Mental Anguish Counts as Pain and Suffering in a Car Crash Claim

When you are in a car accident, it can cause some serious physical injuries, but those are not the only injuries that can occur. You may also experience a lot of emotional and mental pain and suffering because of the accident. Serious accidents can lead to several mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety attacks, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.

When you have suffered tremendously, you can help prove your pain and suffering in the courtroom after getting into an accident. Here are some things to keep in mind that can help your attorney and your case.

The benefit of keeping an “injury” journal

Therapists often recommend journaling as a therapeutic exercise, but writing down your thoughts and feelings after any trauma has an added benefit: it gives you a record of how the event has affected you from the start. Write about the accident and all the injuries you sustained. You can talk about the fear that you felt from the moment another vehicle crashed into your vehicle. You should include all the important details about the panic and the physical pain you experienced, as well as any treatments or surgeries you have undergone, and the way that you feel now that you are trying to recover from all your injuries.

If you are asked to submit a statement about your experiences, you will have the journal to reference. This will make it obvious that you went through a lot and experienced more than just a few scratches and bruises from the car accident.

Mental anguish and physical pain can change your life completely

You should talk to your lawyer about changes that have occurred since the accident. For example, you may have lost your job because you were unable to work or because the stress of leaving the house each day proved too much. You may walk with a limp, struggle with severe chronic back pain, or have difficulty remembering things because of a brain injury. The injuries you have sustained during the accident could negatively impact you for the rest of your life.

This is the type of information that can’t always be found in medical records, or even accurately explained by the experts. If a car accident leads to PTSD, your medical records can prove you have a diagnosis, but it’s your own story which will show the extent of the damage.

Speaking of medical records….

Do not forget to have your medical records available for review by your attorney. The medical records will show details about your injuries and the different surgeries and procedures you have undergone in an attempt to recover from those injuries. If you are currently receiving physical therapy or other forms of therapy for your injuries, you should provide those records to your lawyer too. The pain and suffering you have endured will become much more obvious when you are explaining everything in detail, and you have the medical records to support all the claims you are making.

Dealing with the effects of a car accident can be stressful. Choosing the right Memphis injury lawyer to represent you shouldn’t be. At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we have helped countless clients throughout West Tennessee get the justice and compensation they deserve. To schedule your free consultation at one of our offices in Memphis if Jackson, or to request a home visit if you are too injured to travel, please call us at 901-680-9777 or fill out the contact form on our site.