Factors That Affect Your Recovery From Auto Accident Injuries

Auto accident victims require different times to recover. The recovery duration determines your damages since it determines your pain and suffering, time off from work, and medical treatment, among other things. Below are the major factors that determine your recovery after an auto accident.



Affected Body Part

Different parts of the body heal at different rates. Discover a couple of reasons for the differences:

• Some body parts have more blood supply than others. The blood cleans the affected tissues and supplies them with oxygen and nutrients.
• Some body parts are in constant motion, which stresses the affected tissues and slows healing.

For example, the elbows and knees have slower healing times, while the mouth and fingers heal fast. The affected body part will determine how fast you resume your pre-accident life.

Injury Extent

Auto accident victims with severe injuries take longer to recover than those with minor injuries. For example, fractures and organ damage can take longer to heal than sprains. Discover some factors that affect your injuries' extent:

• The cars involved in the accident (for example, some cars absorb accident impacts better than others)
• The respective speeds of the cars involved in the crash
• Your sitting position and the impact position
• The nature of the accident (for example, rollovers usually cause severe injuries)
• Your seatbelt use

From the above, you can see that speed is not the sole factor in auto accident injuries. Never assume that your injuries are minor after a low-speed crash. For example, a minor fender bender can leave you with long-term injuries if it affects your knee.

Medical Treatment

Medical treatment is arguably the most critical determinant of injury recovery times. Below are the major treatment-related factors.

Treatment Immediacy

The time between your injuries and your first treatment affects your recovery. The sooner you get treatment, the faster you may recover. For example, immediate treatment means getting first aid and a fast diagnosis. The swift treatment also prevents health complications down the line.

Treatments Received

Your treatments should match your injuries for you to recover fast. For example, your general physician may refer you to a neurosurgeon if you have a head injury. In such a case, neurosurgical treatment may accelerate your recovery, while its absence might prolong your ill health.

Instruction Adherence

Injury patients who work with their doctors often recover faster than those who ignore their doctors' instructions. For example, the doctor may advise you to avoid mixing alcohol with certain drugs. Whether or not you heed the advice affects your recovery time.

Pre-Accident Health

Your overall health at the time of the accident affects your recovery in multiple ways. Discover some ways different aspects of your health can affect your recovery:

• Your immune system's strength determines your vulnerability to infections (among other things).
• Ongoing mental health issues, such as stress and anxiety, slow down your recovery.

Luckily, the eggshell skull rule means the defense cannot hold your pre-accident fragility against you.

Diet, Rest, and Exercise

How you eat and what you do during your recovery affects your physical and mental health, which affects your recovery. For example, your body requires good nutrition to grow new tissues and adequate calories to provide you with the energy.

The need for rest and physical exercise might seem contradictory, but it is not. On the one hand, you should avoid extreme physical exertion that might hinder blood clots, usurp your energy, and cause further tissue damage. Physical exertion is especially dangerous in the early days. On the other hand, controlled physical therapy increases blood flow and encourages recovery.

Wegner & Associates has over 40 years of experience in personal injury law. Contact us for a consultation on your personal injury case to help you recover your damages.