While this post may provide you with a basic overview, it is not a replacement for the expertise of our lawyers here at Umbrella Injury Law, nor is it a guarantee of any outcome. It is not meant to take the place of professional medical evaluation and care. We encourage you to contact us after reading through this information to ensure your legal questions are fully answered and to protect your legal rights as you navigate your personal injury claim.
We often meet clients who, even months after an injury, are at a loss as to why they feel so tired. Overwhelmed. Financially strapped. Whether your injuries are as a result of a motor vehicle collision, a slip and fall, or animal attack, the impacts can be felt physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. We’ll review some examples of what you might encounter on your road to recovery.

Physically

The most common injuries resulting from an accident are whiplash, back and neck pain, and concussion. Whether a motor vehicle accident where the body has absorbed incredible forces of energy from the impact, or striking force with contact against a surface from a fall, the resulting pain can limit your ability to attend work or school, participate in leisure activities, and tend to your household duties. These injuries can cause confusion, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea, personality changes, light sensitivity, inability to sleep, and depression. You may require numerous and ongoing medical interventions to address and treat your resulting injuries, as well as medications to address the severity of pain, many of which have their own side effects.

Other physical symptoms that are often reported after an accident are headaches, temporomandibular joint pain (jaw pain), numbness and sleep disruptions.

While there are certainly very serious injuries such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and burn injuries or loss of limbs, an injury does not need to be severe to have permanent, long term impacts on your life.

Mentally

It can take a mental toll on you when you are in pain when you feel unsure why you are constantly tired, why your concentration seems to be less sharp. Tasks may seem to take longer. The thought of running errands can seem exhausting before you even leave the house. You may have to spend time attending doctor’s appointments and treatments, pharmacists, and speaking to your insurance company and lawyer.

If your injuries were as a result of a vehicle accident, you may also have to arrange for vehicle repairs and temporary arrangements while repairs take place. All of these factors are items you didn’t necessarily have to devote the mental space to address prior to your accident.

All of this can take a toll not just on you, but your family, as well.

Emotionally

Relationships with a significant other, your family, your friends, and co-workers can be impacted when you are injured, especially the more severe or long-lasting injuries. If your memory is impaired, if you have issues with vision or hearing, personality changes or depression, these can impact your ability to interact with those around you both personally and professionally.

It may take you by surprise that feelings of anxiety and depression are common after an injury. You may also experience post-traumatic stress as you recall the events of the accident that led to your injury. Many people report mood swings, anger, sleep disruptions, and loss of interest and/or enjoyment in pre-accident activities. Some people find these symptoms lessen with time; however, some find they become their own chronic condition and may require counseling and/or medication in some form to address the anguish they are experiencing.

Financially

If your ability to return to work is delayed and your capacity to pay ongoing bills and expenses is impacted, relationships can feel strained and add to psychological impacts. Your regular expenses and any new expenses related to treatment and prescription costs will keep adding up and can feel overwhelming. If the accident was a motor vehicle accident, there may be vehicle repair costs to contend with which can cause financial strain.

It is helpful to remember that your accident didn’t occur in a vacuum. An injury impacts every area of your life whether you are actively dealing with the aftermath, or subconsciously thinking or worrying about the impacts on you and your family.

It’s a good idea for any person involved in an accident to seek immediate medical expertise whether for physical or emotional injuries. Keeping medical providers apprised of how you are doing and feeling not only helps them get you the help you need, it creates a record that is beneficial for your lawyer, as well.

Lastly, we realize the claims process can seem to drag on endlessly at times. The mental, physical, emotional and financial impacts may add to your feelings of frustration with the litigation process. However, it is important to give your physical and mental injuries time to heal in order to determine how the injury impacted you in order to obtain the best possible outcome in terms of reaching a financial settlement to compensate you for your losses.

We hope this summary answers some of your questions and gives you some insight as to what we will want to discuss with you when contacting our office. Whether you are absolutely sure you want to proceed, or still on the fence, contact the lawyers at Umbrella Injury Law to discuss your accident and address the questions you have and assess the strength of the circumstances and evidence of your situation.

At Umbrella Injury Law, We Got You Covered.

 

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