A car accident can result in profound physical injuries. For some victims, these injuries are catastrophic, leaving them with lifelong harm from which they’ll never totally recover. While coping with these physical injuries can be challenging, they’re not the only kind of harm caused to car accident victims. In fact, those who are involved in a serious wreck can experience extensive psychological damage.
If you’ve been involved in a car crash, then you need to be aware of this additional impact so that you can seek appropriate treatment and appropriately address them in any legal action that you end up taking.
The psychological impact of a car accident can be wide-ranging and severe. This can include the following:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder: This condition is common in car accident victims and can result in several symptoms that impact daily living and enjoyment of life. This includes flashbacks of the accident itself, nightmares, difficulty sleeping, detachment from others, concentration problems, irritability, and mood swings. This condition often requires treatment, including counseling and medication.
- Anxiety and depression: These two conditions often co-exist after an accident and are typically spurred by uncertainty and fear of the future. Those who suffer from anxiety and depression can experience a sense of hopelessness, restlessness, worry, loss of interest in activities that they enjoy, and a prolonged sense of sadness. These conditions can exist with or independent of post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Avoidance: Due to excessive fear, many car accident victims avoid things that remind them of their accident. As a result, they might avoid driving altogether and areas that are near to the proximity of the accident. This can make living normal life difficult.
- Sleep issues: Post-traumatic stress disorder can cause sleep disturbances, but even those who don’t suffer from PTSD can experience nightmares and restlessness. This can lead to fatigue that can negatively impact work performance, create irritability in daily interactions with loved ones, and reduce concentration.
What can you do to deal with the psychological harm?
You shouldn’t try to bury the psychological trauma that you’ve experienced. Instead, you should do the following:
- Find support from family members and friends.
- Develop coping skills to successfully handle the wide range of emotions you’ll experience.
- Seek mental health treatment from a counselor, therapist, or psychologist.
- Adhere to any medication regimen that your medical provider puts in place for you.
- Take the time needed to focus on your own well-being, giving yourself the opportunity to get enough sleep, eat healthily, and avoid risky behaviors.
- Keep an eye on the future with a recognition that you can get through this tough time in your life.
Caring for you psychological harm can take time and cost a significant amount of money. A personal injury lawsuit might assist with the latter, so don’t hesitate to take legal action if you were harmed in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence.
Gather the evidence needed to support a successful personal injury case
Winning a personal injury lawsuit isn’t automatic, regardless of how strong the evidence seems. To increase the chances that you’ll win your case, you’ll need to carefully analyze the evidence and present that which speaks to the legal elements in play.
By being diligent and aggressive, you’ll hopefully find accountability and recover the compensation you need to offset your losses, treat the full extent of your injuries, and secure the future you deserve.