Pain and suffering is one of the non-economic damages that car accident victims can receive compensation for. The APA estimates that 30 to 50 percent of car accident victims suffer from some type of psychological injury. If you have been involved in a car accident, it is important to seek medical treatment not only for your physical injuries, but also for your mental and emotional injuries.
Emotional and mental issues after a car accident can follow you throughout your life. They can linger long after the physical injuries have healed and act as a detriment to your life and future. Unfortunately, many car accident victims and insurance companies downplay the severity of emotional and mental issues. Psychological effects after a car accident can reduce your quality of life and impact your ability to enjoy your hobbies, interact with loved ones, and even maintain employment.
A car accident can result in mental and emotional stress and trauma that can negatively affect someone’s daily life. Although most people may show more concern for physical injuries, they should worry just as much about the emotional distress caused by the auto accident. Emotional distress refers to the disruption an accident victim experiences, though they may not have an official medical diagnosis for their feelings.
Emotional distress after a car crash can lead accident victims to experience many symptoms, including:
Feelings of mental anguish:
- Loss of interest in usual activities
- Sleep issues and nightmares
- Feelings of humiliation
- Losing appetite
- Bouts of anger
- Anxiety
- Mood swings
- Fearfulness
- Crying
Accidents Affect Victims Mentally
A study published in the British Medical Journal of Trauma shows that psychological symptoms are prominent after car accidents and that they are more severe in those who had more severe injuries. This is why it is essential to seek help from a counseling agency in Dallas, TX, after you have been in a car accident.
Accidents Affect Victims Physically
Injuries suffered in car accidents can be severe, and they can cause major complications and even death. Injuries can include whiplash, back injuries, neck injuries, head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and brain injuries. These injuries can be severe and can cause severe pain, disability, and death.
Accidents Affect Victims Emotionally
The emotional effects of car accidents can be profound. Many accident victims experience anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These conditions can make it difficult to function normally and can make it difficult to work and perform everyday activities. These conditions can also make it difficult to maintain healthy relationships with family and friends.
Accidents Affect Victims Financially
Car accidents can have a significant financial impact on victims. Victims may have to pay for medical expenses, car repairs, and lost wages. Victims may also be unable to work and may have to rely
Who do I see About My Accident-Related Psychological Problems?
- The first step on the road to mental health recovery is finding a counselor who can help you heal.
A counselor will advise you on the steps to recovery, but mental health may take a long time to heal. The counselor will instruct you in the best ways to handle your accident-related stress and anxiety. Medications to treat symptoms may be recommended, depending on severity. In addition, relaxation techniques, such as yoga, certain exercises, and controlled breathing, may help calm the mental and emotional states.
Oftentimes, the underlying physical injuries caused by the car accident are the real culprit affecting your emotional health, so going to a doctor to heal your physical body may be the first step in healing your mind and getting you back on track.
Most of the more than 1,000 men and women in the study who had been taken to a hospital after an accident recovered from the psychological impact within three to 12 months. Others had persistent problems or suddenly developed anxiety and other symptoms months after the accident. Interestingly, most people with persistent anxiety were passengers in the accident rather than drivers.
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About the Author
Michael Feiner
Michael A. Feiner is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale office of Steinger, Greene & Feiner. Since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2001, Michael has devoted his practice to representing plaintiffs throughout Florida in various tort and strict liability cases and has successfully litigated cases against national insurance companies, large public companies, and governmental agencies, resulting in tens of millions of dollars for his clients.
He has handled all types of personal injury and wrongful death cases on behalf of plaintiffs, including automobile negligence, premises liability, medical malpractice, product liability, dog bites, and sexual harassment. Michael’s product liability case against Microsoft, as well as his representation of victims of sexual harassment and abuse by physicians, has garnered him important media attention at both the local and national levels.
Michael is an experienced trial lawyer and successfully argued an appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. In the reported decision Ortlieb v. Butts, 849 So.2d 1165 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003), Michael persuaded the Fourth District Court of Appeal that a directed verdict on liability was appropriate where the defendant did not rebut the presumption of negligence of a rear driver in a rear-end collision.
Michael Feiner
Michael A. Feiner is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale office of Steinger, Greene & Feiner. Since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2001, Michael has devoted his practice to representing plaintiffs throughout Florida in various tort and strict liability cases and has successfully litigated cases against national insurance companies, large public companies, and governmental agencies, resulting in tens of millions of dollars for his clients. He has handled all types of personal injury and wrongful death cases on behalf of plaintiffs, including automobile negligence, premises liability, medical malpractice, product liability, dog bites, and sexual harassment. Michael’s product liability case against Microsoft, as well as his representation of victims of sexual harassment and abuse by physicians, has garnered him important media attention at both the local and national levels. Michael is an experienced trial lawyer and successfully argued an appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. In the reported decision Ortlieb v. Butts, 849 So.2d 1165 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003), Michael persuaded the Fourth District Court of Appeal that a directed verdict on liability was appropriate where the defendant did not rebut the presumption of negligence of a rear driver in a rear-end collision.