A car accident involving severe injuries is a distressing experience with lasting physical, mental, and emotional consequences for victims. Beyond physical injuries, they leave a profound psychological impact, fueling anxiety and worry even long after the accident occurred. But did you know that psychological stress plays a crucial role in the recovery process from car accident injuries also?
Injuries can take up to 25 PERCENT MORE TIME to heal when psychological stress plays a role.
In this article, Santa Fe car accident injury lawyer Marc A. Grano delves into the relationship between psychological stress and car accident injuries. Gain valuable insight into its impact on physical and mental health and uncover actionable steps to support a smoother recovery. Grano Law Offices, P.C. wrote this post to help injury victims and concerned loved ones learn more about offering support during this critical recovery phase.
The Relationship between Psychological Stress and Physical Pain
After an accident, it is expected to experience anxiety, depression, and PTSD, exacerbating physical pain and prolonging recovery time. The body’s stress response releases cortisol, adrenaline, and other stress hormones. One 2016 study shows that the impact of psychological stress on injuries can last for years.
Stressful situations like accidents can reduce your immune system’s ability to fight infections and promote healing. Inflammation is a normal immune response that helps the body heal after injury. However, when the immune system is weakened by psychological stress, inflammation can become chronic.
If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident that has caused injuries and emotional distress, you are entitled to receive total financial compensation for the losses you have endured. It is worth noting that proving emotional distress and mental injuries can be a more complex task compared to establishing physical injuries alone.
How Psychological Stress Affects Mental Health
Psychological stress can produce severe mental health conditions that can develop in the wake of personal injury accidents. Whether experienced firsthand or witnessed, such traumatic events can inflict significant psychological damage.
Heeding the warning signs is crucial, as accident survivors may experience a range of debilitating symptoms, including:
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Sleep issues
- Triggered states
- Detachment
- Difficulty concentrating
- Hyperawareness
- Aggressive outbursts
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Hopelessness
- Suicidal thoughts
Stress following a vehicle accident manifests itself through intrusive memories, avoidance behaviors, depressive mood swings, and altered physical and emotional responses. The likelihood of developing mental health disorders is incredibly high among survivors of severe auto accidents compared to those involved in less severe incidents. In wrongful death cases, the emotional toll on survivors can be long-lasting. Seeking justice and compensation for the suffering endured becomes crucial.
Remember, you do not have to face the aftermath of a car accident and the subsequent PTSD battle alone. An experienced and knowledgeable personal injury law firm, like Grano Law Offices, P.C., can help you understand your legal rights and options when pursuing a claim. By seeking justice and compensation, survivors can begin healing and reclaim their lives.
How to Manage Psychological Stress After an Accident
You can take a few steps to limit stress after an accident. It is essential to treat the underlying psychological issues and physical injuries together for a faster and more complete recovery. Personal injury accidents can have far-reaching consequences that go beyond physical injuries.
One particularly severe outcome is the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following a personal injury. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of emotional distress following an accident is crucial for early intervention and preventing long-term psychological damage. Symptoms may include depression, anxiety, irritability, or hopelessness. By addressing emotional distress promptly, we can help accident victims regain their well-being and facilitate recovery.
It is vital to recognize and address the hidden costs of personal injury accidents, such as the emotional and psychological impacts on victims. Hiring an attorney ensures that someone is always looking out for your maximum improvement and recovery throughout the insurance claims process by providing support and interventions that support both physical and mental well-being.
Filing a Pain and Suffering Claim for Injuries in New Mexico
Physical pain and suffering is a form of non-economic damages, which is a legal term for losses not caused by out-of-pocket expenses, so to speak. It compensates you for the emotional and mental losses you suffered from your accident injuries. However, you cannot file a personal injury claim based on pain and suffering alone.
If you hire our legal team to represent your case, and after a review of the evidence, we may recommend that you demand compensation for:
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Humiliation
- Aggravation of preexisting conditions
- Loss of consortium
- And more
Determining the amount you can pursue pain and suffering involves several factors considered by insurance companies or civil trial juries. These factors include the negative impact or limitations on your daily routine, the effect on your personal and professional relationships, sleep disruptions caused by non-economic damages, and the long-term impact on your life. Although civil trials rarely occur, there is no standard for determining the amount of pain and suffering damages. Instead, the justice system exercises judgment to determine a reasonable compensation amount.
Get Your Free Case Evaluation with a Santa Fe Car Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one is suffering from car accident injuries in northern or central New Mexico, seek legal advice from a personal injury lawyer to ensure that you get fair compensation for medical expenses, loss of income, and pain and suffering. Grano Law Offices, P.C. welcomes you to contact us for a Free Case Evaluation today by calling (505) 426-8711 for a virtual or telephone visit. We do not get paid until you win your case.
