When we consider personal emergencies—and what we’ll do when we encounter them—we often assume that we’ll have the agency to act quickly. We hope that we’ll be sentient or mobile enough to call for help and manage the aftermath of a catastrophe. Failing that, we hope that our spouses will be able to do that for us. (After all, this is one of the more prosaic reasons people get married: Care and security, even in a crisis.)
If you and your spouse are hurt in one accident, that confidence can go flying out the window. Many of your triage and contingency plans could suddenly be shot. It’s a scary prospect—one you might not know how to manage.
Here’s what you need to know as you go through your parallel recovery process.
Injured in Illinois: Recuperating with Your Spouse after an Accident that’s Affected You Both
An accident that harms both you and your spouse can easily change the course of your entire lives. You might very suddenly go from two incomes to zero. You could stand to lose your home. As you navigate post-accident care, you might find yourself faced with huge hospital bills for you both—and these are all crises you’ll have to manage when neither of you is at 100% health.
Keep these strategies in mind:
- Don’t neglect your own care. It can be a very natural reaction to focus more on the injuries your partner has sustained than your own. If you’re both injured, this could end up causing you serious complications. Recognize that you won’t be able to care for your spouse in the best way possible if you don’t seek medical care, too. Follow your doctor’s instructions, take your medications, and, if you need to avoid activity or motion, do so – even if it means relying on external help to provide care for your spouse.
- Find reliable childcare, if needed. If you have children, you may have to admit that you need assistance caring for them right now. Whether you and your spouse are both hospitalized or not, you’ll likely need assistance driving children to school, managing meals, or keeping your home safe. Rely on trusted family members or friends, or hire help as needed. If there is a cost associated with this support, track every penny.
- Track all of your medical expenses. Managing post-accident care for two adults is not going to be inexpensive. From hospital bills to medicine, personal care supplies, home and child support, and more, keep track of every cost you and your spouse net after the incident. (You can also ask a trusted friend or family member to help with this.) Later, when you pursue personal injury compensation, these receipts, invoices, and records could provide critical evidence.
- Find a reputable personal injury lawyer. It can be easy to focus on your immediate survival after a catastrophic, harmful incident, but you also need to take steps to protect your future. Seek out and hire an experienced attorney to help you pursue coverage of your costs and compensation for your suffering. It may seem like a lot of stress now, but consider the life-altering implications of an accident that affects both wage-earning members of your family. Your lawyer will be empathetic, methodical, and ruthless as they take steps to ensure your future support.
Trust the Cullotta Bravo Law Group for the Experience You Need
If you and your spouse have both sustained injuries after an accident, you might not know how to react. There’s also a lot of paperwork and legal or insurance issues that you might need to wade through, as well as confusing questions that you might not know how to answer.
That’s where Illinois’ trusted personal injury firm comes in. At the Cullotta Bravo Law Group, we’re here to help you get the verdicts and settlements you deserve. We’re also ready to help you protect your future, especially after a catastrophe that’s affected your family in such a strong way. Call us now at 630-898-7800 or visit www.cullottalaw.com, and we’ll help you with everything you need to know.
