Untold Challenges After an Alberta Motor Vehicle Collision

The consequences of a car accident where you’re not at fault may extend to parts of your life that you did not expect them to reach. Motor vehicle accidents may cause physical injuries (or even death), in addition to emotional and psychological ones. Financial consequences are also extremely likely when your injuries prevent you from doing normal activities like working.

If you or a loved one were injured in a motor-vehicle accident in Alberta, contact our personal injury lawyers.

Possible physical health effects following an Alberta car crash

The majority of crashes in Alberta do not cause injuries, fortunately. When collisions do result in physical injuries, however, their seriousness can range greatly, from small cuts and bruises to life-threatening or otherwise catastrophic conditions.

Even if you do not feel any pain after a vehicle collision, it is worthwhile to seek medical attention as soon as possible. A qualified medical practitioner has the knowledge and skill to properly diagnose your injuries. Sometimes the health impacts of a car accident do not become clear until much later, but earlier examination by a doctor can help tie those impacts to the original crash. A doctor may also offer preventive advice or treatment to keep any conditions from getting worse.

Alternatively, an insurer may argue that you contributed to the severity of your injuries because you did not seek medical attention or did not follow your doctor’s treatment plan as prescribed.

Injuries that often result from motor vehicle accidents include (but are not limited to):

Whiplash
Spinal cord and/or column injuries (affecting the connective tissues and/or bones of the spine)
Orthopedic injuries
Fractures, broken bones and soft tissue injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) such as concussions
Amputations
Permanent impairments
Death

Some other serious injuries or conditions that a crash may cause are paralysis and burns. Lengthy treatment and rehabilitation processes may be necessary in the case of serious injuries. Even then, full recovery may not be possible.

Your ability to work and perform day-to-day tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and caring for children could be diminished or eliminated altogether. Treatment may require long-distance travel to other communities, further disrupting your pre-accident routine.

Our personal injury lawyers can assess your possible existing and future damages and help you get the compensation you deserve.

Motor vehicle collisions may take an emotional and psychological toll on your well-being

Physical injuries tend to take centre stage when considering the damage inflicted by a car accident. Nevertheless, a collision frequently also can leave emotional and psychological wounds.

These wounds can affect people in a wide variety of ways. Past claims from our clients and other car accident survivors have noted depression and anxiety as after-effects of their accidents. In some instances, survivors may feel extreme discomfort driving again and avoid it altogether. If driving is vital to how they earn their income, this may further aggravate their stress. As with physical injuries, we recommend visiting a medical doctor or other qualified mental health professional if you feel your emotional or psychological state has changed after being involved in a vehicle collision.

Potential financial consequences could emerge from your car accident

Car crashes may demand extra spending on several fronts while also affecting victims’ income-earning ability.

Some expenses that you may need to cover in the aftermath of a collision are property damage (to your vehicle or even non-vehicle property such as a fence damaged in the accident) and medical bills (for hospital stays, medication, and other treatment). If you were seriously injured, you may need long-term care or rehabilitation. Housekeeping and child care may also be required if you had performed those tasks in your household but cannot because of your injuries.

We recommend speaking with our personal injury lawyers if you need legal help with pursuing a claim for your financial losses from your injuries.

Understanding the potential legal pitfalls of navigating the Alberta auto claims process

Establishing responsibility and thus liability for an auto accident is a key factor in deciding how Alberta auto claims are resolved and who owes what to whom in the aftermath. Insurers in vehicle collision cases have a motive to pay out as little as possible and will often argue strongly in favour of the drivers they have insured.

Proving that you are not at-fault requires collecting evidence such as police reports, medical records, statements from witnesses, and photos from the scene of the accident. This evidence can support your account of what happened during the accident, the extent of your injuries, and the property damage that was caused.

If you wish to make a legal claim against another party involved in the accident, you will need to do so within 2 years of the accident, per Alberta’s statute of limitations. However, the injuries you suffered and consequent recovery may interfere with your ability to mount an effective case.

At Preszler Injury Lawyers, our Calgary car accident lawyers can ensure that you stay on top of the many deadlines and procedures that need to be followed when filing a claim so that you’re able to successfully secure the compensation and benefits you deserve.

Contact our car accident lawyers if you have been injured in a vehicle collision in Alberta

We believe that it is best for our clients following a car accident to focus on their health and recovery while we attend to any and all legal matters, such as communicating with insurers and gathering evidence for a claim.