Unless you’ve been the victim of a car crash, you can’t fully understand what goes into the recovery. A car crash – especially one that was not your fault – can also cause emotional and psychological trauma that is not as easy to recover from.
Many car crash victims are so focused on handling the immediate concerns – seeking medical treatment, notifying the insurance company, and dealing with a wrecked car – that they won’t even feel the full impact of the trauma until after the immediate shock wears off.
If you don’t get the full support you need in the aftermath of a car accident, this emotional and psychological trauma can interfere with your well-being long after physical recovery is complete. Having an experienced car crash attorney can help you through the entire process and make a big difference in how well you are able to cope.
Immediately after a car accident, most victims are flooded with adrenaline and may not even be able to process the severity at hand. However, after these levels decrease, you may get a flood of different emotions, from anger to sadness to fear. Many victims who felt they were lucky to walk away after an accident, suddenly find themselves shaking, nervous, and a new phobia of being on the road. You may notice that you have difficulty concentrating and that you become overly obsessed car travel. These emotions will not only impact your recovery, but can have long term impacts on your relationships, daily life, job, and physical health. You need an attorney who understands what you are going through.
Many victims don’t want to think that their car accident will impact their long-term mental health. In fact, many victims feel that the best way to move on is to show how “strong” they are and how quickly they can get past it. But often, the psychological toll of a car accident is every bit as challenging as the physical toll, and even more so. These issues may not manifest themselves until you have completed your physical recovery. Many accident victims have phobias, trauma reactions, and other psychological challenges that can make it difficult to move forward with their life as it was prior to the accident. To recover, therapy and counseling can help people cope with these challenges. It’s important to understand how a traumatic incident can impact you so you recognize when you might need help and where to go.
Some of the financial burden is easy for anyone to understand. Medical bills mount quickly, damaged or destroyed property needs to be repaired or replaced, and lost wages from missed work means less money coming in to help cover these costs. However, the financial burden of a significant car accident goes far beyond just the basic recovery. You may also have:
The insurance company doesn’t want to accept these long-term costs when evaluating your case. They are hoping that you will also focus on the short term financial impact, accept their low-ball offer, and move on. Negotiating a settlement that factors in long-term recovery, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and psychological damage can be more complicated. Car accident attorneys can help negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to secure compensation that includes all these considerations.
You may be tempted to try to put the accident behind you quickly and move on as if nothing is wrong. Many car accident victims downplay their emotional and psychological damage in order to seem strong for themselves, their family, and others. However, you can’t deny that a serious accident will have a serious recovery process. Car accident attorneys can help victims calculate the full damages, rebuild their lives with dignity, provide comprehensive support through the process, and regain a sense of normalcy with a fair settlement that covers all the necessary expenses. This may be your first traumatic experience, but your attorney knows what to expect and the best way to help you move forward.
You can’t rush or minimize your recovery from a serious car accident. You need comprehensive support throughout every step in the process. Your medical team will help you through the physical recovery, and your legal team can help assess the amount necessary for a fair settlement then assemble all the documents necessary to substantiate it. A trusted attorney can help you prepare for what’s next and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to make sure you get what you need to move forward. You don’t have to face the challenges of your car accident claim alone. A local Toledo car accident attorney can provide the legal support you need to navigate this difficult time. At Arthur Law Firm, we’re dedicated to helping you build a strong recovery plan tailored to your unique situation. Let us stand by your side and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation at (419) 782-9881.