Have you ever been involved in an accident and had an injury? If not, you are very lucky! When you’ve had an accident, it can shake you to your very core. It’s not something that you can prepare for either, it happens in the blink of an eye, and yet the consequences can be long-lasting.
So what should you do after you’ve been injured?
- Stop still
When you have had the misfortune to be injured, your body’s defense is to flood adrenaline into your system. It’s part of the fight or flight mechanism that is naturally activated in times of stress to protect you. However, the downside of this adrenaline flood is that it can mask the true extent of your injuries, and this is called stress-induced analgesia. If you’ve been injured, and it is safe to do so, stop still. Take a few minutes to compose yourself and assess the damage.
- Seek medical treatment
Stress-induced analgesia can cause injuries to be made worse in the long term. You may not realize that you are suffering a more serious injury than you initially thought. It’s important that you seek medical treatment straight away. Not only is this important to assess your health and wellbeing, but if you have to make a claim to recover costs and compensation, failing to get medically checked out could be the get out clause the insurance company uses to not pay. You don’t want this to be a reason for missing out on a payment. An accident lawyer such as 1800vincent.com can navigate a settlement for you – the insurance companies do not like paying out!
- Take time out
Did you know that some injuries do not develop until several days after the accident? You really do need to reschedule any appointments to give yourself time to recover. Your body needs to heal, but so does your mind.
Having an accident can affect your emotions and sense of confidence. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may struggle to cope and feel grief for your previous life, anger at the situation and the loss of your identity if you are unable to do things that you used to enjoy. While the accident was unintentional, you can feel traumatized by the experience.
Seek support from your family and friends and be aware that you may need professional counseling or therapy to help you. Having had a great shock, the psychological effect of an accident has just as much an impact as the physical injuries. Be kind to yourself.
You’ve suffered a great shock and it is likely that while you are in recovery you incur costs directly as a result of the accident. An attorney will represent you and fight your corner to get you the compensation that you deserve, without you having to be overburdened with more stress trying to settle the case. In order to rehabilitate after receiving injuries, you need to take a holistic approach – look after your mind and body.
Being in an accident is horrible right or wrong – especially when wrong. I pray I am never in another. This is good advice if you can keep your head on straight after.