Car accidents occur all the time. If one happens to you, then your whole outlook on driving can change. You might have enjoyed getting behind the wheel before, but now you may feel differently about it, and with good reason.
You might be dealing with either physical or psychological problems following a car accident. We’ll take a few moments to talk about some of the more common ones right now.
You Might Feel Stress About What Happened
If you got in an accident, you might worry about trying to get a court judgment from the other driver if it was clearly their fault. You’ll want to locate a lawyer you can get on your side who can explain exactly what’s happening with your case.
Florida’s Meldon Law Firm says that “unlike other law firms that use excessive legal jargon that clients don’t understand, we explain things in plain English.” That’s precisely what you need. This may be a bewildering time for you, and the last thing you want is to try and decipher complicated legal terms.
You might also feel the need to:
- Seek therapy after the crash
- Take some time off before returning to work
Even if you suffered no physical damage, what took place may have severely shaken you up.
You May Not Be Able to Sleep
Insomnia following a bad car wreck is also not uncommon. You might:
- Keep reliving what happened in your mind
- Wish that you’d done something differently if you made a driving mistake
Talking to a counselor about your condition is a smart idea. They might prescribe some pills to help you sleep if they feel that you need them.
What you should try and remember is that even if the accident was your fault, it’s not the end of the world. If you walked away from it okay, then you can recover. It’s going to take some time to get back to your prior serene mental state, but eventually, you should be just as confident of a driver as you once were.
You Might Have PTSD
A doctor might diagnose you with PTSD. This is a condition that people sometimes associate with combat veterans, but many others get it as well.
You might get PTSD from an assault or robbery, or if you survived a natural disaster. PTSD can occur in car accident survivors if it was a particularly bad crash. It might take a combination of time, prescription medication, and counseling to get over it fully.
The good news with car accident PTSD is that doctors do not often consider it a lifelong condition. After you get past the initial trauma, you should be able to start driving and riding in cars again.
You Might Feel Stiffness or Soreness
Of course, physical problems are just as common as psychological ones after a car accident. You might be stiff and sore for a few days or even weeks afterward. What body parts will most feel it will depend on how your body moved when the other vehicle struck you, or when you hit them.
If the other vehicle rear-ended you, then you might have whiplash. Whiplash occurs if your head and neck jerk violently forward and backward. It could be relatively minor or more serious if the car behind you was going fast when it hit you.
If the collision was head-on, then your sternum might be sore. That comes from the shoulder harness catching you and holding you in place.
Getting T-boned often leads to sore hips and core muscles. This is due to the side impact in that scenario.
You Could Have Broken Bones
Broken bones from a car accident usually occur in more extreme cases. You would not expect something like that from a simple fender bender. If there were multiple cars involved traveling fast, then the impact might cause more serious injuries.
You’re a lot less likely to break bones in a car crash if you remember to wear a seatbelt, so you should certainly try and do that every time you get in a vehicle, whether you are the driver or passenger.
Broken bones can take many months to heal fully, depending on the severity. You may need to wear a cast and be off your feet for a while in some instances.
You Might Have a Concussion
Concussions following car accidents are not that uncommon, either. There are several ways that you might learn that you have one. Among the symptoms might be headaches, vomiting, irritability or mood swings, and blurry vision.
You might also experience a ringing in your ears or drowsiness. Concussions can be more or less severe. They’re not often life-threatening on their own, but recovering from them can take several weeks.
You’ll need to get yourself checked out by a qualified medical professional if you suspect that you have a concussion. It’s best to do that after a car accident, even if you feel okay. You don’t know if you’ve suffered any damage that you may not notice immediately.
Internal Organ Damage
Internal organ damage usually happens in more violent car accidents. A significant impact can do it, particularly if the other vehicle hit you while going at a high rate of speed.
If your seat belt and shoulder harness tightened sharply during impact, that might be the cause. These safety devices can often save your life, but can also harm you in certain circumstances.
Like with concussions, you probably won’t realize the internal damage extent until you see a doctor. If you try to walk away from a severe accident without getting checked out, you might regret it later.
Whether your car accident resulted in mental or physical distress, you need to deal with it. The sooner you figure out what’s happening with you, the faster you can heal and start on the road to recovery. The one thing that you don’t want to do is ignore your injuries or a fragile mental state.
