One of the most common prescriptions a doctor gives a patient is to get rest. Staying still and relaxing does allow your body to reset and heal. However, some injuries and ailments go beyond the simple request to rest.
When you’ve been injured in a car accident, you could be facing surgery, hospitalization, and ongoing physical therapy sessions. All of that recovery time needs to be taken into account when you and your experienced Charleston car accident attorney calculate the amount you’re due from an accident that wasn’t your fault.
It is important to note that you don’t have to wait until you’re fully healed from your injuries to file a claim. You can start that process right away, but you do need to understand how long your car accident injuries will take to heal. The compensation you’re asking for needs to cover all your current and future medical expenses, along with your pain and suffering.
Factors That Influence Your Car Accident Recovery Timeline
Would you consider yourself to have a high or low tolerance of pain? Everyone reacts to injuries differently. These are the factors that can influence your car accident recovery:
Injury Type
Soft tissue injuries such as whiplash, sprains, and strains tend to heal at about the same rate as broken bones. More severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and internal organ damage, can add to your injury timeline. If you’re also dealing with multiple injuries, they could all heal at different times.
Medical Care
The quality of your medical care also influences your recovery timeline. That begins with how long it took you to seek medical attention. Sometimes, the symptoms of an injury can be delayed, leading to complications. Certain types of injuries also require mobilization.
The sooner that can happen, the speedier the recovery should be.
Individual Health Demographics
Your age is another major contributing factor towards. It is a mere fact of human physiology that young people tend to heal faster than older adults. If you have a pre-existing condition such as arthritis or a previous injury in the same area, it could delay your recovery.
Your overall fitness will also play a role in your healing process.
Emotional Well-Being
Finally, your mental state can have a significant impact on your recovery. It is not uncommon for victims of serious accidents to experience bouts of depression and anxiety.
Experiencing the stress of mounting medical bills can also be a factor. That’s why it’s essential to speak with a skilled accident attorney to understand all your options for compensation.
That can be a great stress reducer.
Common Car Accident Injuries and Average Healing Times
Although everyone’s healing process will vary, doctors can make general predictions about average healing times based on experience. Here’s what to expect:
- Whiplash and Soft Tissue Damage: 2 to 3 months for full recovery, though some symptoms may last longer.
- Concussion or TBI: Mild cases take a few weeks, while severe cases can last months or become chronic.
- Broken Bones and Fractures: Typically, 6 weeks to several months.
- Bruises and Minor Cuts: Generally heal within a few days to two weeks.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Months to years, often requiring intensive, long-term rehabilitation.
- Nerve Damage: Slow process, potentially taking months to years to heal.
- Internal Injuries and Bleeding: Requires immediate surgery and significant recovery time.
During recovery, it is helpful to keep a journal documenting your daily pain levels and discomfort. That can help support your personal injury claim.
What Is the Difference Between Acute Healing and Maximum Medical Improvement?
Your recovery journey can be divided into two phases: Acute healing and maximum medical improvement (MMI).
Acute healing is the early, inflammatory, and active repair phase. The goal of acute healing is to minimize the damage and implement a treatment plan. Acute healing can last for days.
Maximum medical improvement marks the point at which treatment is no longer expected to improve the condition. This is not only a medical concept but a legal one. MMI can be reached after months or years. For instance, a broken bone is X-rayed and put in a cast for immobilization. That is the acute healing phase.
As the bone mends, the cast will be removed, and another X-ray will be taken to confirm it has healed. That will be the MMI.
How Your Recovery Impacts Your Personal Injury Claim In Charleston, West Virginia
Your accident recovery time is going to have a direct impact on your personal injury claim.
It is essential to calculate the value of your claim that reflects all of your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. You mustn’t settle before you’ve reached the maximum medical improvement. That doesn’t mean you can’t start the claim process as soon as possible.
The experienced car accident attorneys at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC, work closely with our clients to assess the full impact of injuries caused by another person’s negligence. We will negotiate with insurance companies utilizing the multiplier method to help calculate your pain and suffering.
We will also rigorously defend our clients against an insurance company’s attempt to minimize the pain and suffering and shift the blame for the accident. When we accept a case, we are confident we can achieve the maximum benefits our clients are entitled to.
Call to schedule a free case review to get your questions answered about the way forward.
We want to help with your recovery journey.
