Studies conducted on the effect of auto accidents on pregnant women
Several different agencies are reporting new studies regarding the effect of auto accidents on pregnant women. These studies collected data on the effects of auto accidents on pregnant women in an effort to help design new ways to protect expectant mothers who may be involved in these accidents.
Specific complications for pregnant women
While there are no clear statistics as to the number of fetuses lost each year due to injuries sustained in auto accidents, researchers have state that the number may be in the thousands. Auto accidents, even relatively minor ones, can still be very serious for a pregnant woman. The most important thing to remember is to always seek medical attention following an auto accident even if you don’t feel like anything is wrong.
Some of the complications that typically occur for pregnant women following an auto accident include:
- pre-term labor (premature birth)
- hemorrhaging
- high-risk pregnancy
- birth defects
- miscarriage
There may also be an issue of emotional distress following an auto accident, which can result in injury to both the unborn fetus and the expectant mother.
Damages in auto accident cases
Accidents happen even to the best drivers. Regardless of how minor your injuries may seem at first, you should always seek medical attention as soon after a car accident as you can. Remember to tell your doctor that you were involved in a car accident and describe exactly what happened.
How much can you recover for damages?
The amount of compensation you may recover after a car accident depends on the type of damages you suffered. Each claim is different, both factually and with regard to which laws apply to your claim. The most important element used in determining the value of a car accident claim is the nature and seriousness of your injuries.
Compensatory Damages
In most car accident cases, the primary component of damages is medical expenses incurred as a result of accident. Reimbursement for medical treatment basically includes compensation for treatment already received, as well as the estimated costs of any medical care that may be required in the future. Additionally, the injuries suffered can have a substantial impact on the victim’s ability to return to work, either temporarily or permanently. In that case, damages may include future income.
Emotional Distress and Pain and Suffering
Another important component of damages in nearly every car accident case is compensation for pain and suffering. If you suffer pain and severe discomfort at the time of the injury, as well as ongoing pain, that is a separate type of damages for which compensation may be available. Another thing to consider is the effect of more severe injuries, which often lead to emotional distress damages for the psychological impact of the injuries.
How Long Will My Personal Injury Case Take?
Most people who have been involved in a personal injury case agree that resolving the matter can never come too soon. That is understandable, as the disruption that a legal case will cause in the lives of everyone involved can be very unwelcome. The sooner you are able to get back to life as usual, the better. How long that will take depends on several factors, none of which can be predicted with great certainty. However, your personal injury lawyer can familiarize you with the normal timeline for certain types of claims.
Legal issues that may affect resolution of your case
It is not uncommon for a personal injury case to be a little more complicated, depending on the legal issues involved, which may delay the resolution of the case. There are two very common legal issues that will always need to be addressed: liability and causation. Determining and then proving who is at fault for a personal injury is not always cut and dry.
There may also be issues regarding whether your injuries were actually caused by the accident, and whether your injuries are as serious as you say they are. Expert witnesses are often obtained in order to provide testimony on these very important issues. If these issues are particularly complicated, then the case may take much longer to resolve.
If you have questions regarding auto accidents, or any other personal injury concerns in Arkansas or Missouri, please contact the Cottrell Law Office for a consultation, either online or by calling us as (888) 433-4861.
Wesley Cottrell
Wes Cottrell earned his B.A. from Pittsburg State University in 1981 and his J.D. from the Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas in 1985. He was admitted to practice law in Kansas in 1986, in Missouri in 1987, in Arkansas in 1989, and Oklahoma in 1993. He is licensed to practice law in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, eastern Arkansas, western Arkansas, and western Missouri. He was Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Crawford County, Kansas from 1987-1989.
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