5 Tips for Making Recovery from a Car Accident as Easy as Possible
Car Accident Injury
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There aren’t many incidents that feel as scary as a car accident, especially if it’s a serious one. Oftentimes, it can feel like the accident came out of nowhere; one moment you are fine and healthy, and the next you are feeling physically and mentally wounded. Unfortunately, these accidents happen much more frequently than anyone would like; about 7,000 people are injured in car accidents every day.
Although everyone has different experiences during and after a car accident, there are some tips to help recovery run as smoothly as possible, without causing further pain.
1. Report the Incident
Alert emergency responders if possible, especially if it is a serious accident. It’s easy to become increasingly scared and worked up right after the incident, but try not to move too much, as some injuries may become worse if your health is not treated as a priority.
Additionally, if you are capable right after an accident, try to write out what you believe to have happened for documentation purposes. It’s possible to feel confused after an accident, especially if it’s the first one you’ve been in, which is why hiring an attorney can simplify the process. Securing documentation will help the legal process run as smooth as possible down the road.
2. Seek Medical Attention and Document Injuries
An important step in recovery after a car accident is to seek medical attention. You may not immediately feel that you have been physically or mentally harmed, but there is a possibility of hidden injuries that won’t arise until after the incident. Be sure to keep any notes that the doctor has provided when you are discharged, and if missing work is necessary to the healing process, ask your doctor about a work exemption note.
During recovery, it is imperative that all medical advice is followed and pay attention to any medical conditions that emerge after the incident. Some injuries, such as whiplash, are known for not appearing until a few days after the accident. By keeping a journal of all of your injuries, both immediately after the accident and the weeks succeeding it, can help if you ever have to return to the doctor.
3. Rest
It’s not uncommon to feel like you must immediately return to work and your normal daily life right after a car accident, but sometimes – especially with physical or mental injury – this may not be the right choice. Your body needs time to repair and heal itself, so be sure to give your body the right amount of rest to ensure the recovery process goes as quickly as possible.
1. Get plenty of sleep. When we sleep, our muscles and tissues repair and rejuvenate, with blood flow increasing the deeper in sleep we are. If you have pain that is arising when you wake up and is accompanied by grogginess and achiness, understanding which mattresses are the best for back pain can help you get a good night’s sleep and pave a smoother path to a full mental and physical recovery.
2. Reduce the amount of high energy activities that you participate in. If you exercise regularly, it may feel natural to immediately get back into the swing of your old workout routine. Unfortunately, this has the potential to make your injuries worse, and can sometimes even extend the amount of time until full recovery.
4. Try Therapy
To speed up the recovery process, consider therapy – either mental or psychological. Both of these can be beneficial during the healing process after a car accident, as physical therapy will help you get back to your daily routines by improving your mobility and easing pain, while psychological therapy can help you overcome some of those fears you may be feeling towards getting back into driving.
5. Ease Yourself Back into Driving
If you are experiencing emotional trauma after the incident, such as symptoms of PTSD or other mental stress, listen to these feelings to make sure you are not putting yourself in harm’s way when behind the wheel. Understand the coping strategies that are the best for your improvement process and implement the ones that help. By taking it slowly back into driving and listening to your doctors and lawyers about best practices for your situation, you will find that your physical and mental wounds will heal with time.