Hidden Costs of Car Accidents: Why Full Compensation Matters

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When you’re in a car accident, you’ll likely have damage to your vehicle. Depending on the severity of the accident, you may have physical injuries and mental impacts that begin to accumulate in the form of medical bills.

These hidden costs add another layer of stress for car accident victims. If this accident was not your fault, then you shouldn’t be stuck paying for someone else’s negligent actions. Understanding these hidden expenses can help you assess how much you should be paid in compensation by the at-fault party.

Without an understanding of the depth of your expenses from a car accident, it could cost you out of pocket. Make sure you look at the following factors to ensure you get the full compensation you deserve.

Hidden Medical Expenses

Most injury victims in a car accident know they will have medical expenses. You’re probably well aware that your ambulance ride or hospital stay will need to be factored into your compensation. If you had surgery to treat your life-threatening condition after the crash, you’ll surely want that included as well. 

However, there are hidden medical expenses that you may not be thinking about, such as the long-term medical expenses that will be required to treat your condition. Even delayed medical issues may arise from your initial injury, such as nerve damage or chronic pain, and they will need extensive treatment.

Since whiplash is a common injury in car accidents, it makes a fine example of how hidden medical expenses could cause you to settle for less in your quest for compensation. You may have only seen the initial treatments, though fully healing may require months or years of rehabilitation therapy. 

You might also need to take prescription medications to manage the pain. Additionally, the physical impacts of any car accident injury may cause mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety, requiring therapy that probably wasn’t covered by your initial settlement. 

Hidden Impacts of Lost Income

After a car crash, most victims will need time off from work to recover. Even if this time is short, it can quickly destroy your financial situation. Along with your usual monthly expenses, you’ll have these added expenses —both the ones you know of and these hidden ones discussed here—that are threatening to put you deep into debt.

Your injuries may have rendered you incapable of performing your job because you now have physical limitations. This may reduce your income significantly, and it should be accounted for in your compensation award. Additionally, you may be forced to miss out on opportunities now that this has happened to you. If you were up for a promotion that you now can’t take due to the hindrance of your injuries, you should make sure this is in your settlement.

Hidden Intangible Losses

Your intangible losses, commonly known as non-economic losses, are also an important factor in your settlement. It is more difficult to quantify these types of damages, though the emotional toll this accident has taken on you and your loved ones is still important. 

The injuries that a negligent person caused you by crashing into your vehicle may cause you physical pain and suffering that is chronic. When you must endure pain every day of your life, it greatly diminishes your quality of life, preventing you from enjoying the things you once loved to do. 

It can lead to emotional distress that disrupts your daily life, making it impossible to move forward. Some car accident victims become so consumed in the aftermath that they develop fears of driving or even riding in a car. Loss of enjoyment of life is another non-economic damage that can be compensated, whether you feel despondent for the future or because your injuries prevent you from participating in your hobbies.

When it comes to hidden costs, one of the most impactful ones is long-term disability. A traumatic brain injury may impair your cognitive functions or alter your mood and behavior, making it difficult or even impossible for you to live on your own. You may need lifelong care or be forced to make modifications to your home to accommodate a physical disability.

This is why you must get the full compensation you deserve. Most people that are hurt in car accidents don’t think about these things. They also don’t think about hiring a lawyer because they worry it will cost too much. Since personal injury lawyers work on contingency, they don’t accept payment upfront. It’s a smart move for someone who has endured serious injuries to consult an attorney to find out the full worth of their case, including all of these hidden costs. 

Another Reason to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney to Fight for Full Compensation

As detailed above, the hidden costs of car accidents can easily be missed if you don’t know what to look for. A lawyer who represents car accident victims will be able to review every aspect of your case to make this determination.

Additionally, having an attorney on your side can protect your settlement from being reduced by partial fault. In some states, modified comparative fault allows for sharing the blame among the drivers involved.

For example, it’s illegal when motorcyclists split lanes in Texas. However, if a car rammed the motorcycle, the driver of the car may be more at fault. Texas allows for fault up to 50% in a motor vehicle accident. If you are deemed 51% or more at fault, you will be barred from collecting compensation.

Insurance companies will use tactics like these to reduce payouts or even deny them completely. This would cause you to lose out on the full compensation you deserve. As you can see, there are many little expenses that you will need to consider as you move forward from this traumatic event. Make sure that you’re getting all that you are owed by consulting with a personal injury attorney who will know how to help you fight for it.