A car accident can be a traumatic event. Even the slightest of fender benders can leave your nerves rattled for days or weeks. The emotional toll is exponentially larger if you or a loved one is injured.
Some car accident survivors experience long-lasting emotional trauma. Anxiety, nightmares, and depression can result and last longer than your physical injuries. Proper medical care can help heal the accident’s physical effects, but sometimes the emotional healing gets neglected.
In this article, we’ll discuss the emotional toll of car accidents and how to recover from them legally.
Post-Accident Emotional Trauma
Many people experience emotional issues after a car accident, and it’s much more common than you’d think. The National Library of Medicine reports that PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can occur after a motor vehicle accident. Without proper psychological treatment, PTSD can last for years.
If you’ve been involved in an accident and are feeling more than a bit shaken, seek professional help. Any out-of-pocket expenses incurred from treatment could be recovered legally.
How to Legally Recovery From an Accident
The Florida negligence law allows those injured in a car accident to seek damages. If you can prove that your physical and emotional injuries were caused by the neglect of the other driver involved in the accident, you are entitled to compensation. You’ll first need to hire a lawyer. A Miami car accident lawyer at Freidin Brown can explain to you everything you’ll need to do.
A personal injury lawyer can help you to file a claim for damages. There are two types:
Economic Damages
When filing a personal injury lawsuit, the most common damages sought are economical. These are for things like medical bills, rehabilitation care, and mobility aids such as crutches and wheelchairs. Economic damages are the out-of-pocket expenses you incurred due to the car accident. Loss of current and future income also falls under the umbrella of economic damages.
Non-Economic Damages
You can also ask to be compensated for non-economic damages. This type of compensation would be for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and mental anguish. It can be difficult to place a value on non-economic damages. Factors used to determine a monetary amount would be the severity of your injuries and your long-term physical and emotional diagnosis.
How to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Florida
After you’ve received proper medical care, the first thing you should do if you’ve been injured in a car accident is to hire a personal injury lawyer. There are too many nuances to the Florida negligence law to try to attempt to file a lawsuit without the assistance of legal counsel. Here’s what you and your lawyer will do: Hire an Attorney Hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer is the best way to get the most compensation possible. They have the know-how and savvy to ensure you’ll receive adequate payment for your economic and non-economic damages.
Contact the Insurance Company
Your attorney will send a Demand Letter to the plaintiff’s insurance letter, asking for your medical expenses to be covered. This letter needs to include the cause and type of the accident, what injuries you sustained, what medical treatment has been provided, and what your lost wages are.
File a Complaint
If the insurance company rejects the claim and refuses to pay, your lawyer will then file a complaint with the Florida court. This is the beginning of the process of filing a lawsuit and opening up negotiations with the plaintiff.
Discovery Phase
During the discovery phase, both sides will present all the evidence they have proving or disproving that neglect has occurred. During this phase, both parties can agree to a settlement, dismiss the case, or go to trial.
You Have a Legal Right to Compensation
If your personal injury lawyer feels that you have a strong case and can prove that the other driver caused the accident that resulted in your physical and emotional injuries, you are entitled to receive compensation. Car accidents can not only take a physical toll but an emotional one as well. Working with an experienced personal injury lawyer can help to ease your pain.