A driver pulls out in front of you from behind a stop sign. That driver thought it was a four-way stop, but it wasn’t. It was a two-way stop. You smash into the car at full speed, wrecking your vehicle. Your head hits the dash. You lose consciousness, and your last thought is that this vehicle you loved is ruined.
For many people, that becomes their main focus. It does make sense on some levels. Maybe your car was your only means of transportation and now you have no idea how you’ll get to work or move on with your life. Maybe your car was a massive investment or a vehicle you saved for years to buy. You can’t stand to think that you’ve lost it and you want to make sure you get compensation because someone else totaled that car, not you.
Life-long injuries
As important as all of this is, make sure you just remember that your body matters more. Your injuries carry more weight. Do not overlook them just because you are too focused on your car.
You can always buy another car. You may not always heal from injuries. For instance, many brain injuries lead to life-long healing. It never ends. From the moment your head hit the dash, your life changed. It’s not changing back.
In 10 or 15 years, you would have had a new car anyway. You’re still going to have the same injury.
The impact on your life
When looking at these injuries, there are two impacts to consider. First, how does it change your life? Can you still work or is your career over? Do you have to deal with mental and emotional changes that make you feel like a new person? Have you lost physical abilities that you can never recover? A broken leg heals and you can walk again. A brain injury can make it so that you have to learn how to live in a new way.
The impact on your wallet
The second impact is to your wallet. In the long run, the injury costs much more than the car. You may need immediate emergency care, in-home care after your hospital release, ongoing physical therapy for years and much more. With long-term injuries, the costs do not stop when you go home. You have to consider that when thinking about the type of compensation you need to make things work out.
Your options
Don’t worry; you do have options. You do have rights. You can and will get through this. Just make sure you take the time to think about all of the impacts, all of the costs and all of the options that you have.