You might not see them coming, but a negligent driver on a Jackson-area street can change your life forever. A violent car accident could damage your spine or brain and lead to a lifetime of disability.
Suddenly losing mobility, including the ability to walk, after a crash will have several implications for your life. Doctors will try their best to cure your disability or at least improve the condition. They might order surgery, physical therapy or some combination of both. Unfortunately, a total recovery is not possible for many victims. Instead, they will have to adjust to life with a major disability such as paralysis. Still, treatment might at least help you regain some ability. Most people would do whatever they can to reduce the severity of their disability. But medical treatment can cost a lot of money, and health insurance often covers only so much.
If you require a wheelchair, walker or cane to get around, your home may no longer be safe or convenient to live in. You might need to add ramps and handrails and adjust the heights of sinks, tables and other things to wheelchair height. Such work can take weeks to complete and cost thousands of dollars.
Meanwhile, you could no longer be able to take care of yourself. Everyday tasks like bathing, cleaning and cooking might now be impossible to do by yourself. Family can help, but many people need long-term care assistance, which is another huge expense.
The extra costs of disability
The average family cannot afford the massive costs that a sudden, disabling injury usually bears. According to one study, households with a disabled person who cannot work require 28 percent more income to meet the same standard of living as they used to have.
Nobody should have to pay these expenses alone if the person’s disability happened because somebody else acted negligently, such as by driving drunk or ignoring a red light. In cases like that, Mississippi law holds the negligent driver responsible for the victim’s damages. These usually include medical costs as well as the cost of equipment like wheelchairs and ramps for your home. Other common damages include pain and suffering and lost wages.