How To Deal With The Emotional Trauma Of A Pedestrian Accident

Pedestrian accidents are common on roads, with thousands sustaining severe injuries due to the negligence of reckless drivers. The number of deaths is daunting in these events, making pedestrian mishaps among the most dreaded road accidents. Several of these are hit-and-run cases, where drivers may even go unpunished for their heinous acts. The worst part is that a majority of these incidents are avoidable. 

Sadly, pedestrian victims are likely to suffer more because they are not inside a vehicle. Besides causing painful and agonizing injuries, pedestrian accidents often leave the victims scarred with immense emotional trauma, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) https://emdrhealing.com/ is an effective treatment for trauma. Getting your life back on track as a victim can be more challenging than you imagine. But you can do your bit to cope with the trauma and restore normalcy in your life.  Here are some tips to help.

How To Deal With The Emotional Trauma Of A Pedestrian Accident

Understand The Causes Of Psychological Trauma:

Anyone who gets into an unexpected situation with a pedestrian crash often faces more than only physical injuries and pain. It is not uncommon to experience psychological injuries as you go through the healing process. The reasons may vary from person to person, but most pedestrian mishap victims encounter mental health issues. While you may heal physically within a few weeks or months, the scars of emotional trauma may remain for a lifetime. It is vital to understand the root of the problem to find the solution. 

Typically, therapists diagnose unplaced anger as the reason for emotional trauma sustained by pedestrians injured in car mishaps. You will probably feel rage for the at-fault driver whose negligence caused your injuries. Your anger may be directed at the public safety officials and society in general. At times, victims feel remorse because they survived while other pedestrians lost their lives in the accident.

Recognise The Signs Of Distress:

Besides knowing the cause of your emotional trauma, you must also recognize the signs of distress. Several victims fail to get help to treat the dire mental health issues such as anxiety, PTSD, and depression, only because they fail to realize they have these problems. Besides missing out on the treatment, you may also have to settle for a lower compensation value for your losses and damages. You can collaborate with a pedestrian accident lawyer to claim compensation for the emotional trauma besides physical injuries. So watch out for these signs, get help, maintain medical records, and claim them as a part of your personal injury settlement.

  • Feeling angry for suffering due to someone else’s negligence
  • Emotional numbness and withdrawal regarding the event
  • Irritability and changes in mood
  • Loss of focus in the workplace
  • Erratic behaviour with loved ones
  • Avoiding situations similar to the mishap
  • Re-experiencing the event through recurring memories and dreams
  • A lack of sleep

Get Help To Deal With The Trauma: 

Getting help should be a priority when you notice these strange patterns and changes in your behaviour. It is easy to overlook your mental well-being after a mishap, but you must do your best to reclaim it. Seeking the support of your loved ones is the best way to start. You may feel hesitant to talk about the incident, but your spouse, parents, or siblings will be right there to listen. Venting your emotions gets a step closer to restoring your emotional health. 

Triggers in everyday life can remind you of the event, but facing your fears is the only way to get control. You cannot avoid going out or walking on the street only because you fear another accident. It is crucial to find the road to recovery because emotional trauma can slow down rehabilitation and recovery from physical injuries. If talking to a  loved one does not help, consider seeking professional counselling.

Life is never the same after a road accident. The victim may suffer for a lifetime, both physically and mentally. Things can be worse if you get hit as a pedestrian because you may recall the incident more often than you imagine. The road to recovery starts with emotional healing, so make sure you recognize the signs of trauma and address them sooner than later. Getting justice is another way to heal because you will definitely want the guilty driver to pay. Thankfully, you can rely on personal injury law to seek justice and compensation for yourself and punishment for the guilty driver. Besides setting you up for financial recovery, a claim can also boost emotional healing. Invest in self-care and consult a pedestrian injury specialist lawyer to help you resume normalcy in life.   

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