Emotional Injuries in a Car Accident
When you think of a serious car accident, you may imagine the physical injuries involved. While broken bones, lacerations, head injuries, and other visible trauma are common, many people overlook the emotional injuries that often occur.
After a crash, adrenaline rushes through your body. You may feel fine in the hours and days following an accident, but once the rush wears off, you may start to feel anxious and depressed.
Your mental health can be affected after a crash. Car accidents can be especially traumatic for some people. They may be too traumatized to ever drive again. They may even be too scared to get inside a car again.
It’s important to be able to identify the signs of an emotional injury after a car accident. That way, you can get the help you need, such as counseling and therapy, to move on from the crash.
Common Emotional Injuries and Their Symptoms
The most common emotional injuries caused by car accidents are:
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Depression
- Memory loss
- Sleep issues
These conditions can manifest themselves in the following ways:
- Shock
- Anger
- Nervousness
- Worry
- Fear
- Guilt
- Loneliness
- Uneasiness
- Panic attacks
- Mood swings
- Chronic fatigue or exhaustion
- Loss of appetite
Many car accident survivors find themselves reliving the accident through nightmares and flashbacks. This is especially true if the accident was catastrophic or the person caused someone to die or suffer severe injuries and feels guilty about it. The victim may avoid others, withdrawing socially and isolating themselves from their family, friends, and work. Sometimes the emotional trauma of the accident can render them unable to drive or even be a passenger in a vehicle.
Getting Help
It’s common to not fully realize that you have been emotionally affected by a traumatic event until some time has passed. If you have been involved in a car accident and any of the above symptoms have begun to interfere with your everyday life, then it might be time to seek professional help.
There are many effective treatments for emotional trauma. It is important that you reach out to a mental health professional to discuss your symptoms and the possible treatment plans so that you can return to your daily life.
You should also get legal help. Discuss your case with an experienced personal injury lawyer. They can help you obtain compensation for your emotional injuries. You can receive compensation for emotional anguish, therapy costs, medications, lost wages, and loss of enjoyment of life. Proving these damages can be complicated, but your lawyer can help provide sufficient evidence.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Car accidents can result in more than just physical injuries. A victim can suffer stress, anxiety, and other emotional trauma.
A Houston car accident attorney from The West Law Office, PLLC can help you get compensation for all your physical and emotional injuries. Discuss your case with us today. To schedule a free consultation, call 281-347-3247 or fill out the online form.
Source:
floridaphysicalmedicine.com/mental-emotional-injuries-after-car-accident/
