Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
Car accidents and traffic collisions are a devastating part of American society. Though they occur every day, the impact they cause is never routine and the results can be tragic. Figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that traffic crashes in 2012 resulted in $18 billion in lifetime medical costs for injured victims, a number that will shock many in the nation.
When thinking about a car collision in the abstract, many people picture minor inconvenience and damage to the vehicles involved. Some realize that injuries might stem from those crashes and that victims may be in need of medical help, but few consider that many of these injuries will last for months, years, or even the remaining lifetime of those who survive a collision, necessitating medical help at every step during life. Though approximately $13.5 billion of the lifetime medical costs will be incurred in the first 18 months following a crash, the remaining $4.5 billion will be spread out over the years that follow as the most severely hurt victims will require continued care.
In addition to the medical expenses that stem from a collision, crashes in 2012 were also blamed for $33 billion in lifetime lost work. These damages affect not only a victim and that victim’s family members but also coworkers at a victim’s place of employment, future customers of that victim’s business, and the consumer down the road. With decreased workplace productivity comes decreased profits for businesses to earn, decreased taxes paid by those businesses, and fewer goods available for consumers to purchase and use. Victims themselves will also suffer significantly from missed work as they may struggle to provide for their families and may see their buying ability decrease, effectively taking them out of the consumer market for anything other than essentials.
No matter how you look at it, car accidents are causing mayhem in this nation and in the Chicago area. When at all possible, every effort should be made to avoid collisions by putting safety first and operating vehicles in a responsible manner. This can include obeying all traffic signals, yielding the right-of-way, and refraining from dangerous activities like speeding or driving while drunk.
But your safety on the roads is influenced by those around you as well, which means that even if you are the safest driver in Illinois, you may still become the victim of a traffic accident and you may still be hurt as a result. If that happens, make sure you understand what legal options exist for you so that you can take the necessary steps to protect your interests, your family’s interests, and your legal rights against those who may be at-fault.
The personal injury legal team at Abels & Annes, P.C. has helped countless accident victims over the years obtain the relief they deserve by fighting for their rights, and if you have been injured, we want to fight for you as well. We offer a no-cost, no-obligation case consultation to victims who call us toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 and we have a licensed lawyer available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to speak with you.
If we represent you in your case, we will never charge you a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf and we will advance all case-related expenses. Remember, there is no obligation for speaking with us so call us today to learn about your legal rights.
Prior Blog Entry:
Half of Car Accidents Happen within 5 Miles of Home, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published February 17, 2016.
Resource:
Motor Vehicle Crash Injuries, Costly but Preventable, CDC Vitalsigns, published October 2014.