Personal injury accidents, including medical malpractice, automobile accidents, and slip and fall incidents at work, can turn worlds upside down and leave the affected individual desperately trying to recover their everyday life. A serious personal injury can be extremely challenging on all levels because of the stress and pain it causes. It may even affect your relationship with your spouse or partner. Can a personal injury accident really lead to a divorce from the person that you promised to love, honor, and cherish for the rest of your life? Sadly, it happens far more often than many people realize.
1. Health Issues
If you have been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence, you may have lost the ability to perform even simple, everyday tasks. As a result, you may become extremely dependent on your partner, which can cause mutual resentment. Serious injuries often cause debilitating depression. That can cause additional resentment and stress. It’s not unusual for marriages to end due to physical and mental health issues resulting from an accident.
2. Money Woes
According to the Huffington Post, and to many marriage counseling experts, money issues are the number one cause of divorce in the U.S. It is oftentimes financial troubles that cause arguments, stress, and turmoil in a relationship. An injury that leaves you unable to work, compounding medical bills and other financial stressors can overwhelm even the most loving and patient of spouses. This is why it’s so important to recover maximum damages after a personal injury. A settlement can make it possible for you to continue paying your mortgage, buy groceries, and pay bills until you can return to work. That scenario is much better for relationships.
3. Stress
Stress is known as the silent killer. It can cause heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, depression, high blood pressure, and a variety of other serious health concerns. Avoiding stress isn’t easy after suffering a serious personal injury due to someone’s negligence. A high level of stress felt by one or both people in a relationship can lead to irreconcilable differences that cause a split or divorce.
A Personal Injury Can Destroy a Marriage
From the outside looking in, a personal injury may not seem likely to cause serious turmoil in a relationship. Unfortunately, it often does exactly that. If you’ve suffered a serious personal injury caused by someone else, it’s important to contact our law firm. With a seasoned personal injury or auto accident lawyer (Baltimore, MD) by your side, you can recover maximum damages from the liable party. This can be of huge benefit to you and your marriage.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Cohen & Cohen, P.C. for their insight into the effects of personal injury on a marriage.