Being in an accident is in itself is traumatic, but it can have far-reaching implications on a person’s life. The road to recovery is fraught with obstacles, pain, and setbacks. After an injury, a person has to grapple with myriad different emotions that range from confusion, anger, exhaustion to downright despondency. And life as you knew it might change temporarily or permanently. If your accident was the result of someone else’s negligence or irresponsibility, you are entitled to compensation under the category of ‘disruption of normal routine’.
So what do we mean by ‘disruption of normal routine’ and what should you do? Read on to find out all about it.
Personal injury and ‘disruption of normal routine’
These are two legal terms that are closely related. Personal injury refers to any kind of psychological or physical pain that a person suffers due to the negligence, liability, or intentional wrongs of others.
Some classic examples of personal injury are-
- Being a victim of drunk driving
- Slipping and falling on someone’s property because maybe the floor was wet
- A car ran the red light and rammed into you or your vehicle
The gravity of a personal injury can be wide-ranging. It can be merely a sprained ankle, a few ugly bruises to a serious concussion or an injury to the spine. No matter the intensity of your injury, there will be some changes to your lifestyle.
Let us imagine a scenario. Mr X, a 35-year software engineer, married and father to a 2-year-old girl, was crossing the road when a car ran the red light and struck him. The paramedics arrived and discovered that Mr. X has injured his spine. He is rushed to the hospital and his situation is critical. Doctors operate on him and insert metal rods and screws to hold his spine in place. He has to remain in the hospital for a long time for post-operative care and for doctors to analyze if his nerves have been damaged. He requires frequent physiotherapy sessions to learn to straighten his spine. He can’t even sit up of his own volition let alone stand or move about. Doctors assure the family that he would be able to regain the use of his spine but he has to be patient. Recovery cannot be rushed.
So, what is Mr. X going through? It does not take much imagination to understand that his life is not what it used to be before. Let us enumerate the ways his normal lifestyle has been disrupted-
- He can’t go to work. He has to take a medical leave and his firm cannot fire him. But it may, considering the fact that he would not be able to join the workforce for many months. He would lose his livelihood and this will amount to a tremendous financial loss. If he is the sole breadwinner of the family, it would bring difficult financial straits to his family. All of these misfortunes are the result of the accident, which has severely disrupted his life.
- He and his family will have to downgrade their lifestyle. They will not be able to afford many of the things they could before the injury.
- He will not be able to care for himself and will have to rely on others for the simplest of things like taking a shower, using the loo, etc.
- He will be riddled with pain.
- He will feel gloomy, anxious, helpless, and may slip into depression.
- He will not be able to play with his little daughter or take her to her playschool.
- He and his wife will not be able to enjoy conjugal bliss.
- He will not be able to exercise and stay fit.
- His life will for now be all about doctor’s visits, the sterile smell of hospitals, multiple reports, and endless physiotherapy.
- He will have to continue paying for his treatment and therapy, which might further affect his family’s quality of living.
- He might have to opt for counseling.
This was an example of a serious injury and subsequent disruption of the normal routine. All injuries change the way a person usually lives their life, even if for a short while. The challenges faced by and individual and his/her family in any kind of personal injury can be summed up as-
- Coping with the trauma
- Dealing with pain
- Battling with anxiety, depression
- Possible financial strain
And these are grounds for demanding compensation. And if the sole earning member of the family dies, his/her survivors too can make this claim. But you will need experienced personal injury lawyers who can guide and counsel you and build a case for you with evidence (such as hospital records) and witness statements.
At Claim Settlement, our network of lawyers have 20 years of experience in handling personal injury and accident cases and has recovered millions of dollars in settlements for our clients. Our initial consultations are absolutely free and you don’t pay until our networks of lawyers have procured you the compensation you deserve. If you have suffered an injury or been in an accident call us at 1-833-892-5246 for a free consultation or e-mail us at claim@claimsettlement.ca