Each year, people lose limbs in vehicle accidents. If it happens to you, understanding the full extent to which it could affect your life will be crucial.
Your first concern might be how it will affect your mobility. Clearly, it is going to have a massive effect. While there are Paralympians out there performing amazing feats, it likely took them years to adapt. If you have been used to two working arms and legs all your life, losing one (or part of one) will affect everything you do.
Tasks you previously did without a second thought, such as walking to the kitchen to make a drink, or getting out of bed to attend to your crying baby, now become more complex.
It will affect your income
You may be able to return to your old job eventually, but you will certainly need a lot of time off to recover and attend rehabilitation and therapy. Even then, you might only be able to return with special adaptations. Many people need to change careers altogether.
Treatment will cost, so anything that reduces your earning ability leaves you at greater risk of spiraling debt.
Then there is the mental and emotional side
It’s hard to predict how much it will affect you. Some cope reasonably well, while others end up committing suicide due to their limb loss. Depression, anxiety, rage, post-traumatic stress syndrome, reduced body image and self-esteem are all common. That, in turn, can lead to strained relationships with family and friends.
Whether you lost the limb in the vehicle crash itself or because doctors needed to remove it surgically afterward, you will need legal help to examine the full effect it will have and seek the total amount of compensation you need.