What are some of the long-term effects of a car accident? You know that you can be injured or killed in a car accident and that these have life-altering consequences. But take a moment to put these consequences into perspective and consider all of the possible ways your life can change after a car accident.
Your injury might never completely heal. If you suffer a broken bone or a back injury, you can potentially experience reduced sensation or decreased strength in the affected part of the body, which can limit the type of work you are able to do. This can mean having to stop working full time or having to take on lower-paying work, both of which can reduce your income and your retirement security. Along with the reduced income, you can experience daily pain, forcing you to take pain medication and reducing your quality of life. In some cases, you might never walk the same way again or be able to engage in physical activities you once enjoyed.
You can also suffer psychological damage after a car accident. Suffering a severe injury, nearly losing your life, and losing a loved one can all be very traumatic experiences. You can develop a mental disorder like anxiety or a phobia of driving or, upon adjusting to your “new normal” after an accident, you can develop depression. If you suffer a traumatic brain injury because of your accident, you can also experience cognitive issues like memory loss and difficulty focusing on tasks.
Losing a loved one in a car accident means losing everything he or she contributed to your life and well being – forever. Alongside the loss of his or her love and companionship, you will face financial losses like the loss of his or her salary and benefits and the loss of his or her projected earnings to which you had the right to inherit. Even seemingly minor contributions the victim made, like household duties, are deep losses you can feel after an accidental death.
I was somewhat at fault for the accident. What can I do? Do not admit any fault to the insurance adjuster handling the case. Let your lawyer guide your interactions with all other parties involved in your claim.
If you are deemed to be partially at fault for the accident, you can still recover compensation for your damages. However, the amount of money you can recover will be reduced. Your lawyer’s ability to negotiate on your behalf is crucial here, because in Georgia, partially at-fault victims can only recover compensation if they hold less than 50 percent of the responsibility for the accident. In order to demonstrate this, you must be able to prove that the other driver’s negligence outweighed your negligence in causing the accident.
The percentage of the fault you hold for the accident is the percentage by which your total compensation amount is reduced. So, if you are 30 percent at fault for your accident and you seek $100,000 in compensation, you can only recover up to $70,000.
