The Hidden Costs of Car Accidents You May Not Know About

When you find yourself in a car crash, there are bound to be a thousand thoughts running through your head. It is typical to think of the immediate consequences and you may be preoccupied with handling the medical aftermath too. That is why some hidden costs that commonly crop up in car accident cases are often overlooked and manage to blindside you further down the line. Don’t be caught out. Read our advice below and make sure you know what’s in store while you navigate life post-accident.

Deductibles

Most insurance policies only cover a certain amount of medical attention and costs. They also make sure their clients have deductibles factored in as a part of the cost makeup and these are not hidden as such, but more something that people forget about when they come to pay for their treatment. You may also face extra charges if your injuries are particularly severe or life changing. For instance, a Traumatic Brain Injury can take years to recover from and it may not be strictly covered by your policy.

Vehicle Hire

Lots of car insurance companies fail to include a hire vehicle in their contracts. This means, if you are able to drive after the accident takes place and you get out of hospital, you may need to hire a vehicle until yours is either replaced or returned.

Title Transfers

The policy will, however, help you to obtain a new vehicle. What it won’t pay for is all of the registration and transfer of ownership costs of your new car. This will be all covered out of your own pocket and, when unexpected, it can be really hard to manage on top of everything else going on around you.

Insurance Raise

You may also face a rise in your policy if you make a claim. It is down to your provider to deem and assess the level of risk but if you do need to claim something then anticipate that your policy will rise in some way in the near future. There is no getting around this fact, and there are cases where it doesn’t happen, especially if the accident was explicitly not your fault. However, you will have to prove this, and this is a lengthy process too.

Lost Personal Items

Alongside your car being damaged, everything inside it may be broken or gone as well. It could get stolen while the vehicle is waiting to be recovered or it may simply be thrown around when the crash actually takes place. This cost is a personal one, but it still counts. Some things can’t be replaced, after all.

Finance Payments

If you acquired your vehicle through a finance arrangement, you are still liable for these payments. While it may seem unfair, it is simply a part of your contract, and you must pay off the loan until it is finished. This may make it more difficult to obtain credit or finance in the future too.

Lost Wages

If the accident caused a major injury that has really impacted your ability to carry out your usual tasks, you may be facing the prospect of lost wages. Most companies have some form of sick pay policy, but it is often short and not wholly supportive. If you are looking at a time period where you cannot work, you will have to financially support yourself. This is difficult, to say the least, and even more so when you factor in managing an injury and recovery journey alongside it.

Well-Being Cost

This is less of a fiscal consideration and more of a well-being point. Your mental health is going to be impacted in one way or another in life after the accident. Whether it is fear of driving, PTSD because of the accident, or general depression, this is a real-life cost that you can feel every single day. This is all relevant in an injury case or claim after an accident and our attorneys will listen and take it into account with regard to your case.

Ongoing Repairs

If your car did make it out alive, then there are still going to be repairs that need to take place. Often, these cost a lot and may be chronic. Once something is completely broken, it is difficult to get it back to functional without there being some long-term impact. Your car’s overall value will depreciate, and it will make it harder to sell as well if you decide to in the future.

Therapy

Therapy is a common path to recovery for people who have lived through an accident, or lost a loved one as a result of a road incident. It will cost you money for every session that you attend, and this will have to go on for as long as it takes to feel some sort of healing take place. This can be difficult, and you may resent the price. This is an area that compensation can help you with.

Pencheff and Fraley Are the Experts

There is a lot to navigate when an accident takes place. You will need to liaise with your insurance company, figure out who was to blame, repair your car and probably pay for medical bills too. Whatever your circumstances, try not to get too stressed. If you are blame-free, there is always a route for compensation and owed repercussions. Get in touch today to see how we can help.

If you have been in a car accident and need some legal advice, your search is over. This team of legal experts is all you need to carry a case forward and we will help you learn about all of the hidden costs that might not have registered on your radar. There is so much to process after a crash takes place, so let us ease some of that burden by helping you out with the admin and keeping things organized.

Find our offices at these addresses and don’t hesitate to swing by for an initial conversation. We are at:

• Westerville – 4151 Executive Pkwy, Suite 355, Westerville, OH 43081
• Mansfield – 33 S. Lexington-Springmill Rd, Mansfield, OH 44906

Call now for a free consultation on (614) 224-4114.