If you’ve been injured in any sort of accident, you’re going through a lot of pain, and you might not be able to work. You’re lucky that you survived, and that you’ll eventually get back to normal. But right now, you’re probably feeling pretty miserable. If you were hurt due to someone else’s negligence – whether it was in a car accident, a slip-and-fall accident or anything else – you have just as much of a right to compensation as someone who has suffered a catastrophic, permanent injury.
Just because your injury is considered “short-term,” that doesn’t mean it’s not having a major impact on your life. The attorneys with The Eberst Law Firm can help you get the compensation you deserve. For a free consultation, contact us online or call 888-CALL-JON.
What Causes Short-Term Injuries?
There are many different types of short-term injuries, and just as many reasons why they happen. Here is just a brief look at some of the more common causes.
- You could be in a so-called “minor” car accident, such as a rear-end collision, and suffer a neck injury such as whiplash. This is a type of soft-tissue injury that can lead to severe pain in the back and neck. Most people recover completely, but there are some whose pain becomes chronic.
- If you slip on a wet grocery store aisle or any other surface that was negligently maintained, you could easily suffer a back or head injury. Fortunately, this can sometimes be considered a short-term injury, one that you can recover from in a few weeks or a couple of months. For some people, however, this can lead to a lifetime of debilitation.
- Any sort of accident can also result in severe facial injuries that can lead to months of recovery. If you suffer a serious blow to the face, that could, for instance, result in a broken jaw or dental fractures.
Types of Short-Term Injuries
Back and head injuries, as well as bone fractures, occur in many types of accidents. While the initial diagnosis may be a short-term injury, there are times where long-term consequences can take place. These are a few of those consequences.
- When someone slips and falls, they will typically land on their back. If this has happened to you and your doctor says you should be fine in a few weeks, consider yourself incredibly fortunate. For a lot of people, a fall can lead to permanent damage to the spine, as well as disc problems that can lead to years of debilitation.
- Brain injuries can result from hitting your head on a windshield during a car wreck, or on a hard surface in a slip-and-fall accident. There are times where this kind of injury will eventually heal, and the victim will be completely normal. But there are other times where it can linger for years, leading to issues such as confusion, loss of coordination, problems with speech and memory, and many others.
- Fractures are also common in personal injury accidents. An automobile accident can easily result in broken bones as the occupants bang into vehicle components. When someone lands on their side during a fall, that can result in a broken hip or pelvis. Any sort of break can also lead to damage to internal organs, posing a potentially life-threatening risk.
What to Do After a Short-Term Injury
No matter what the cause of your short-term injury may be, there are a few things you’ll need to do – not only to protect our health, but also protect your potential case. These include the following:
- Get medical attention – This, of course, will be the most important priority. Even if you’ve walked a way from an accident and you think you’re fine, you may be injured and not even know it. Talk to a doctor as soon as you can to get the total picture of your condition.
- Keep notes and records of your injury – You’ll need to maintain all medical records associated with your injury. These include medical bills, prescriptions, doctor notes and anything else you can keep. This will help show the expenses you’ve incurred so you can have the best chance of obtaining a fair amount of compensation.
- See an attorney – An attorney will help you determine what kind of claim you may have, how much you may be able to obtain, and will also fight for your rights to help you get what you deserve.
How Does a Short-Term Injury Affect Your Quality of Life?
As fortunate as you may be to “only” have suffered a short-term injury, you’ll still have to deal with problems for quite a long time. If you’re really lucky, it will only be a few days. If you’re not, it could be a few weeks or even months. There is also a possibility that your diagnosis may be premature, because some symptoms don’t appear immediately after an accident.
But even if you’ll eventually recover, fractures and back injuries can make it impossible to perform even the most basic everyday tasks, much less be able to work.
How Much Compensation Can You Receive for a Short-Term Injury?
As you would probably expect, there are a lot of factors that will go into determining the value of your case. This, in turn, will determine how much compensation you can expect to receive. One of the most important is the evidence that you can gather. The more evidence you have, the stronger your case will be.
Photos and videos can be powerful, as can a police report. An attorney can help gather the evidence needed for you to be successful.
Do You Need to Hire an Attorney for a Short-Term Injury?
Without a doubt, you’ll need legal representation. It doesn’t matter that you’ll eventually be fine – during the time it takes you to recover, you’ll very likely go through a great deal of physical and emotional suffering. In order for you to have the best possible chance of obtaining the compensation you deserve, you’ll need the help of a skilled, experienced attorney.
Talk to an attorney with The Eberst Law Firm to learn more about how we may be able to help. Give us a call at 888-CALL-JON or use our online form to schedule a free consultation.
