Following a car accident, you may be dealing with a number of emotions. You may be terrified of getting behind the wheel of a car. You may be anxious about driving anywhere. You may even have nightmares about the accident, which keeps you in a state of exhaustion.
At the Law Offices of Craig A. Altman, we believe it’s important for everyone to deal with the emotional aftermath of a car accident just as much as the injuries and the physical damage.
Understanding Emotional Trauma After an Accident
It’s natural to face emotional trauma following a car accident. You were driving down the road, and suddenly, you were involved in a crash. There may be crying and screaming, unthinkable injuries, and catastrophic damage to your car. It’s a lot to deal with in a short amount of time.
Even after the accident is cleaned up and your injuries have been treated, the accident lives on inside of your brain. You think about what happened and what could have been done differently. Even when you don’t want to think about it, the memories come rushing in.
Delayed responses are common, and they can plague you for days, weeks, months, or even years. Knowing that it’s happening and allowing you to get help ensures that you can truly process the entirety of the car accident.
Signs and Symptoms of Emotional Distress
After the car accident has happened, you’ll likely experience some kind of emotional distress. However, you may not know what’s actually happening and whether it’s related to the accident or not.
Some common signs and symptoms of emotional distress include:
- Anxiety relating to driving or being in a vehicle
- Nightmares/insomnia
- Anger
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Withdrawal
- Mood swings
Everyone is different, so the signs and symptoms you experience may be different from others.
Just as you would seek help for physical injuries due to a car accident, the same should be true for emotional injuries. Your goal should be to make yourself whole again following the car accident, and that means exploring your physical and emotional health.
Steps to Manage Emotional Trauma
The first step in managing emotional trauma is to identify that you’re experiencing it.
Be mindful of your emotions. Take deep cleansing breaths and consider yoga, walking, or meditation as a way to enter a calm and relaxing state.
Talk with a mental health counselor or psychologist to learn how to process and manage the trauma so that you can finally heal.
Navigating Legal Stress
You may feel as though everything is spinning out of control. You’re suddenly dealing with a car accident, an insurance company, and anxiety that shows up every time you even think about driving somewhere.
Working with an experienced legal team will ensure that you are being guided through the details of your accident. This eliminates stress from at least one aspect of your life, and at the Law Offices of Craig A. Altman, we can shield you from added stress.
Take Action on Your Emotional Health Post-Accident
A car accident can have a significant and negative impact on your life. While you may focus heavily on the physical injuries and the damage to your vehicle, emotional health is just as important – and perhaps even more so because of the lasting effect it can have on so many aspects of your life.
Identifying and dealing with the emotional impact is critical, and it should also be incorporated into a settlement.
Insurance companies want to focus on what can be clearly defined. However, why should you suffer in silence?
At the Law Offices of Craig A. Altman, we believe that you should seek justice for a car accident. In addition to holding the guilty party responsible, the settlement you should receive should encompass all damages, including how it has taken a toll on your emotional health.
Seek the help of a psychologist immediately following a car accident. Additionally, let us at the Law Offices of Craig A. Altman help you with your case. Regardless of how complicated the case may be, we have the legal experience to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
