A sudden injury is a painful, even overwhelming experience. In the moment, it’s hard to think about anything else. Yet, for many accident victims, this initial shock and distress are only the beginning. The real challenge often begins once the dust settles and the longer-term implications start to manifest. These can range from mounting medical bills and lost wages to the need for ongoing rehabilitation and the potential for permanent disability.
Here’s what you can expect — and how personal injury attorneys in Phoenix, like us at Silkman Law Firm, can help you face the future with optimism and dignity.
Medical Expenses Beyond Initial Treatment
For many serious injuries, emergency care is only the first of many medical expenses, and many victims struggle to pay their health insurance premiums after a car accident, truck accident, or other type of catastrophic accident. Victims of severe accidents often require a comprehensive and long-term treatment plan that involves future medical care, including the following:
- Surgeries – Many injuries necessitate multiple surgeries, both immediate and reconstructive, which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars or more. These surgeries often involve pre-operative and post-operative care, specialized equipment, and extended hospital stays.
- Medications – Prescription medications are a critical part of recovery, helping to manage pain, prevent infections, and facilitate healing processes. The cost of prescription drugs can vary widely depending on the type and duration of medication required.
- Rehabilitation – Physical therapy is crucial for restoring function and mobility after an injury. Permanent injuries like spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and other physical disabilities may require a lifetime of rehab treatment and other forms on ongoing medical care.
- Occupational and Behavioral Therapy – Certain injuries can be life-altering, requiring a patient to undergo occupational therapy to relearn daily tasks or modify their living and working environments. Behavioral therapy can help manage the psychological repercussions of trauma and the stress of recovery.
Lost Wages and Reduced Earning Capacity
Severe injuries and lingering impairment can affect a patient’s ability to work, which can compound the cost of medical expenses. The immediate loss of income while recovering is just one aspect, as long-term disability can alter the course of an accident victim’s career trajectory. This form of financial impact comes in two general types:
- Lost wages encompass the immediate income lost due to time spent away from work for recovery and medical treatment. For many, this can mean weeks or even months without a paycheck, during which time bills and everyday expenses continue to accumulate.
- Reduced earning capacity arises from severe injuries that permanently affect an individual’s ability to perform their job at the same capacity as before, or even to work at all. This can mean a forced shift to a less demanding, lower-paying role or the inability to work full-time, dramatically altering their long-term financial outlook and career advancement opportunities.
Costs of Home Modifications and Assistive Devices
Injuries that limit mobility or functionality might necessitate modifications to one’s living environment and the use of assistive devices to manage daily activities. These adjustments and tools are essential for maintaining independence but can be costly.
Common home modifications include the following:
- Installation of ramps for wheelchair access
- Widening of doorways to accommodate mobility aids
- Modification of bathrooms with grab bars and walk-in tubs or showers to enhance safety and accessibility
- Addition of stairlifts or home elevators for multi-story homes
Long-term disability may also require assistive devices, such as:
- Wheelchairs, both manual and electric
- Prosthetic limbs and orthotic devices
- Hearing aids and specialized communication devices
- Smart home devices designed to assist with everyday tasks, like voice-activated systems or customized control panels
- Specialized vehicle enhancements to make them operable given the driver’s impairment
Emotional and Psychological Costs
While many of the costs associated with an accident are personal rather than financial in nature, treating and adapting to them often has an economic impact. The trauma of an accident and the subsequent recovery process can take a toll on one’s mental health, potentially necessitating professional intervention and support for the following:
- Emotional Distress – The initial trauma of the accident, coupled with the stress of physical recovery, can lead to feelings of frustration, anger, and sadness.
- Anxiety and Depression – Ongoing pain and suffering, lifestyle changes, and financial worries contribute to anxiety and depression, which can become debilitating without proper treatment.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Those who survive traumatic experiences like severe accidents often develop PTSD, which involves prolonged psychological distress following an emotionally overwhelming event. Symptoms may include flashbacks, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life – Injuries can prevent a person from participating in activities they once enjoyed, making it harder for them to enjoy their life as they once did.
The emotional and psychological impacts of an injury may necessitate therapy, counseling, and prescription, increasing the cost of an injury over time.
Legal Fees and Settlement Considerations
Personal injury law allows those who have been injured due to the legal fault of others to seek compensation from those at-fault parties.
If you’re asking yourself, “Do I Need a Personal Injury Attorney?,” you are probably concerned about legal costs. Crucially, most personal injury attorneys in Phoenix work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they do not charge upfront for their services. Instead, they receive a percentage of the settlement or judgment. Not only does this alleviate the costs of pursuing fair compensation, but because the attorney earns more when their client recovers more money, it aligns their interests with one another. As you meet with attorneys to recover compensation, be sure to ask about other legal fees they may charge, such as filing fees and the costs of securing expert witnesses.
There are also settlement considerations to bear in mind. Most successful personal injury claims settle out of court, meaning the at-fault party agrees to pay a certain amount of money in exchange for the injured party dropping future claims for compensation. The process of negotiating a settlement can be complex and drawn out. It involves calculating past and ongoing expenses, projecting future costs, and negotiating back and forth with at-fault parties and their insurance representatives.
Once the two sides reach an agreement, they must determine how the settlement will be paid out — either as a lump sum or through a structured settlement providing regular payments over time. While a lump sum is typically preferable for the injured party because of the greater flexibility it provides, insurance companies often prefer structured settlements that allow them to defray the cost over time.
Contact Our Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyer for Help
Are you suffering in the aftermath of an injury someone else caused? Are you worried about the long-term financial implications and wondering how to choose a personal injury attorney in Phoenix? Don’t wait another moment. Contact Silkman Law Firm right away and let us seek the money you need for your future well-being, all at no upfront cost to you.
