Expenses after a Car Accident

Anyone can become the victim of a car accident. In just a few short moments, your life can change dramatically and suddenly. Huge expenses are piling up while your earnings take a leave of absence. Sadly, direct medical costs are usually only the beginning.

If your injuries after a car crash are severe, expenses can eat up your entire no-fault insurance payment long before your recovery is complete. You may need to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver’s insurance company to get the financial compensation you need to cover your current and future losses.

Medical Expenses After a Car Accident

Medical expenses are a leading cause of bankruptcy in the US. Even accident victims covered by auto and medical insurance often end up with a pile of bills to pay. Deductibles, co-pays, and uncovered expenses add up quickly after a serious accident.

Emergency treatment and hospital stays can easily run into tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Those aren’t even the only expenses you’re likely to incur. Additional medical costs can include:

• Ambulance services
• Medications
• Bandages, splints, and casts
• Surgery
• Laboratory testing
• X-rays, CT scans and other imaging services
• Follow-up care and visits with your physician or a specialist

Transportation to and from the hospital or doctor’s office may also add up to a large expense, particularly if you are unable to drive due to your injuries. All these are expenses for which you could be eligible for compensation.

Your personal injury lawyer can offer further guidance. Be sure to make note of every expense you incur because of your injuries; and what amounts, if any, your insurance company pays.

Long-Term Medical and Rehabilitation Costs

Many accident-related injuries require ongoing treatment after the initial recovery period. Depending on your injuries, you could be looking at unexpected expenses for a number of years, or even the rest of your life. You may find yourself needing to pay for:

• Physical therapy or rehabilitation
• Home nursing care
• Prosthetic fittings and devices
• Rental or purchase of medical devices such as crutches, electronic monitoring machinery and prosthetic limbs
• Home retrofits, such as wheelchair ramps or stairway lifts

Sometimes these future expenses can be difficult to predict. Working with an experienced Brooklyn car accident lawyer after your crash is a crucial step in helping you get the best possible settlement for your case.

Making Up for Lost Wages

You may be unable to work for some time after your accident. Your job may offer short or long-term disability coverage, but this is often merely a percentage of your former earnings. You may find your regular household budget coming up short, which can put assets like your home, your vehicle and your savings at risk.

You May Lose Earning Potential

Some injuries are so severe that you may be unable to return to your pre-accident job. You may even be unable to work in any field. This represents a lifetime of lowered earnings through no fault of your own. If you’ve been robbed of future earnings through someone else’s negligence, you deserve to be compensated.

Your financial security may be at stake.

Loss of Enjoyment of Life

Sometimes, the timing of an accident can cause you to miss an important event, such as a planned vacation or family wedding. Tragically, some injuries may leave you forever unable to enjoy a favorite activity. That’s a loss of enjoyment of life—something you may deserve compensation for in a personal injury case.

Pain and Suffering After a Car Accident

Even with the best medical care, most injuries from a car crash involve a significant amount of pain. Pain from your injury and recovery can be mild to severe; they may even be completely debilitating.

Insurance Companies May Try to Deny You Help

While they may seem nice during conversations, insurance adjusters are not on your side. If they can find a way to deny payment for your claim, they will. That’s why it’s so important to have an attorney who will go to bat for you in or out of court.

Working with a Lawyer After a Car Accident

An attorney will carefully evaluate your case, pore over your medical records and read through police reports. He or she may even talk to witnesses who were on the scene at the time of the accident to help determine who is at fault and whether you are entitled to compensation.

It’s not fair for you to suffer due to another’s negligence. Having a caring personal injury lawyer by your side during this difficult time will help alleviate your worry and uncertainty about your future. You can count on your lawyer to work hard to help get you what you deserve so you can focus on putting your life back together.

If your expenses are piling up after a car accident caused by someone’s negligence, call 718-448-1600 today.