(300+)Motor vehicle collisions are a real, tangible public safety hazard in Philadelphia. According to data from Safe Roads USA, the rate of catastrophic and fatal car accidents is higher in our city than it is in many other major American cities. A serious car crash can change your entire life. The immediate aftermath is stressful, confusing, and even overwhelming. Beyond that, there are often long term effects that need to be dealt with. Here, our Philadelphia car accident attorney highlights some of the potential long-term effects of motor vehicle collisions in Pennsylvania.
An Overview of the Long Term Effects of Car Accidents
Car accidents often cause injuries that extend far beyond the initial emergency room visit. Many injured victims in Philadelphia experience symptoms that persist for months or permanently alter their health, work capacity, and daily life. Even crashes that appear moderate at the scene can produce long-term medical consequences. Here are some of the most common long term effects:
- Chronic Neck and/or Back Pain: Soft tissue injuries, disc damage, and spinal instability often evolve into chronic pain conditions. Injured victims may endure persistent stiffness, limited range of motion, and flare-ups triggered by routine activity. Imaging may show disc herniations, annular tears, or facet joint degeneration that did not exist before the crash.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (Emotional/Cognitive Impairment): TBIs can produce lasting cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes. Injured victims may struggle with memory loss, concentration problems, slowed processing speed, and mood instability. Unfortunately, these deficits interfere with employment and personal relationships.
- Chronic Headaches (Migraines): Another concern with head trauma is that these injuries can trigger long term headaches, including debilitating migraines. These headaches may occur daily and resist standard treatment. Neurological involvement often complicates diagnosis. Persistent headaches interfere with life.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Psychological trauma frequently follows violent collisions. PTSD symptoms include flashbacks, hypervigilance, sleep disruption, and avoidance of driving. PTSD from a car crash in Philadelphia is a very serious matter. Victims need the proper diagnosis and mental health support.
- Post Crash Anxiety: Another common long term effect is anxiety. Anxiety disorders may develop even in injured victims with no prior mental health history. These conditions require formal diagnosis and long-term therapy. The unfortunate reality is that insurers often undervalue psychological injuries despite their severe impact.
- Permanent Mobility Limitations: Joint injuries, fractures, and ligament damage can permanently restrict movement. Injured victims may lose strength, endurance, or coordination. Activities such as lifting, walking long distances, or prolonged standing become difficult or impossible.
- Nerve Damage and Sensory Loss: Pinched nerves, nerve root compression, and direct nerve trauma can cause numbness, tingling, burning pain, or weakness. These symptoms may worsen over time. EMG and nerve conduction studies often confirm permanent nerve injury. Fine motor skills and grip strength frequently suffer lasting impairment.
A final adverse long term effect that car accident victims need to be prepared for is the need for ongoing medical care. Following a serious crash in Philadelphia, many injured victims require long-term or even life-lasting treatment. Along with other things, this can include physical therapy, pain management, medication, assistive devices, or future surgeries. Future medical costs must be projected using medical and economic evidence.
Your Compensation Should Consider the Car Accident After Effects
Following a serious crash in Philadelphia, you have the right to seek compensation for the full extent of your damages, including for any intangible losses. Never rely on an insurance company to properly value your case. They have a financial interest in paying out less to car accident victims. It is important to emphasize that your long term effects need to be considered (and compensated) as part of your settlement. Our Philadelphia accident lawyers are standing by, ready to help you seek the maximum financial compensation. Along with other losses, you may be able to recover for:
- Vehicle repairs or replacement;
- Ambulance costs;
- Emergency room care treatment;
- Hospital bills;
- Health care costs;
- Physical therapy;
- Pain and suffering;
- Emotional distress;
- Loss of wages;
- Loss of future earnings;
- Long-term disability;
- Permanent scarring;
- Reduced quality of life; and
- A family member’s wrongful death.
Key Legal Point: Car accident injury settlements are generally final. With only extremely narrow exceptions, they cannot be reopened. In other words, injured victims in Philadelphia will not have an opportunity to seek additional financial compensation for their long term effects if it is not included within an initial settlement.
A Proactive Approach is Best: Know the Statute of Limitations
The best way to deal with the potential long term effects of a car accident is to act quickly after a crash. Notably, there are legal reasons to be proactive. In Pennsylvania, car accident injury claims are subject to a strict statute of limitations. In most cases, an injured victim has two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline bars recovery. That is true regardless of the severity of your injuries. Do not wait to take action: Consult with a Philadelphia lawyer right away.
How Our Philadelphia Attorney Can Help With All the Effects of a Car Accident
Dealing with a car accident is challenging. In many cases, serious crashes leave the victim managing a wide range of adverse long term effects. At Gibbons Legal, Personal Injury & Accident Lawyers, we are a proactive, reliable, solutions-driven law firm that invests time, resources, and personalized attention into every case that we take on. Our case results and client testimonials tell the story of what we can do for victims and their families. Your initial consultation with our Philadelphia auto accident attorney is free, completely confidential, and carries zero additional obligations.
Get Help From Our Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Review
At Gibbons Legal, Personal Injury & Accident Lawyers, our Philadelphia auto accident attorney is an aggressive, experienced advocate for justice. If you have any questions about the long term effects of a car crash claim, we can help. Call us now or contact us online today for a free, no obligation initial case review. With a law office in the 19103 zip code of Philadelphia, we handle motor vehicle accident injury cases throughout the entire region, including in 19140, 19107, 19126, 19124, and 19133.
