Whether someone gets hurt because they slip and fall at the grocery store or they get rear-ended in heavy traffic, an injury victim may be able to secure reimbursement for their financial expenses from an insurance carrier. When the responsible party doesn’t have sufficient insurance to cover the costs they caused via their conduct, then filing a personal injury lawsuit might be necessary.
Medical costs are often a major contributing factor in both insurance claims and injury-related lawsuits. People need to think not only about their current medical costs, such as their hospital bills and ambulance invoices, but also about future expenses and secondary medical costs that will add to their total expenses in the future. These are some of the additional medical costs that might increase the total financial impact of someone’s recent injury.
1. Physical therapy
When people have soft tissue injuries, broken bones, or any other medical issues that will limit their mobility or use of a body part, they may require physical therapy as their condition improves. Physical therapy helps someone regain range of motion and bodily strength. It can also help people learn how to perform certain tasks without exacerbating their injuries. Unfortunately, physical therapy can cost over $100 per session, which can drastically add to the total expense related to an injury.
2. Ongoing pain management
In cases where people suffer severe injuries, they may have lingering symptoms that persist for years. Lasting pain could be an issue after a severe case of whiplash or a broken bone. Pain management can be incredibly expensive, and the costs related to future pain relief could increase the total value of someone’s insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
3. The mental health consequences of an injury
People who suffer severe broken bones, spinal cord injuries and other debilitating medical issues often experience mental health or psychological consequences. It is quite common for people to report depression after an injury affects their daily life, pain levels and finances.
It can take many times longer than physical recovery requires to fully resolve the mental health consequences of a major injury. Simply tallying up the existing medical bills that someone has after an injury won’t usually be enough to fully account for what they have experienced. People also need to consider future expenses and secondary costs when negotiating with an insurance company or preparing to pursue a lawsuit.
Putting a reasonable price tag on a personal injury claim with the assistance of an experienced legal professional is an important step in the recovery process for those who have been recently hurt due to someone else’s negligence or intentional behavior.
