Legal Help For Elders Hurt in Car Accidents

 Posted on June 15, 2024 in Car Accidents

Car accidents can be particularly devastating to elderly people. Elders are more likely to suffer serious injuries in car crashes that younger people might have walked away from. As people age, their bodies become more vulnerable to injuries as their bones lose strength and density. This means that aging adults are more likely to suffer traumatic brain injuries as their skulls are less able to protect the brain or injuries to internal organs as the rib cage and chest plate become more likely to break upon impact. Elders often have a special set of concerns after a car accident. If you are an older adult who has been hurt by a negligent driver, you need a Glenview, IL personal injury lawyer who is experienced in representing injured elders.

Special Concerns for Senior Citizens Who Were Hurt in a Car Crash

Elders have a special set of concerns after being hurt in a car accident. While you may not be worried about missing work at this stage in your life, you may have other, more serious and more long-term worries, including:

• Loss of independence - Maintaining your independence for as long as possible is likely a high priority for you. Sadly, you may lose the ability to care for yourself after a car crash. Your injuries may not heal as well as a younger person’s would, meaning that you will not fully recover and may need a higher level of care than you did before the accident. If you could drive before the accident, you might lose that ability, forcing you to rely on a paid transportation service. Any additional care you will need due to the crash should be paid for by the driver who hurt you or his insurance company. 
• Decreased quality of life - If you were active before the accident, enjoying social activities, walks in the park, and community events, you might not be able to do those things as frequently or as easily after getting hurt. You may become housebound or have to limit what you can do due to pain or reliance on assistive devices or people who can help you get around. You can be compensated for your loss of enjoyment in life and other noneconomic damages.
• Cascading injuries - Elders who suffer serious injuries can experience a sort of domino effect. What starts as a broken leg can turn into an infected surgical incision, which can turn into sepsis, leading to an ICU stay. Then you get bedsores because you cannot move much, and those require extensive treatment. Now you need to move into a nursing home. 

Contact a Cook County, IL Car Accident Lawyer for Elders 

Gruzmark Law, Ltd. is dedicated to helping senior citizens who have been injured in car accidents. Our aggressive Glenview, IL car accident attorneys are highly experienced in working with injured elders. Contact us at 847-729-7660 for a free consultation.