When you’re involved in a car accident, it may be necessary to seek compensation for the injuries you sustained. This becomes more complex when injuries take longer to heal—requiring you to evaluate not only the current but the continued consequences of the collision. The guide below looks at some of the potential long-term effects.

How a Car Accident May Affect You

While cuts and burns can be treated with medications, bandages, and time, they can leave scars or cause a tightening of the affected skin, which will cause limited mobility. Similarly, broken bones may not heal completely, leading to chronic pain that can flare up as a result of intense physical activity or extreme temperatures.

There are more serious injuries that can inhibit your quality of life on a permanent basis. Even when treated immediately, traumatic head injuries, spinal injuries, and neck injuries may leave you physically impaired for the remainder of your life. Some car wrecks result in severed limbs or limbs that must be amputated to save the person’s life. In these situations, permanent disability is likely.

There are also emotional damages associated with serious car accidents. Some people suffer PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, which is comparable to that suffered by war veterans. Car wreck victims can also experience depression, anxiety, and other types of emotional trauma. Although there are various types of counseling to help people recover emotionally, the trauma of the accident may never completely go away.

How Can You Minimize the Symptoms of Permanent or Long-Lasting Injuries? 

Even when you do suffer from an injury or psychological condition that will stay with you for the rest of your life, there are actions you can take to minimize its severity. In all cases, early diagnosis and prompt treatment increase the benefits that the treatments provide. 

Additionally, continuing your treatment is necessary to avoid relapses. This includes following your doctor’s orders and adhering to a long-term physical therapy treatment plan. If you begin psychological counseling to cope with the trauma, you may need to continue that therapy.

The injuries you suffer in a car accident may not heal as thoroughly as you expect. This is just one reason it’s important to consult an attorney experienced in recovering damages for accident victims. Located in Sugar Land, TX, lawyers Reed & Terry have been helping people in the community seek just compensation for more than 25 years. They offer a free case evaluation when you schedule an appointment via their website or by calling (281) 491-5000.