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Life-Altering Injuries: Seeking Compensation for Immobility

If you suffered life-altering injuries in a car accident, you could be entitled to compensation for your damages. Damages can include medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. When it comes to significant injuries that cause immobility, however, determining your damages can be complicated. Many factors can affect your settlement, and it’s important you receive fair compensation for all your losses. You should always work with a knowledgeable Illinois personal injury attorney if you have been seriously injured in an accident, but the following information can help prepare you for your first meeting.

The Significance of Immobility

If you’ve lost your mobility temporarily or permanently, your life will change. You could have ongoing medical costs, lose your ability to work, and taking care of your family may be impossible. It’s hard to imagine any settlement can truly compensate someone for immobility, but here are a few factors that can influence such a claim.

Is your immobility permanent? If so, your settlement needs to reflect your future medical bills and pain and suffering.

Have your reached maximum medical improvement (MMI)? MMI is an important criterion when doctors treat severe injuries. You’ve reached MMI if you have healed to the extent that you can, and your doctor does not expect your condition to improve. This can be considered a treatment plateau. If you are immobile because of a severe injury and your doctor believes further treatment will not heal or improve your condition, you may be ready to start settlement negotiations.

What was your life like before your injury? Were you active? Did your job require you to do physical labor? These details of your life can affect your settlement because they reflect your unique losses. No personal injury settlement is the same, due in part to these various factors. If your job involved physical labor, you might not be able to return to your line of work. If you need training or an education to find a new job, your settlement could include an amount for that.

Similarly, if you skied, hiked, competed in marathons or otherwise enjoyed a very active life, your compensation should reflect the significant losses you’ve suffered. Don’t discount these small details, even if the insurance company does.

Moving on With Help

Another significant factor is whether you need help to take care of yourself. If you are unable to take care of your daily needs, you may need a home health aide or to stay in an assisted living facility. Again, your settlement should reflect the cost of this care, which can be significant.

Handling a personal injury claim on your own can be overwhelming, even more so if you suffered serious injuries and are immobile. You should be focusing on treatment and figuring out what you need to help you adapt to your condition, not fighting for your right to fair compensation with insurance companies. Find an experienced Arlington Heights personal injury attorney who can be your advocate and handle your claim while you focus on what’s important.

R.F. Wittmeyer

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