What You Need to Know About Emotional and Psychological Effects of a Car Accident
Several car accidents happen annually in the State of Florida. Victims of these accidents can be kids, teens, or adults and may suffer from minor or severe injuries. Though minor physical injuries go away with time, severe physical injuries can change your life forever. This results in trauma that causes emotional or psychological distress.
Even after healing from physical injuries, you may suffer from emotional distress. It’s unseen, and if not addressed, it may affect you psychologically for many years. That said, below are things to know about the emotional and psychological effects of an automobile accident.
What is Trauma after an Automobile Accident in South Florida?
This is the feeling of shock and stress after a car accident. Mostly, the car accident victims feel pain, hopelessness, and lack of self-worth after the accident. Trauma affects how you socialize with people, work, or carry out your daily activities. Again, you may develop the fear of driving your car or anxiety when riding in vehicles.
What Does Emotional Trauma Look Like?
The emotional trauma after a vehicle accident affects your everyday life. Thus, it affects work productivity and how you relate with people around you. In addition, it includes mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder and acute anxiety disorders. If left untreated, emotional trauma may lead to complicated mental problems such as thoughts of suicide. When suffering from emotional trauma, you experience symptoms, including:
- Loss of appetite
- Crying
- Anxiety
- Feelings of humiliation and loneliness
- Depression
- Social withdrawal
- Sleep disturbances
- Weight fluctuations
- Mood swings
- Chronic fatigue
- Nightmares
- Compulsive or obsessive behaviors
What are the Psychological Effects of being in an Automobile Accident?
After being involved in a car accident, you may ignore the psychological problems, especially when you lack physical injuries. However, psychological issues may become complicated and lead to serious medical issues. Here are the common psychological effects you may suffer after a vehicle accident.
Depression and Anxiety
If you are involved in an automobile accident in South Florida, you are likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, or both. The shock after the collision or crash mostly leads to anxiety issues, and depression develops over time if you allow the stress to build up. However, you can control anxiety and depression by attending therapy sessions or taking a doctor’s prescription. The common symptoms of anxiety include:
- Persistent fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle tension
- Sleep problems
- Difficulty managing worries
- Irritability
- Brain fog
The most common serious depression symptoms include:
- Loss of enjoyment in hobbies and leisure activities
- Difficulty making informed decisions
- Suicidal thoughts
- Anger and irritability
- Feelings of hopelessness and guilt
- Loss of appetite and weight fluctuations
- Difficulty concentration
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Unexplained body aches
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder and a common issue for many automobile accident survivors. The symptoms of PTSD may appear after the accident or after several years. They can affect your work relationship and how you interact with your loved ones at home or in your workplace. However, the symptoms vary from one car accident victim to another. Here are the common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Trouble sleeping and nightmares
- Recurring memories about the accident
- Avoiding places that remind you about the accident
- Feeling detached from your loved ones
- Avoiding talking about the car accident
- Flashbacks
- Easily frightened
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Difficulty concentrating
- Lack of interest in your hobbies
- Expressing irritability or aggressive behavior
- Hopelessness about the future
Adjustment Disorder (AjD)
This is a mental health issue you may suffer after a car accident. It’s a condition where you experience lots of stress trying to adjust to your everyday life after an automobile accident. The common symptoms of adjustment disorder may be behavioral or emotional. If you suffer from behavioral issues, you may get injured or imprisoned. The common symptoms of adjustment disorder include:
- Crying spells
- Nervousness
- Inability to work
- Poor work performance
- Ignoring bills
- Headaches and stomachaches
- Desperation
- Heart palpitations
- Thoughts of suicide
- Abusing drugs
- Vandalism
- Sweating palms
- Withdrawal from family and loved ones
- Fighting
- Body soreness
- Feeling tired or lack of energy
If your kid is a car accident victim, they may suffer long-term psychological effects. It may be hard to tell because your children may not express what they feel. If left untreated, your kids may suffer from psychological stress in their adult lives. That’s why you need to visit a doctor or seek psychological help if your kid has the following symptoms:
- Trouble concentrating
- Poor grades in school
- Frightening dreams
- Reenacting the accident through playing
- Aggressiveness
- Behavioral changes
- Tantrums
- Outbursts
How to Cope with Emotional and Psychological Trauma after Automobile Accidents in South Florida
Bottling up feelings after an automobile accident may lead to adverse effects in your life. Hence, it’s crucial to talk to your loved ones to relieve the stress and emotions. You can trust your family members and express how you feel about the accident. However, if you fear talking to them, you can visit a professional therapist to help you overcome your stress. If you choose a therapist, ensure to be open and honest about your feelings. This way, the therapist can help you get your life back.
Again, you can visit a doctor if you experience psychological and emotional trauma symptoms. An experienced doctor gives you prescriptions to help you manage depression and anxiety disorders. You should feel relaxed because doctors and therapists are professionals and keep your information private. Despite the method, you use to cope with emotional trauma, stay positive for the best results.
Is it Worth Hiring South Florida Auto Accident Law Firm if You Suffer from Mental Trauma after an Automobile Accident?
If you are involved in a car accident in Florida, you need to hire an experienced attorney to help you get compensation. According to Florida State laws, you need to get compensation after suffering emotional stress from a car accident. However, proving that you suffer from mental issues can be tricky. However, a professional attorney has connections with the best doctors and can get evidence to prove that you suffer from psychological problems.
Emotional stress is unseen, but South Florida attorneys understand your pain. These attorneys negotiate aggressively to ensure you get maximum compensation. They work with the at-fault insurance company so that you get compensated for all your losses, including physical injuries.
How Much Can You Get for Claiming Emotional Trauma?
Under Florida law, if you suffer from emotional distress caused by automobile accidents in South Florida, you need to be compensated. However, compensation varies from one car accident victim to another. Thus, you receive compensation depending on the severity of your mental condition and how it affects your life.
Attorneys At the South Florida auto accident law firm have a detailed understanding of your psychological and emotional effects of the car accident when handling your case. Thus, the attorney can talk to your doctor and understand how much you need as compensation for emotional distress. Hence, as you heal from your physical injuries, your attorney ensures to work with the at-fault party to pay fair compensation.
Talk to South Florida Attorneys if You Need Compensation for Emotional Trauma After a Car Accident
At Bodden & Bennett, we are your go-to South Florida auto accident law firm if you need compensation for emotional trauma after a car accident.
We offer free consultation and work on a contingency-fee-basis. So, no matter the severity of your accident, we work hard to get fair compensation for the psychological and emotional effects of your automobile accident.
Contact us today if you need to file a claim for your emotional damages caused by automobile accidents in South Florida.
