One in ten affected by life-changing injury

Life-changing injuries affect more of us than we might expect, new evidence suggests.

In a recent survey carried out by National Accident Helpline, the Life-Changing Injuries Survey, almost one in ten (9%) said that they, or someone they knew, had suffered a life-changing injury.

According to the survey, of those who had suffered a serious injury, almost one third (29%) are now registered disabled while over one in five (21%) have had to leave their job. Nearly half (46%) have been forced to make lifestyle changes.

Gender was revealed to be a factor, with men 15% more likely to have been affected by a life-changing injury.

When asked if the injury could have been avoided, two-fifths of respondents (40%) said ‘yes'.

Beth Powell, Marketing Director at National Accident Helpline, said:

These results show just how significant and far-reaching the effects of serious injuries are.

More people than you might think are affected by life-changing injuries and it's vital we make sure they are able to access the services and support they need to help them back on to their feet after an accident.

The Life-Changing Injury Survey builds upon data collected by the company's major Real Cost of Personal Injury Report, earlier this year, which revealed the extent of the issues suffered by those who have sustained a personal injury.

These issues ranged from fears and concerns to significant financial losses and life-changing career consequences.

• Of those who lost earnings, over one in five (22%) lost £10,000 or more
• Over a third (35%) had to take more than a month off work or other essential commitments
• Just over one in 10 (11%) lost or had to give up their job completely
• Half (50%) were anxious about how long they would take to recover
• 17% were concerned they would lose their job if they took time off work
• Almost one in five (19%) felt guilty about the impact on their spouse or partner

The Real Cost of Personal Injury Report, carried out in May 2016, includes first-hand reports of the life-changing injuries experienced by people like road traffic accident victim Paul, whose injuries changed his life.

Paul said: “I'm six months into a slow recovery from a traffic accident that left me with some rather substantial injuries including loss of sight to my left eye, some tissue damage, a couple of busted bones and some tissue damage.

“I couldn't continue the job I was doing, which was driving very heavily armoured vehicles. That loss was catastrophic to me.”

Watch Paul's video below to find out more about his injuries and how they affected his life.

National Accident Helpline has recently adopted The Paul Bush Foundation, a trust with over 25 years' experience in the field of severe and catastrophic injury, as its chosen charity.

To read more about our work with the Paul Bush Foundation Trust, or if you, or someone you know, has suffered a life-changing injury, visit the National Accident Helpline serious injury information hub.

National Accident Helpline's Life-Changing Injuries Survey was carried out through Google Surveys in September 2016 and gained a total of 2,411 responses from people in the UK.