From legal fees to damaged property and bodily injuries, the financial costs of personal injuries can be outrageous. But the true cost of personal injury can come in an unquantifiable way. From stress to the emotional toll of being injured or loving someone who is hurt, it’s not always possible to predict the true cost of a personal injury. If you or someone you love has been injured, consider these additional costs to the situation so you are better repaired for the bumpy road ahead.
Legal Expenses
While attorneys will do their best to help you with all costs associated with your injury, there are still hidden costs you might not be aware of. From things like long-distance calls, travel to and from doctor’s appointments, fees for late-payments on bills, and more, plan to see some costs you might not have thought of before. If you haven’t secured a lawyer to help you work through your claim, consider a personal injury lawyer in Chicago IL, or wherever you are located who is trained to help foresee these hidden costs and more.
While legal fees and expenses should be the least of your concern, these attorneys may be able to offer you help in ways you hadn’t before considered. For injured workers, for example, there are programs that will pay you a percentage of your former income while you wait on a worker’s compensation case. It doesn’t hurt to ask and could go a long way in saving you priceless nights of sleep and stress.
Medical Supplies
Like hidden legal fees or costs, paying for medical supplies could be an issue after a personal injury. While some, hopefully, most, of your care will be covered by insurances, there are out of pocket medical supply expenses that may be headed in your direction. If you are not in the hospital for your injury, you may still need over-the-counter medications, splints, and more that aren’t part of your medical, personal injury, car insurance, or worker’s compensation coverages. When looking at your budget, be sure to set aside funds for these types of expenses.
If you aren’t insured, you may want to consider money-saving tricks and look into how to get a prescription without going to a doctor’s office. Depending on the nature of your injury or whether or not you plan to sue, this is something to think about when planning for the overall costs associated with a personal injury too.
Emotional Damages and How to Cope
If you have an attorney, they are trained to calculate the pain and suffering you will face as you navigate your physical injury. However, their calculations are mathematical and not always so easy to quantify. For this reason, you will want to keep detailed notes of all expenses related to your injury and surround yourself with a good support system.
The truth is that no professional or judge will be as invested in your overall healing as the people who love you most. Don’t hesitate to reach out to them as you work toward recovery. Where money is or may soon be tight, say yes to that casserole or fast-food gift card that friends, family, or co-workers might offer. Every bit counts when trying to navigate the hidden expenses after a personal injury and there is no true way to calculate just how expensive your emotional suffering will be. A solid support network will really help.
While it may sound daunting, you can minimize the true costs of personal injury by doing your research, being prepared, and securing a support network of friends and family to help see you through these trying times. Using your lawyers, personal life supporters, and loved ones will help make recovery easier and minimize the true costs of a personal injury.
