1.Seek a thorough medical evaluation.
After an accident, always go to the emergency room or schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional as soon as possible. The faster your injuries are properly diagnosed, the quicker you will be able to begin treatment and physical healing; it will also improve your personal injury claim later. Some injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries or internal injuries, could be difficult for you to recognize, yet they could be just as severe as any obvious injury. Some symptoms may be mistaken for fatigue, soreness, headache, or other lingering effects of a car accident when, in reality, you may have a serious underlying injury which needs treatment. Due to these reasons, a medical professional should always evaluate you following an accident to provide a thorough examination. Doctors understand what steps should be taken after a car accident to properly diagnosis any injuries. This may include tests, examinations, and imaging scans. If you don't know about an injury, you can't treat it—which will obviously slow your recovery time significantly.
2.Undergo all recommended treatments.
If you are diagnosed with an injury, it is extremely important for you to go through with all of the treatments and recommendations provided by your doctor. It's common to feel overwhelmed by the amount of treatment you may need or all the specialists you might need to visit. This is understandable, but you must go through with them all. If you have a follow-up appointment, keep it. If you are ordered to bedrest for two weeks, do so dutifully. If you were told to do light arm exercises, see to it that it gets done. Doctors are professionals for a reason. They have seen thousands of patients and spent years studying health care. You should always listen to a doctor when it comes to your treatment plan so you can speed up the recovery process as much as possible. Additionally, if your doctor instructs you to take time off work for recovery, do so. It can be tempting to return to work in order to start making up for lost income; however, you should let your attorney worry about recovering those damages while you worry about following your doctors' orders.
3.Seek out all necessary rehabilitative therapy.
Accident victims often need varying types of rehabilitative therapy to properly heal and get on with their normal, everyday lives. Physical therapy is a common treatment for people who have suffered neck, back, and other soft tissue injuries. These appointments are often frequent and can be disruptive to the busy schedule of a person caring for a household. However, the more your go, the faster you will heal. It may not seem like a big deal to miss an appointment here and there, but each appointment builds on itself. Additionally, one should attempt to give these appointments all their effort. The harder you work the more it will speed up your recovery.
For some seriously injured individuals, it may be necessary to spend time in an assisted living therapy center. Victims who have traumatic brain injuries and other similar conditions may have to have occupational therapy to relearn basic life skills. Some people have no choice and must be moved to one of these facilities. Some people do have a choice. Obviously, if a health care professional has recommended this type of therapy, it's in the best interest of your speedy and complete recovery.
4.Speak to a mental health professional.
Violent accidents, like major car accidents, are often accompanied by the development of emotional distress. It's very common. In fact, research suggests a substantial minority of car accident survivors suffer from mental health problems, the most common of which are PTSD, major depression, and anxiety disorders. Approximately 9% of motor vehicle accident victims develop PTSD. In addition, between 3% and 53% of these victims who seek treatment and have PTSD also have a mood disorder, such as clinical depression. Finally, the study also suggests that 27% have an anxiety disorder in addition to their PTSD, and 15% reported a phobia of driving.
Having some sort of mental and/or emotional injury after the trauma of an accident is quite common and not something to be ashamed about. Many people who are involved in severe, near-death incidents develop similar symptoms. Even having to live with a serious injury can create some emotional distress. For example, learning that you may have restricted use of one arm, a lifetime of periodic headaches or constant back pain can be stressful. If you are experiencing any of these conditions, they should be treated just like any other injury. Our society tends to give less credibility to mental injuries, but our brain in the most important organ in our bodies, so taking care of it is imperative.
5.Consult with an experienced personal injury attorney.
After being injured in an accident, it's understandable that you may be feeling overwhelmed with everything that has happened. You have injuries to worry about, medical appointments to keep, therapy to complete, and all the other obligations of your daily life. We completely understand.
You are also sure to have significant financial concerns as the medical bills roll in and you lose income from missing work. An experienced personal injury attorney can help relieve a lot of the stress by advising you of your legal rights to financial recovery. There is no reason that you should have to bear the physical, emotional, and financial burden of your injuries because of someone else's negligence. Attorneys also understand the entire process from years of experience. They can help you to navigate your options, decide which doctors and professionals are appropriate, and of course, relieve some of the stress over how it will all be paid. Attorneys may not be magical healers, but their assistance can do a great deal to help you move further towards down the path to a speedy recovery.
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Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
If you or someone you love has been injured due to another's negligence, you deserve compensation for the damages. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA is an experienced Clearwater law firm that takes pride in helping those who cannot help themselves. We will not let a multibillion-dollar insurance company take advantage of our community and its citizens. In that effort, we seek to help our clients by providing zealous representation with a personal touch towards our clients. Contact us to schedule a free consultation where one of our attorneys will go over your case and answer any concerns you may have. We look forward to working with you. Our number is (727) 451-6900.