Victims of accidents that result in a catastrophic injury usually must count on others to care for their basic daily needs. This task will usually fall on their loved ones. Some individuals can hire personal caregivers, but this is a costly undertaking.
When a loved one becomes a primary caregiver, they are facing what might seem like an uphill battle. It is a labor of love for most of them, but they can’t forget that they also still need to take care of themselves. Around 63% of caregivers note that they have poor eating habits, and around 75% say they don’t go to the doctor as they should. More than half reportedly skip their doctor appointments because they are too tired or have too many other pressing concerns.
There is also the risk of suffering an injury while they’re caring for their loved one. Around 41% of caregivers suffer from back issues, and around 70% say they are depressed. Muscle fatigue, sleeplessness and other problems can also come from having to care for a loved one after a catastrophic injury.
Many people don’t realize just how difficult caregiving is. It’s estimated that more than 50 million individuals in this country care for a loved one who cannot care for themselves. If those people were paid for their work, it would total around $375 billion each year.
One thing that might help out in these cases is to seek compensation from the party that caused the accident. This gives them a chance to ask the liable party to cover the expenses related to the accident that caused the injury. A successful claim could mean that they are able to hire personal care assistants who will help them with daily tasks so those additional duties don’t all fall on their loved ones.