A few days after a crash, the repair shop sends you an estimate for your car. But you are still dealing with painful injuries. Your neck hurts so much that you struggle to turn your head. The pain keeps you awake at night, and even driving to work makes you anxious. You may wonder whether the insurer will account for any of that.
The repair estimate tells you what fixing your car will cost, not how much the crash has affected your health. If another driver is legally responsible for your injuries, your settlement could also cover future medical care and the physical and emotional harm you suffered.
When treatment continues after repairs
You see a doctor after the crash and hope the pain will go away soon. But two weeks later, your neck still hurts, and you struggle to turn your head. You return for another visit, and your doctor might recommend physical therapy. The repair shop has finished fixing your car, but you still have treatment ahead of you.
In Indiana, your injury claim may include the reasonable cost of medical care you are likely to need in the future. Your doctor’s treatment plan helps explain why you need more care and how long it could last. Knowing what that treatment is expected to cost also helps you assess a settlement offer before your recovery ends.
When driving still causes distress
Your neck has started to heal, but driving still makes you anxious. You struggle to sleep at night, knowing you have to drive to work the next morning. Your heart races when another car gets too close, and you start taking longer routes to avoid the road where the crash happened.
In Indiana, your injury claim may also include pain and suffering, which covers physical pain and mental distress tied to your injuries. You do not receive a bill for the anxiety that disrupts your sleep or makes driving difficult. But that distress could still count toward your losses. Explaining how often it happens and how it affects your routine helps show the extent of your suffering.
Keeping track of your recovery
You may want to save your treatment records and note changes in your daily life. If an insurer makes an offer, you could compare it with the care your doctor expects and the problems you still face. Those details help you review an offer to settle your personal injury claim.