The Hidden Costs of a Car Accident: Beyond the Medical Bills

Lost Wages and Diminished Earning Capacity

Loss of income can hit fast when injuries prevent you from working. You miss shifts, use up sick leave, and watch your paychecks shrink or disappear entirely while you recover. For many Minnesota families, missing even a week or two of work creates severe financial strain.

Some accident victims discover they can't return to their previous jobs. A construction worker with a back injury may no longer be capable of lifting heavy equipment. An office worker suffering from traumatic brain injury might struggle with concentration and memory. When you can't perform the work you have always done, the long-term impact on your income can be devastating.

Diminished Vehicle Value

Even after having your vehicle repaired, it's worth significantly less than before the accident. This loss is known as diminished value and occurs because the accident now appears on the vehicle's history report. When the time comes to sell or trade your car, potential buyers will see that report, and they'll offer you less money for it. In some cases, the reduction can total thousands of dollars.

Insurance companies typically apply a base loss of value of 10%–20% after an accident, but the actual diminished value depends on several factors, including:

• The severity of the damage
• Your vehicle's age and mileage
• Your vehicle’s pre-accident condition

A newer car with low mileage will lose more value than an older vehicle, but the percentage decrease affects both. This loss is real money out of your pocket when you eventually sell or trade the car, yet it's a cost many accident victims never consider claiming.

Transportation and Rental Costs

While your vehicle sits in the shop for repairs, you still need to get to work, run errands, and handle daily responsibilities. Rental cars, rideshare services, and public transportation all cost money. These transportation costs pile up fast, adding hundreds or thousands of dollars to the accident's total financial impact. Many people don't track these expenses carefully or realize they can claim them as part of their damages.

Ongoing Medical Treatment

A visit to the emergency room or doctor’s office after an accident may be just the beginning of your medical expenses. Many accident victims require months or years of follow-up care. Some injuries never fully heal and require permanent medical management. Chronic pain conditions develop. Mobility limitations persist. Traumatic brain injuries cause lasting cognitive effects.

When you need medical care for the rest of your life because of someone else's negligence, the financial burden becomes staggering. Worse still, insurance companies often try to minimize these costs when calculating settlements.

Home Modifications

Serious injuries can require modifying your living space and vehicle to accommodate new physical limitations, including:

• Installing wheelchair ramps
• Widening doorways
• Modifying bathrooms with grab bars and roll-in showers
• Changing kitchen layouts for wheelchair access

These home modifications can carry a high price tag depending on the scope of changes needed. Insurance companies don't always fully cover these expenses, if at all, leaving accident victims to bear the financial burden of the adaptations they need to maintain independence and quality of life.

Household Services and Childcare

When injuries prevent you from cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, mowing the lawn, or caring for children, someone else has to handle those responsibilities. That may mean hiring help, which often doesn’t come cheap. The costs of replacing your own labor in your household represent real economic losses that deserve compensation, yet they're frequently overlooked when calculating damages.

Mental Health Treatment

The psychological impact of a car accident can be just as debilitating as physical injuries. An accident can lead to serious mental health struggles, such as:

• Fear of driving
• Anxiety and depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Insomnia
• Nightmares
• Panic attacks

The cost of addressing these problems can add up fast, creating another layer of hidden expenses.

Property Damage (Beyond Your Vehicle)

Your vehicle isn't the only property damaged in accidents. Personal items inside the car can be destroyed or damaged in collisions. These might include:

• Laptops and phones
• Sporting equipment
• Musical instruments
• Car seats and strollers
• Tools or work equipment
  

Insurance companies don't automatically include these items in property damage assessments. Keeping receipts and documentation of damaged property is essential for recovering its full value.

Loss of Enjoyment of Life

Some costs can't be measured in dollars and cents, but they're real losses that deserve compensation. When injuries prevent you from enjoying activities you once loved, like playing with your children, participating in sports, or pursuing your hobbies, you've lost something valuable.

Minnesota law recognizes these losses as compensable damages. While no amount of money can restore what you've lost, fair compensation acknowledges that the accident has diminished your quality of life in ways that extend far beyond medical bills and lost wages.

Getting the Compensation You Need After an Accident

The true cost of a car accident extends far beyond the immediate damage. From lost income and diminished vehicle value to ongoing medical care, hidden expenses can accumulate quickly and last for years.

At SiebenCarey, we've spent 70 years helping Minnesota car accident victims recover fair compensation for all their losses, and not just the obvious ones. We know how to identify and document every hidden cost, from diminished vehicle value to future medical needs. Insurance companies count on accident victims not understanding the actual value of their claims. We make sure you get every dollar you deserve.

In the words of a recent client:

Highly recommend!

I had an excellent experience working with Jeff Montpetit and his team at SiebenCarey. During one of the hardest moments of my life, I found myself needing legal help. It was the first time I had sought legal assistance. From the very beginning, Jeff and his team were professional, responsive, and compassionate about my case. They took the time to explain every step of the process clearly and made sure I always felt informed and confident about the decisions being made.

I couldn’t be more grateful for the partnership. I feel so privileged to know Jeff and his team at SiebenCarey. They went above and beyond throughout my case. I truly believe we made a difference.

If you’re looking for a knowledgeable, trustworthy attorney who genuinely cares about his clients, I highly recommend Jeff Monpetit with SiebenCarey.
—Briana Westrum

Are you looking for help with your accident case? Contact us today for a free consultation, and let us fight for your rights while you focus on healing.