You never thought it would happen to you, but it has. You were driving down the road when a drunk driver veered into your path. You never even saw him coming, it all happened so quickly. Now, you’re injured and facing thousands in medical bills. You’re not alone.

More than 37,000 people die every year in traffic crashes in the United States. As a result of these incidents, around 1,600 children under the age of 15 are killed. Around another 8,000 drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 are killed while driving. Even if you aren’t killed or don’t lose a loved one in a collision, the impact of injuries can alter the path of your life forever. You may have long-term injuries that need persistent care or debilitating injuries that force you to stop working.

The cost of traffic crashes isn’t just covered by those involved. These collisions cost people in the United States $230.6 billion a year, amounting to around $820 per person. By reducing the number of collisions that take place, Americans save hundreds, thousands or even millions each year. How does this much money get spent? Medical expenses, higher insurance premiums, workers’ compensation payments, lost hours at work and more. With around 2.35 million people suffering injuries in collisions, it is perhaps no surprise that this much money is spent annually on traffic collisions, their victims and everything that goes into their care.

Our website has more information about traffic collisions and what to do if you’ve been hit or lost a loved one. You don’t have to file a claim alone; the help you need is there.