One reason that serious collisions can cause such catastrophic harm to the body is that so many different things can occur when vehicles collide. This can result in what is called “polytrauma.”
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which knows a thing or two about polytraumatic injuries, describes polytrauma as “two or more injuries to physical regions or organ systems, one of which may be life threatening, resulting in physical, cognitive, psychological, or psychosocial impairments and functional disability.”
Vehicle collisions are the leading cause of polytrauma worldwide. A person involved in a crash could suffer fractures to their legs, a collapsed lung and a traumatic brain injury (TBI), for example. Other polytraumatic injuries that a person can suffer in a crash include amputations, spinal cord injuries (often resulting in paralysis) and severe burns.
The potential long-term costs of polytraumatic injuries
When people who have suffered these injuries are able to get the right care quickly (which may involve being flown to the nearest Level 1 trauma center), these injuries don’t have to be fatal. Survivors often require multiple surgeries, long-term care and rehabilitation and have to make drastic changes to their lives and their homes.
They may be permanently disabled and potentially unable to work. They may need outside assistance to care for themselves. It shouldn’t be surprising that those who survive a serious crash that has caused polytraumatic injuries can be left with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders that need on-going, long-term treatment. If they’ve suffered a TBI, they can be left with a variety of physical and mental issues.
Of course, many people rebuild their lives after disabling injuries. However, this can take a lot of time – and money. While looking at a future of medical bills and other financial losses can be frightening, settling with an at-fault party too soon can mean that many of these expenses won’t be covered. That’s just one reason why it’s critical to get legal guidance as soon as possible after a serious accident.