What if a car crash causes a permanent injury?

Some motor vehicle collisions are minor. They don’t actually cause any noteworthy injury to the people involved. Other crashes are more significant because they cause medical issues for the people involved. Many car crash injuries are minor and temporary, but others can be more severe.

Individuals who acquire traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) or spinal cord injuries in a car crash may experience not just a massive uptick in medical expenses but a simultaneous reduction in their earning potential. Compound fractures, comminuted fractures and limb loss can also lead to reductions in functional capabilities that may persist for life.

What happens if an individual acquires a catastrophic injury because of a car crash?

Compensation needs may increase significantly

Basic liability car insurance is adequate to cover common collision costs. People can file claims to pay for X-rays and bone setting or a few weeks of lost wages. However, once their expenses become significant, they may find that insurance is inadequate.

When injuries are likely to result in permanent functional limitations, people have to cope with long-term reductions in their earning potential. In some cases, they may have partial disabilities that forever prevent them from achieving their maximum wages. They may find that their career development slows or stops.

Other times, they may need to move to an entirely different profession that offers lower wages. In some cases, the medical consequences of an injury can be severe enough to force a worker to cease all forms of gainful employment. Moderate to severe TBIs and spinal cord injuries that result in tetraplegia might prevent the affected individual from ever going back to work.

In such scenarios, they need to recover not just substantially higher medical expenses but also a lifetime of lost earning potential. Insurance is often inadequate in such cases, making a lawsuit the best option. People may need to look at every form of compensation available, including litigation against the driver at fault and third-party litigation targeting a business with a degree of liability for the incident.

Recognizing that catastrophic crash injuries require a different response than minor injuries can help people protect themselves after motor vehicle collisions. Pursuing adequate compensation can make a major difference for those who must forever deal with the medical consequences of a crash.