The need for long-term care after a crash often arises from the victim’s inability to take care of certain basic functions due to injury or disability. Among car crash victims who are likely candidates for long-term care, the most common causes of incapacity are nervous system impairments like traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and spinal cord injuries. Other causes are chronic pain regimens that may require heavy doses of opioids and burn injuries.
Activities that a car crash victim may require assistance with long-term care include:
- Bathing/showering
- Dressing/grooming, including tying shoes and getting out of bed
- Transferring – assistance with moving in and out of bed and chairs
- Toileting, including bladder catheterization
- Eating or taking care of basic needs
How Does Someone Know if He or She Needs Long Term Care After a Crash?
Most people know that they need help if car crash injuries have left them helpless and dependent on others for simple daily activities. The key question is whether the situation is temporary or permanent.
A person with a spinal cord injury may initially require assistance with bathing and grooming, but may later do these things for himself or herself. What is more, a person with chronic pain may require help once his or her prescriptions run out but will eventually function on his or her own again.
The best way for a crash victim to know if he or she requires long-term care is to see a doctor who is knowledgeable in crash-related injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, the crash victim may need to stay in a hospital, an acute rehab facility, or a nursing home.
Who Pays For Long-Term Care?
When looking to recover medical costs, the first place to look is the driver who caused the crash. If another driver’s negligence caused the crash, the victim may file a personal injury lawsuit against that driver. Compensation can include payment of all related medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Car insurance should cover long-term care expenses up to the limits of coverage purchased. For example, if the victim’s long-term care policy limit is $500/day and he or she needs care for 20 days per month, compensation would be $10,000.
Most car insurance policies, however, do not provide enough long-term care coverage to meet the victim’s real needs. It is not uncommon for a victim of a serious crash to require multiple years of care before he or she can resume a normal life.
Determining Fault In An Auto Accident
In many auto accidents, multiple parties can be partially liable. If the other driver in a crash was inattentive or ignored a motor vehicle law in a way that contributed to the collision, victims and their families might still be eligible to file a claim against that driver. In some cases, when an organization that employs the other driver is also partially at fault, claims might be filed with their insurance provider as well.
Who Covers Medical Bills After A Rideshare Accident?
In some states, drivers of rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are required to carry insurance coverage while on the job. If this is not the case in the victim’s state, however, it is important to check for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage before filing any claims related to a rideshare accident.
