What do you imagine when someone tells you that they suffered an injury after a collision with another vehicle?
You probably think of conditions involving blood, bruising and/or broken bones. While these are real concerns, they are not the only things that crash victims need to worry about. Vehicle accidents can also cause intense emotional damage. Here are just a few examples of how emotional damage manifests in the wake of a collision.
1. Victims may be too scared to drive again
Recovering the physical ability to drive a vehicle is only part of the battle. Many people are left too scared to take the wheel again. Others can only do so if they stick to quieter roads or daylight hours or don’t take passengers.
Each situation will be different, but they can all cause inconvenience. If you have recently suffered harm in an accident, you might even need to change your job if you no longer feel confident enough to drive there or if driving was your job.
2. Victims may suffer flashbacks
Waking up screaming in the middle of the night can be scary for those you share a house with and stressful for you. Also, enduring flashbacks during activities where you need to focus, such as when you are driving or operating a machine, could endanger you and others.
3. Victims may struggle to live with guilt
Despite everyone telling you that there was nothing you could have done to avoid crashing and that it was entirely the other driver’s fault, you may still feel guilty if someone was injured or killed. That guilt can take a massive toll on crash victims, causing some to engage in self-harm or to be unable to enjoy their life anymore.
You should not assume that everything is fine after a vehicle crash. It may take time to tell. Getting legal help to understand what kind of compensation you may be able to claim could potentially help you to recover quicker and more fully.
