Examples Of Residual Or Permanent Injuries You May Have After An Auto Accident

If you have been injured in an accident and you have residual or permanent injuries, you should expect a bigger settlement than you would get if you were completely healed. Residual or permanent injuries are those that haven't healed at the point of your maximum medical improvement and aren't expected to improve any time soon. Here are some of these injuries.

Scarring and Disfigurement

External injuries that involve deep cuts or extensive bruises usually leave their victims with serious scarring and disfigurement. For example, if you are thrown out of a car during a collision or if you are injured by flying glass, you may develop serious cuts and bruises on your body that may leave you with scarring and disfigurement. In such cases, the location of the disfigurement, its effect on your health, as well as its size are some of the factors that will determine your compensation for the same. Note that some scarring or disfigurement may be permanent.

Amputation

An amputation (a permanent injury) is when a limb or part of the body has to be cut off because it is too injured to be saved. For example, if your left arm is crushed in several places and all the tissues including the bone, nerves, and ligaments are damaged, your doctors may have no option but to remove the arm. If that is don't, then the amputated part of the body and its effect on your life and career are some of the things that will determine its value as far as accident compensation is concerned.

Paralysis

You develop a paralysis if you lose the use of one or more muscle groups. For example, you may lose the functions of the muscles controlling your right arm, making you unable to use that arm. Some forms of paralysis are treatable while others are permanent. Living with paralysis can be very costly because you will have to get help to take care of the daily tasks that you can't do because of the injury. 

For example, if you can't mow the lawn because your arm is paralyzed, you will have to pay someone to mow your lawn and take care of other tasks you would have done if you had full use of your arms. You should get compensated for these and other costs occasioned by the paralysis.

PTSD

Not all permanent or residual injuries are physical in nature; you may also suffer permanent or long-term emotional or psychological injuries. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a good example of a long-term injury that is not physical in nature. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder characterized by intense and disturbing thoughts associated with the accident. Such thoughts may give rise to constant fear, sadness, and anger, among other feelings, that may require ongoing psychiatric help.

For more information, contact a law office like FUNDERBURK  AND LANE.

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