Nobody likes to think about having an accident – let alone one that was caused by someone else! But if you do suffer a personal injury and it wasn’t your fault, there are number of important points you need to consider before you make a claim. One of these is how the injury has or could affect the hobbies you enjoy in life (especially sports).
The sad fact is, a personal injury can affect you in ways that last well beyond the accident itself. You need to ask yourself this question: how has my life changed since it happened?
For example, if you led a pretty active life before a personal injury then suddenly found yourself to do the things you used to, that can have an impact on a personal injury claim.
When we say active lifestyle it can mean any number of things. For example:
- Any outdoor or indoor hobbies – e.g. playing a sport, doing the garden, going for walks, driving your car etc
- Interacting with family or friends – e.g. spending time playing with your children or grandchildren or meeting friends for a coffee in town or at their house
There’s also the psychological effect of the injury to consider. In some cases, the accident that caused the injury can affect you mentally as well as physically. For example:
- If you suffered an injury at a swimming pool it may make you less inclined to go swimming as regularly as you used to, which may have a negative effect on your lifestyle.
- If you suffered an injury while driving it may make you less likely to get behind the wheel, which again may have a negative effect on your lifestyle.
All of the examples above go some way to explaining why a personal injury lawyer may ask you about your life and hobbies if you think you a valid claim.