If in a serious accident, a victim may be left with permanent disability for which he or she may need to make adjustments in the future. One of the most daunting tasks may be finding ways to make a home more accessible. If a victim is injured in a Tennessee accident, he or she may have a basis for filing a personal injury lawsuit.
An accident that leaves a person with a physical handicap may not realize at first just how many areas of life will be adversely affected. If one is expected to be confined to a wheelchair or has to make other concessions to limited abilities, the home in which he or she lives may need to be modified. One of the first places to start is with the exterior and entrances. Surfaces leading up to the home may need to be made level or have ramps installed. Driveways or sidewalks may need modifications to increase traction for wheelchairs or for those who are susceptible to slips and falls.
The inside of a home may also need to be remodeled. Counter tops and cupboards may need to be lowered to allow for ease of reach. Railings or ramps may need to be installed in interior hallways, and living spaces and doorways may require widening to permit passage of wheelchairs. If modifications are not practical due to the extensive work of converting an older home, then new living arrangements may be needed.
For a newly disabled person, the monumental tasks of dealing with all of the changes may be overwhelming — not just emotionally — but financially as well. If a victim faces the need to significantly modify a home, the expense may only increase the burdens that the accident has already imposed. If the accident that has caused the permanent impairment is the fault of another party, then an experienced personal injury attorney may provide the help a Tennessee victim needs to recoup their damages.
