get involved in. But, the truth of the matter is that no matter how cautious you may be, this risk is always present. If you're lucky, the injuries are only minor and temporary. But, there are also those that can be more severe.

The consequences of long-term car accidents can be devastating for all those involved. Aside from the obvious injuries, there is also the loss of time, income, and work performance which victims will have to suffer. In some extreme cases, death may result from the injuries sustained. For some, the car accident they've gone through may also result in trauma and other psychological consequences.

This article gives you some of the long-term effects of a car accident.

1. Emotional Effects

There are certain injuries that cannot be measured tangibly or right on the spot after the accident happens. These are the non-apparent effects, classified as emotional effects, that are generally long-term.

Whether the accident was fatal or non-fatal, this emotional trauma can still be possible. Hence the need to factor these, too, when calculating the claims.

Some of the most common emotional effects that could happen are:

  • Anxiety. This would include panic disorder, phobia, and social anxiety disorder.

  • Depression. This is usually categorized into depressive disorder, particularly when permanent physical effects result like dismemberment, loss of job, or. worse, death of a family member or loved one.

  • Personality and behavior changes. This can usually happen after permanent effects, wherein the surviving passenger bears the guilt and starts to blame himself and others for the accident, thereby resulting in aggressive behavior.

  • Sleep disorders. This can happen due to stress caused by the trauma of the accident. Stress can over-stimulate the brain, thereby releasing neurochemicals like adrenaline and epinephrine. This can keep you awake or result in sleep disturbances and even nightmares.

Learn more information about these emotional effects by going through this site here.

2. Physical Effects

If you're lucky, you can escape the car accident with only very minor and minimal injuries. However, there are also those injuries that are more severe and permanent in nature.

Unfortunately, these injuries that are classified as permanent can be extreme. There are the common ones like traumatic brain injury, amputation, and paralysis. This is why it's very important to have proper medical treatment right after the accident so that the doctors can do the best that they can to avoid injuries from worsening.

Some of the common permanent physical effects are:

  • Life-threatening conditions like sepsis and permanent scars that can only be removed through cosmetic surgery;

  • Burns which result in permanent scarring and skin tightening;

  • Loss of limbs;

  • Traumatic brain injury, often resulting in a coma.

3 Long-Term Effects Of A Car Accident
(Photo : Shutterstock)

3. Financial Effects

Even if you've got insurance to cover the physical damage to your car, there are other financial effects that are beyond what the insurance policy pays for.

The long-term financial effects, apart from the obvious damage to the vehicle, include:

  • Medical treatment, as these costs can be exorbitant, especially when assistive devices, ongoing long-term or lifelong care, and medication are needed;

  • Living adjustments related to daily activities like taking a shower, getting out of bed, washing the dishes, if permanent physical disability happens;

  • Loss of income, which covers the timeframe the victim cannot report to work, whether temporarily or permanently, which becomes greater if the victim is the sole breadwinner;

  • Loss of services, such as the sacrifices a family will have to make as they now have to prioritize in relation to accident recovery (e.g., letting go of childcare so that the fee can be used to cover the expenses of a caregiver for the permanently incapacitated family member instead)

Treatment And Recovery

Whether the injuries are permanent or not, physical or not, the key to having a manageable life right after a car accident is to undergo proper treatment and recovery. The usual treatment plans that you'll have to go through can help fix or alleviate the symptoms of these permanent injuries.

For instance:

  • Emotional and psychological injuries will need proper treatment by a mental health professional;

  • Severe concussions will require several months of healing and treatment;

  • Broken bones may need corrective surgery, lasting over three to four months of healing;

  • Traumatic brain injuries may take years to heal, sometimes even never;

  • Muscle tears will also need surgical treatment and physical therapy, which also lasts for months' worth of recovery.

Conclusion

Truth be told, no one is really prepared for an accident. It comes like a thief in the night, where you end up not knowing what to do. For many, however, the accidents are only minor. But, there are also those with more severe and life-long consequences. This list of life-long consequences should be informative enough for you. That way, should you or any family member figure into an accident, you'll know which of these long-term effects to be on the lookout for. This list can also help ensure that when you file claims, even these long-term effects that may not be immediately apparent are accounted for.