What Can You Do If You're Suffering Financial Hardship after an Accident?
If you've been involved in a serious road accident, these can be very traumatic times. You can feel as if your life has been turned upside down as you try and deal with your injuries, your car may have been classified as a total loss and you may not be able to work. These issues can be difficult enough to deal with in the short term, but you may also have a long road ahead of you as you try to recover. Due to the nature of your injuries, your claim may be extensive and will take a long time to formalise. In the meantime, how are you going to make ends meet?
Never-Ending Story
Although you may be worried about your recovery, life still has to go on. Your expenditures will remain the same in terms of rent or mortgage payments, everyday expenses and other commitments and without access to your normal salary or wage, you may not be able to pay the bills. Due to the nature of your injuries, it may take some time for them to stabilise and in turn, make it difficult for doctors to make a long-term prognosis. This process may go on for more than a year before your medical staff can tell you if you have any permanent disability due to the accident.
Continuing Uncertainty
In the meantime, your claim may be on hold while assessors determine whether you will need medical treatment way into the future. Still, the stark reality of the situation is that financial hardship is here and now.
Private Insurance
It may be possible to access some interim money from a private insurance policy or, in certain cases, through superannuation funds. However, this type of application may have its own waiting period.
Primary Insurance
Alternatively, you may be able to turn to the insurer to see if they can issue you with an interim payment. If it appears that you will ultimately get some compensation in relation to the accident, then they may be willing to extend some money. You need to provide them with proof of financial difficulty and clearly outline your reduced income and existing debts as evidence. Always remember, however, that any interim payment will be deducted from the final settlement amount you get, so budget accordingly.
Getting Help
If you're not getting anywhere and your debts are piling up, get in touch with a personal injury lawyer to see how they can help.