Car crashes cause victims to suffer more than physical harm or loss of property. These incidents are extremely traumatic and may often result in life-altering injuries. It is no surprise, then, that a lot of injured crash survivors suffer financially while also dealing with mental issues, like sadness, worry and post-traumatic stress.
Schmidt Kramer is a strong advocate for Pennsylvania car accident victims and has been for decades. We have personally seen the emotional, physical and financial toll these individuals and their families face as a direct result of someone else’s negligence. Unfortunately, crash survivors may feel the effects of these damages for months or even years to come.
Below, our experienced auto crash attorneys in Harrisburg discuss the wide-ranging effects injured victims may experience after a car accident. When you need an experienced and knowledgeable attorney in Pennsylvania after a traffic accident, Schmidt Kramer is ready to help. We can discuss your situation and determine whether you may have legal options.
Your case review is completely FREE. Call (717) 727-2089
What Are Some Common Car Crash Injuries?
The injuries people may suffer in a crash can range from minor to severe, catastrophic or fatal. However, in the aftermath of a collision, even those who are severely injured may not realize it. Victims may be in shock and their adrenaline is still pumping from the sudden trauma. This is why, even if you do not see or feel visible signs of an injury, you should seek medical help right away. Injuries may be internal, and often with these types of injuries every minute counts. The faster you get diagnosed and treated, the better chance you have for an optimum recovery.
Common injuries after a crash may include:
- Severe bruising
- Lacerations and gashes
- Feeling achy
- Muscle strains and sprains
- Fractures
- Whiplash
- Neck and back injuries
- Hip, leg or knee injuries
- Shoulder, arm and wrist injuries
- Head injuries
Which Injuries May Have Secondary Complications and Other Long-Term Effects?
Long-term consequences after a car crash may not necessarily last a lifetime. However, many injuries, including those with secondary complications, can certainly affect you for several months or even years. Beginning the appropriate medical treatment after a crash can limit the amount of damage and make for a faster recovery.
Serious injuries that may be catastrophic in nature may include:
- Spinal cord injuries: The back is delicate. Crash victims who suffer a spinal cord injury could become partially or fully paralyzed. Secondary complications of a spinal cord injury could include respiratory difficulties, loss of bladder and bowel control, urinary tract infections (UTIs), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pneumonia, and more.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): Injuries to the brain can result in long-term or permanent damage. You may see a change in the victim’s personality, mood or behavior. Victims may also suffer cognitive issues, such as memory loss, depression, difficulty sleeping, anxiety or bipolar disorder.
- Crushing injuries: Victims with crush injuries have a long recovery ahead of them. Medical complications, such as compartment syndrome, kidney failure and hypotension, could further delay their ability to recover.
- Loss of one or more limbs (amputation): Losing a limb is traumatic. Victims have a long healing process and have to relearn how to walk. For lower-limb amputees, it could result in other medical conditions, such as vascular disease, cardiac issues and diabetes.
- Severe burns: Severe burns covering 40 percent or greater of a victim’s body increase the risk of becoming life-threatening. Those who survive may require skin grafting surgery. Even with surgery, victims may be at risk for a bacterial infection and could be left permanently scarred and disfigured.
- Internal organ damage: Internal bleeding is an immediate concern, but victims could suffer severe, even life-threatening damage to internal organs. For example, if they sustained a blunt-force or penetrating injury to the abdomen or chest. Organs often injured in crashes include the liver, spleen, lungs, kidney and brain.
- Serious back injuries: Injuries, while not paralyzing or life-threatening, could cause victims to suffer chronic pain and reduced mobility. They may be unable to participate in activities they used to enjoy.
- Soft-tissue injuries: The rapid and violent movements of the body during a collision can strain or tear muscles, tendons, and ligaments, causing soft-tissue injuries. These injuries can result in prolonged pain, sometimes lasting for weeks, months or even longer.
Waiting to seek treatment gives injuries time to worse. In some cases, precious moments lost can cause irreversible damage, such as a detached retina, which can leave the injured party permanently blind without immediate surgery. Others, such as a brain bleed or internal organ damage can become life-threatening without emergency medical treatment.
What Psychological Damages Do Crash Victims Deal With After a Crash?
Car crash injuries can cause survivors to suffer mild to severe emotional and psychological problems, which could include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Mild to severe personality changes
- Inability to focus
- Bipolar disorder
- Memory loss and other cognitive issues
- And more
These psychological issues may last for months, years or longer and can significantly impact your life, relationships, ability to work and overall well-being.
How Does a Car Crash Impact Victims’ Financially?
Aside from the physical and emotional toll, car crashes can have substantial financial implications. Medical expenses for long-term injuries can be exorbitant, including surgeries, doctor’s appointments, testing, hospital stays, assistive devices, medication, physical therapy and rehabilitation. Victims may incur tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills over their lifetime.
Disability Accommodations
Serious injuries may require significant home renovations to accommodate impaired mobility. Widening doorways, installing ramps and guardrails, and making bathrooms fully handicap accessible can be costly but necessary.
Loss of Income and Earning Capacity
Victims who miss work while healing may experience a loss of income, and some may never return to work or only be able to work in a limited capacity. This loss of earning capacity can be devastating.
Lost Services
Inability to perform tasks like cooking, childcare, and cleaning may require hiring outside help, further adding to expenses.
Contact Schmidt Kramer To Discuss Your Claim for Compensation
Whether you are facing short or long-term financial, physical and psychological consequences after a crash, it is important to understand your ability to recover compensation. You should not have to pay for the damages out of your own pocket.
For decades, Schmidt Kramer has been helping accident victims recover compensation. We provide our services on a contingency basis. For crash survivors, this means there are no upfront fees. You only pay us if we are successful in winning your case.
Why suffer from the long-term effects of a car crash without financial help? We understand no amount of compensation can change what has happened. However, it can help you to get the treatment you need so you can get back to living your life.
Call Schmidt Kramer today for a free consultation and take the first step towards securing the compensation you deserve. We are here to help you through this difficult time.
Schmidt Kramer – Experienced Lawyers. Proven Results. Call: (717) 727-2089 today.