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A car accident is a traumatic event. Not only are you dealing with physical injuries, but there are also other lasting impacts of the accident. You can go into shock after a car accident, either as a result of severe physical injuries or because of extreme stress related to the crash.
Car accident shock does not always go away right after the accident. You can be dealing with lingering effects for a long time. You can be compensated for harms other than physical injuries.
Trey Harrell Auto Accident & Personal Injury Attorney can work to help you get a full and fair settlement check. Reach out to our car accident lawyer in Charleston to learn about your legal options from our team.
Mental Shock After a Car Accident
A car accident is a sudden and unexpected event that happens in an instant. One moment, you are driving on your way. The next moment, you can feel a sudden impact that may cause immediate injury. It is natural to deal with psychological shock from the moment of the crash and the immediate aftermath.
Lingering emotional shock can become something worse over time. Eventually, you could develop post-traumatic stress disorder after a car accident. The PTSD could relate to the accident itself. You may relive the crash repeatedly in your head without any ability to stop these intrusive thoughts. Alternatively, you may steadfastly avoid anything having to do with the accident, even including driving.
There is no set timeline for when your car accident shock and trauma may go away. For some accident victims, they are plagued by PTSD for years. Although mental health treatment can help lessen the severity, you may not be able to fully eradicate the PTSD from your life.
Hypovolemic Shock from a Car Crash
Your physical injuries from a car accident could also cause other types of shock. If you have suffered from serious blood loss, you could develop hypovolemic shock. This is an emergency condition that can put your life in danger.
Your body needs an adequate supply of blood to pump to the rest of the body. When you lose a significant amount of blood quickly, your heart may not be able to fully send blood where it is needed in the body. Hypovolemic shock can cause organ failure when they do not receive enough blood.
Organ failure can have lasting effects. Key organs, such as the kidneys, do not always regain full function. If an accident victim suffered severe blood loss, they could even suffer permanent brain damage.
Other Types of Car Accident Shock
Car accident physical injuries could cause other types of shock, including:
- Spinal shock: The physiologic shock of the accident and injury could cause a loss of spinal cord function. Spinal cord shock can cause flaccid paralysis or loss of bowel function and control. Spinal shock can last up to three months.
- Obstructive shock: The shock of an accident can cause a blockage that can keep blood from flowing into and out of the heart, causing a large and sudden drop in blood pressure. This is a medical emergency.
- Neurogenic shock: Blood vessels stop working properly because of the shock of the accident. Then, there is not enough blood being pumped throughout the body.
- Cardiogenic shock: This is another form of shock that impacts the amount of blood being pumped throughout the body.
How You Are Affected By the Emotional Ordeal of a Car Accident
Car accident shock can impact your life in a number of ways, including:
- Keeping you from sleeping at night
- Causing anxiety and depression
- Interfering with your ability to work
- Taking the life that you had before the car accident
You Need Treatment and Documentation to Be Compensated for Symptoms of Car Accident Shock
The effects of shock can be compensated as part of your emotional distress damages.
The insurance company makes things very hard for you when you are trying to be compensated for an injury that does not always show up on an objective test. It is in their interest to challenge what you claim as your symptoms. Even if they accept the fact that you are dealing with shock, the insurance company will go out of their way to minimize your symptoms.
Therefore, you must do everything in your power to get treated. Not only would care help you recover to the fullest extent possible, but it would also provide you with records that you need to document your claim. In general, it is not easy to document and prove a claim that would be considered subjective in nature. However, when you can show a history and concrete effects that the shock has had, you will be in a stronger legal position.
The Insurance Company Will Make Your Life Harder
The insurance company needs to see everything in front of them in black and white. You must have detailed treatment records that describe your conditions and what a provider has seen over time.
Your emotional distress damages cover both your past and future harm, so it is crucial to be able to convey a clear understanding of your condition with the help of a car accident lawyer. Your attorney will tell your story — the one that the insurance company does not want to hear because they know it will cost money.
Contact a South Carolina Car Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one have suffered physical and emotional injuries after a car accident, you may be entitled to substantial financial compensation. The only way that you know how much your damages are worth is when you contact a car accident attorney.
Trey Harrell Auto Accident & Personal Injury Attorney will estimate the value of your case, and we will not stop working until you get the money you deserve. You can message us online or call us today at 843-636-8739 to speak with an attorney during a free initial consultation. You pay us nothing unless you win.