The Hidden Costs: Dealing with the Financial Implications of Personal Injury

Personal injuries can range anywhere from a minor nuisance to a life-altering tragedy. What people don’t often understand is the wide range of financial implications of personal injuries. Read on to learn about possible financial setbacks caused by personal injuries.

Lost wages. If you were working at the time you were injured, it’s possible that your injury could cause you to miss work for a temporary amount of time. If your injury is serious enough, it could prevent you from returning to work altogether. In other words, you may miss a set amount of time (say, 6 months) of work and related wages – or, you may have to quit your job because you are no longer physically or mentally able to continue working. If you have to quit your job, you are likely losing a significant source of steady income.

Household and living services. People often take it for granted when they are physically and mentally well enough to cook dinner, pack a child’s lunch, vacuum a carpet, dust a mantel, replace a lightbulb, carry a laundry basket, lift a young child, shovel a driveway, drive to the supermarket, etc. When your injury prevents you from executing these common household and family tasks, you may have to pay someone else to do them.

Medical expenses. Your personal injury may require you to go to a doctor, a hospital, rehabilitation center, or other facility that will help treat your injuries. You may need to begin taking prescription or over-the-counter medicine to help treat your injuries. You may need to purchase crutches or a cane or compression socks. All of these purchases fall under the category of medical expenses. Some of your medical bills might be covered by insurance, but some may not. 

Travel expenses. When people are injured, they may have to travel to deal with the consequences of their injury. For instance, suppose someone is injured who lives several dozen miles away from the nearest hospital or from the appropriate rehabilitation facility. And they have frequent follow-up appointments or a rehabilitation program that requires them to drive to the rehabilitation center multiple times per week. Gas and tolls and wear-and-tear on your car add up and can be financially crippling.

Property damage. In many cases, along with injury to your person, you may also suffer damage to your property. The most common example of this is a car accident where your car may have been significantly damaged and would require repair. As some injuries to your body may be minor and some may be catastrophic, some damage to your property may be minor and some damage may be catastrophic (and, in the case of serious injuries, irreparable). 

The above expenses can be financially devastating. Filing a personal injury lawsuit could help you become financially secure. For premium legal advice about how to go about this, contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at VSCP LAW.