The Costs From An Injury In St. Petersburg Can Add Up
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
Everyone who lives and works in St. Petersburg hopes they can carry on with their lives according to their own goals and hopes. Unfortunately, as with hurricanes from the ocean, things over which people have no control over can suddenly intrude into their lives.Injuries are one such area where many Americans can be devastated by this occurrence. Even an injury from which recovery is possible can be a costly, financially crippling experience. In contrast, a permanent injury, such as a new disability, changes a person’s life forever, and not for the better.
This is why if you’re injured in St. Petersburg and that injury is caused by someone else, you should be aware of your financial situation and know what costs may be coming in your financial future as you recover or adjust to a new normal with a permanent injury.
Medical Treatment
This is often the front and center consideration for financial losses, as medical costs can be exorbitant depending on the type of treatment and duration. In addition to procedures such as surgery, additional costs may be required, such as physiotherapy, counseling, chiropractic treatment, and others. However, this is often necessary if the goal is a full recovery to return to the physical state before the injury.
Earnings
Another obvious—but in this case, fixed—expense will be lost earnings. However long you cannot work, that is income you may not be paid, depending on your employer and financial situation. “Gig workers,” for example, whose main source of income is jobs such as driving passengers or delivery, will lose income from not working. Depending on whether their status is part-time or full-time, those part-time by a company may receive some worker’s compensation or paid medical leave.
Keeping track of earnings that may or may not be lost is important for accident victims, especially in a legal dispute.
Medication
Depending on the nature of an injury, there may be a further need for medication, either as a part of the recovery process or as a permanent prescription to help manage a new lifelong condition. Some medicines can be extremely expensive upfront, but most, while not initially financially demanding, can add up over a long enough timeline.
Needing a new medication to take regularly for any sustained period is a serious cost, especially in the case of rarer drugs.
Care & Assistance
Depending on the severity of injuries, whether permanent or not, there may be a need for additional medical care or assistance. Errands that used to be mundane, such as going out to buy groceries, may no longer be possible during the recovery process or will require new adjustments in life to be able to resume. In the meantime, additional costs, such as caregivers or assistants, help to adjust.
Residential Alterations
In some cases, injuries are so severe that they call for new adjustments to lifestyle. Becoming a wheelchair user, for example, means either moving to a mobility-friendly home or having the current home renovated to accommodate wheelchair use, installing ramps, altering counter heights, bath and shower access, and other expenses.
Mobility
Finally, depending on the nature of the injury, there may be a need for temporary or permanent mobility and transportation solutions. Someone temporarily using a wheelchair can’t drive their car anymore and must resort to alternative forms of transport. Someone who is now a permanent wheelchair user must find a permanent solution to no longer being able to drive.
Get Expert Help
All of these possible financial factors are a lot to keep track of, and many of them require expert evaluation to get an accurate assessment of what your losses are and what your compensation needs to be. This is why you should always talk to an expert, such as a St. Petersburg personal injury lawyer, for professional guidance.