Car crash. Car accident. Car wreck. No matter which way you phrase it, these often-dangerous incidents can have long-lasting impacts on those involved. It creates an everlasting significance on anyone who may sustain any kind of harm as a result of one.
Far too often, it is someone’s reckless and negligent—and preventable—actions that cause these catastrophic events to occur. Even worse, it is often the responsible party and his or her insurance company who try to do whatever they can to limit their liability and dismiss the pain suffered by the injured party.
What many individuals don’t recognize is the impact of emotional damages that can result following a car accident. These are constant problems that individuals may experience, and it can take a lot longer for these damages to heal than many physical injuries that may be sustained.
The Emotional Harm Associated with a Car Accident
Have you heard of the term post-traumatic stress? This is often a term used when referencing a condition soldiers may have when they return from war and active combat. It is a difficult condition as those individuals often have feelings of anxiety, fear, and behavior changes when something triggers a memory of their time at war.
While it’s not something that is always recognized in other situations, post-traumatic stress can be something that arises following a car accident or any other situations in which trauma occurs. It can create difficulties in the individual’s everyday life.
Following a car accident, the emotional damage can lead to flashbacks associated with the crash. In these situations, the individual may feel as though they are not even in their own body, making it near impossible to even step foot into a vehicle or drive again.
It’s important to know that these emotional damages are often referred to as pain and suffering when filing a lawsuit or injury claim. They may be compensable with non-economic damages and they can help you move forward following the crash.
This can help with some of the costs associated with the emotional trauma such as therapy expenses, the potential for lost income, and more.
What Can I Do to Overcome the Effects of Emotional Trauma?
It is difficult for many individuals to overcome emotional trauma experienced following a car accident. However, there are some different things that can be done to help get through some situations in which flashbacks and anxiety may be common.
Here are some things you can do to help during emotional times:
- Keep a Journal for Physical and Emotional Pain: When an injured person seeks compensation from a negligent party, they can benefit from keeping a pain journal to document when they are physically hurt. A journal can also be kept for emotional trauma and allows you to document when you feel fear or anxiety. This can help you identify which triggers exist and you may be able to confront them.
- Find Support from Others and Positive Outlets: When suffering from emotional trauma following a car accident, you want to make sure you’re speaking about the difficult times with others who you trust. You can find positive reinforcements in your friends and family, as well in situations where you’re not thinking about the accident you had. You may also want to consider group therapy sessions in which you can talk about your triggers and face them head on.
- Know How to Get Out of a Difficult Situation: After a car accident, there can exist a number of potential triggers including loud bangs, honking horns, tires screeching, and more. When these triggers occur, it can cause serious fear. You should know ways to get yourself out of these situations where the trigger exists. For instance, you may find that breathing exercises can help you or you may need to call someone and discuss the situation to be calmed about it.
- Remember the Acronym R.A.I.N.: This acronym can be very helpful when individuals experience difficulties involving triggers. It stands for Recognize the feelings of the trauma, Allow them to exist, Investigate the root of the feeling and what caused it, and Not let it define who you are. You’re not the trauma. Instead, it’s a condition you suffer from, but it is something that you can overcome.
If you’ve suffered serious injuries as a result of someone else’s negligent actions, you may be able to move forward with legal action. This includes for both physical and emotional damages. It’s important to recognize what rights you have and how you can move forward in a positive manner.
At Lowe Law Group, we know that it is serious to deal with a situation involving emotional trauma. You can hold the negligent party accountable and work to obtain justice for the wrongs you have suffered because of someone else’s actions.
Trust that our car accident lawyers are ready to help you every step of the way and pursue the compensation you not only need, but also deserve. Your best interests are our top priority and we go the extra mile to protect your rights at a time when you need it the most.
Call our firm today at (801) 900-4681 if you’ve been involved in a negligence-related accident. You don’t have to go through this process alone and you can protect your rights. We’re ready to help you.
