As a parent, you want the best for your kids. You want to be there for them as often as you can be, and you want to give them everything they need and want and deserve. You want to give them a good start in life, and to be the kind of parent every single little boy and girl out there dreams of. All in all, you want to be a good parent, and you’re not about to let anything stand in your way of being one!
But there’s always our health to look out for. It can change suddenly, it can change over time, and you can never quite be sure if you’ve protected yourself well enough against the co worker in the cubicle next to yours who’s coughing and spluttering with the flu.
But more than that, you’re a human being with a normal body, which can also easily get injured. And that’s something we’re going to focus on today. A sprained ankle here or a broken wrist there, or even a broken leg and shattered knee that you need to spend a good period of time in hospital for, can seriously affect you as a parent.
An Injury Can Lose You Lots of Time
Put simply, an injury you’ve sustained can affect the amount of time you have in the day. It’s said we all have the same 24 hours, day in and day out, but that statement is seriously misguided. Because if you’re someone who can’t get out of bed until your partner has gotten themselves ready and can finally help you sit and stand up, or you need to go to bed earlier in the evening because you need the extra resting time, you’re not going to have the same kind of command over your time.
And when it comes to your kids, that can cost you. You might not be able to make them breakfast in the morning, you might not be able to take them to school, you might not be able to pick them up afterwards, and you won’t have the same energy to be with them in the evening. An injury, and healing from one, zaps your energy (and if you’re in pain too, there goes your patience!), and that costs you a lot of quality time with the people you love most in the world.
You might not even have the same amount of time to sleep well at night either. Maybe because you’re tossing and turning, or maybe because you can’t sleep because of the stress and frustration over losing some of your ‘capability’ as a parent, you’re not getting as much sleep as you used to. That can just slow your recovery time down even more, which just doesn't help anyone!
In the morning, you might just be a bit more frustrated, and not have the energy to get out of bed as soon as you might be able to. That means you don’t see your kids before they’re out the door, and on and on the cycle can go until you’re feeling physically better. It can be a vicious time in your life, but if you’re aware of the possibility of it, you can better prepare yourself for it.
An Injury Can Lose You a Lot of Money
If you live in a country where healthcare can cost you a lot of money, and you’re not sure whether the insurance you have can cover it (if you have insurance at all!), it can cost to get yourself fixed up after an injury. You might be out of pocket for an ambulance ride alone, which depending on the severity of the injury, could cost upwards of $1000. If you require surgery as well, the fees are only going to rapidly increase.
There’s also the fact that you’re going to have to take some time off work. Of course, if it’s only a couple broken fingers or toes, you can very easily grin and bear until you’re healed up again. But if you struggle to walk because of your injury, or you can’t even stand up at all, it might be a good month or so before you’re back at your desk.
All in all, you can lose out on the money that helps to feed, clothe, and keep your children warm. These often seem like the basics in life that a parent has to provide, and you can end up feeling like a pretty bad one if this is a moment in time where you struggle to.
But if you were injured in an accident whilst out and about, and it wasn’t your fault and there’s some clear evidence to prove that, you can turn to a lawyer at a time like this. Someone who can prove you’re owed money to help you through this difficult period in your life, and to help make some of the income back that you might have lost from your current inability to work.
It’s often quite a good idea to see if you’re eligible for a lawsuit after being injured, seeing as if you don’t ask, you don’t get! Companies such as Van Sant Law could prove very helpful, as it’s best to get in contact with a law service that specializes in personal injuries.
But even if you’re successful in your claim, and you look to be owed quite a substantial settlement, the attorney bills can be steep. Of course, personal injury lawyers often don’t ask for initial consultation fees, and often enough, only successful settlements are ones you have to fork out for. But some companies can ask for upwards of 25% of what you won from the judge’s settlement, and you should always check for any hidden fees in the contract before you sign one.
Remember, being injured doesn’t make you a bad parent, even in those low moments where the bills not get paid for another couple days and you’re so stressed you only want to sleep.
