10 Unexpected Costs Of Being Injured In A Tampa Car Crash

Learn What Surprising Expenses You May Incur & How To Get Them Paid For By Insurance!

Car accidents are extremely expensive, not only for the individual parties involved but for society as a whole. In 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a report on the economic impact of motor vehicle accidents which reported that in 2010 alone, the total value of the economic and societal harm associated with road collisions amounted to $836 billion. In Florida, the CDC reported that fatalities from car accidents cost $3.2 billion in 2013.

Those numbers may surprise you, or maybe they just seem like meaningless statistics, but if you’ve been injured in a Tampa car crash, the costs of your injuries could add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most people realize that they will have to pay for medical treatment, but are not prepared for all of the other unexpected costs that go along with being injured in an auto accident, or how high those costs will be. If you live in the Tampa area, where the cost of living is already high (and is rapidly rising), the financial impact of your injuries could be devastating. Consulting with a local auto accident attorney may be your best chance at getting these unexpected costs paid for by your insurance company or by the insurance company of the person responsible for the crash.

An experienced lawyer is the only one who can give you an accurate estimation of what your injuries are worth and what costs you can request compensation for. Each case is different! However, if you were hurt in a Tampa car crash, here are 10 unexpected costs of your injuries that you may encounter and can seek to recover in damages:

1. Hospitalization, surgeries, and other medical expenses

   Everyone expects that injured accident victims will have to spend money on medical treatment, but most people are unaware of exactly how much money things like hospital stays and surgeries cost. If you’re injured, it could take a prolonged hospital stay or several surgeries before you are on the road to healing, which is why we included this first in the “unexpected” cost category.

   Kaiser State Health Facts revealed that the average cost per hospital inpatient per day in Florida was $2,265 for a nonprofit hospital like Tampa General ($2,055 for a public hospital), though that’s just the cost of the hospital stay itself and does not include medical interventions such as imaging tests, specialized care, and surgeries during that time. If you live in Tampa, and stay for 7 days to recover from a surgery, and the costs you are charged are comparable to the average costs reported, you’re looking at paying over $15,000 alone just in hospitalization costs – and you may be there longer if your injuries were more serious. Surgeries may be much more expensive than that per surgery, and you may require several.

2. Transportation to the hospital

   Tampa made the news in 2018 for having a high cost for ambulatory care. In Hillsborough County, the base fee for being transported by ambulance to a hospital or emergency room is $800 or more. Your cost will vary depending on the services provided and how far you are from the hospital/emergency room you are being taken to; for example, oxygen costs $25 if you need it during the ride. Many injured car accident victims either don’t think about this cost or expect that it will be covered by insurance, but you may have to pay part of the expense or all of it out of pocket.

3. Towing

   If your car was totaled or severely damaged in a Tampa car crash, you will have to pay to have it towed to a repair shop or another location. Depending on the company you use, on the state of your vehicle, and on the distance of the tow, this will usually cost anywhere between $100 and $300.

4. Car rental

   If your car is damaged and rendered undriveable after the accident, you will need to pay for a rental car until either your car is fixed or your can replace your vehicle with another one (or you will need to pay for public transportation; some forms of Tampa public transport are free, but most are not). According to TripAdvisor, the average cost of a car rental in the Tampa area is $128 per day (plus gas, the price of which is also increasing in Tampa).

5. Emergency dental work

   Many car accident victims will suffer from chipped or cracked teeth, teeth that were knocked out completely or that need to be removed, or other jaw injuries that require emergency dental work. The costs could include dental surgery, anesthesia, extractions, crowns, fillings, and more. Dental work is exceptionally expensive – getting a single crown in Tampa could cost between $500 to $2,000 – and insurance companies may attempt to treat these expenses as cosmetic and not cover them fully or at all.

6. Ongoing chiropractic care/physical therapy

   Requiring chiropractic treatment or physical therapy for back and neck injuries is one of the most common costs associated with Tampa car crashes, but many people aren’t aware just how expensive this kind of treatment is until they’re handed the bill. You may end up paying between $85 – $150 or more per appointment, depending on your injuries and the clinic you choose.

7. Medications & medical devices

   Your doctor may recommend or require you to take prescription medication to help you heal from your injuries or to help you cope with the pain. Some of these medications may not be covered under your insurance or may not be generic. Even if your doctor does not recommend or require medical devices such as braces, crutches, a wheelchair, boots, or a cane, you may need to use those to make life at home more convenient, and those costs could add up quickly.

8. Lost wages

   A Tampa car accident could mean a career interrupted. If you are seriously injured, and need to take time off of work to heal, you could miss out on being paid your regular wages. You may miss out on overtime pay or bonuses or commissions, be passed over for a promotion, or even need to find a different career entirely, which could mean accepting lower pay or foregoing insurance benefits.

9. Therapy/counseling

   Being injured in a Tampa car crash can be a traumatic experience. Even as you’re getting treatment that can help you recover physically, you may also need to seek treatment for your mental and emotional health through counseling. This can cost upwards of $150 per session in Tampa, and may not be covered by insurance.

10. Loss of enjoyment

    Not all of the unexpected costs of a Tampa car crash will be tangible bills. You could be in pain for weeks, months, or even years after the accident, missing out on quality sleep, physical activities you used to participate in, traveling, and generally enjoying your life. These are times you may never be able to get back.

If you’ve been injured and have incurred these costs, but the accident wasn’t your fault, you shouldn’t have to pay all of these expenses on your own, but insurance companies make the most money when they pay out as little as possible to accident victims. The Florida Law Group can help you fight for the full value of your injuries! Contact us to discover what Tampa car crash damages will affect your case; the ones mentioned in this list may apply! Our aggressive auto accident attorneys have recovered over $1 billion for our clients. You never pay anything unless we win! Call today to schedule a FREE consultation.