2021 saw 62 million people suffer non-fatal, preventable injuries. That’s roughly one in every five people. When the number of injuries is this high, it’s clear that there’s something wrong with how people perceive the concept of carefulness.
Individuals who’ve been involved in accidents suffer a range of injuries. Some are minor, while some are severe. The effects of some last a lifetime. Some victims even lose their lives.
In instances like this, it is important to get legal counsel. You could visit www.thefloodlawfirm.com or similar websites to get recommendations on what to do after being injured in an accident. The advice of a lawyer is vital, as they will help calculate compensation based on the severity of your injuries.
As said earlier, the impact of an accident will vary from person to person. This article talks about some of the long-term losses that an accident victim may suffer.
Long-Term Losses Due to an Accident
Long-term losses are those that either have painfully long recovery periods or that a victim may have to carry on with for the rest of their life. The following losses fall into the aforementioned category.
- Death of a loved one
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Emotional trauma
- Humiliation
We’ll discuss each of these losses in detail.
Death of a Loved One
No loss compares to that of the death of a loved one. The hurt is excruciating, particularly when you know that the death was caused by someone’s carelessness. Something that could’ve been completely avoided.
Lives are irreplaceable, and as such, the death of a loved one will leave a void in the hearts of everyone they knew. The victim’s children will miss the warm parental embrace and care of the victim.
Then there are the spouses or partners who shared a deep emotional and intimate bond with the victim. Losses like these cannot be replaced with money.
Disability
The only thing worse than death in an accident is suffering a disability due to it. The more severe types of accidents, like truck or motorcycle accidents, have the ability to cause serious impact on the victims.
For example, a victim who suffers a spinal cord injury runs the risk of either partial or complete paralysis. This makes it impossible for the victim to do even basic things, like climbing a flight of stairs, without someone’s help.
Disability also has professional consequences. A person who was disabled due to an accident will find it extremely difficult to perform at pre-accident levels. Or worse, they may stop working altogether.
Disfigurement And Scarring
Disfigurement is often seen in burn accidents or those involving hazardous chemicals, but it can be seen in other accidents as well.
As a long-term loss, disfigurement impacts a person’s life in two ways.
- Disfigurement on a visible part of the body (like the face) often leads to embarrassment and self-esteem issues.
- Disfigurement in very specific areas of the body may interfere with the victim’s mobility.
Although not as severe as disfigurement, scarring does have a considerable impact on a victim’s life. The scar may be the result of an accident injury or a procedure to rectify one. Similar to disfigurement, a scar on the face of a victim can lead to self-esteem issues. Some victims end up spending thousands of dollars on cosmetic surgery to correct their scars.
Emotional Trauma
The emotional consequences of an accident are a rarely discussed topic. A victim who has been in a major car accident may develop a fear of driving. This fear will interfere with their day-to-day activities and make their lives a living hell.
Then there’s post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Even long after recovery, victims may experience sudden flashbacks of the accident, leading to anxiety, depression, and other psychological conditions.
A victim may also lose the will to live or lose interest in life or specific activities after an accident.
All these instances affect the victim’s well-being and their ability to live a normal and satisfying life.
Humiliation
Humiliation often appears alongside other conditions. Conditions like disfigurement and disability co-exist with humiliation.
A victim with a disfigured face will avoid social situations to avoid getting mocked for their appearance. This social isolation will be devastating for someone who has been a people person all their life. The harmful words spoken simply add salt to the wounds.
Conclusion
You just read about five of the most terrible long-term effects of an accident. It is a fact that the majority of the accidents could’ve been avoided if the people involved were a bit more careful. This is the reason why it is important for people to stay mindful of their surroundings and be more considerate of those around them.
