In the aftermath of an accident, it’s easy to focus on the physical trauma – a broken leg, a sprained wrist or other visible traumas. However, what’s left behind after the physical injuries are healed is the emotional trauma that is not so easily remedied.
Over the years, the definition of a personal injury has evolved to include not only what is seen but what is unseen – meaning the effects on your mental health after an accident.
As mental health continues to weave into personal injury cases, our lawyers at Hoffman Law Firm are here to help. Keep reading as we dissect the connection between mind and body and how our team can help you seek compensation for emotional damages.
What is Emotional Distress in a Personal Injury Case?
Emotional distress is defined as the unseen effects of an event or incident on a victim. Emotional distress may include physical pain but is coined more to include mental, emotional, and psychological trauma and damages.
One of the most well-known and recognized psychological responses to an accident or traumatic event is post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. Victims of PTSD may suffer from flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness – long after the physical wounds have healed, and the accident has subsided.
The Long-Term Effects of a Personal Injury
In addition to physical challenges that may continue long after the incident has occurred, there may also be long-term consequences to your mental health.
Along with PTSD, the following emotional responses and mental health disorders may develop:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Phobias
- Sleep disorders
- Emotional distress, such as feelings of fear or anguish
- Acute stress reaction
- Adjustment disorders
Mental health disorders can hinder a victim’s quality of life, limiting their ability to establish daily routines, maintain friendships and relationships, or limit their ability to work or engage in activities they once enjoyed.
The Hidden Connection Between Personal Injuries and Mental Health
The world, as a whole, is still learning to understand the connection between the mind and body. In the legal industry, personal injury claims have largely focused on the physical and financial impact of an accident. As time has progressed, these claims have now come to include emotional distress, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life as valid forms of compensation in lawsuits.
But why is there such a disconnect between the mind and body regarding pain?
Mental Pain is Subjective
To put it simply, physical pain is visible. Whether it be a gash in the arm or a broken bone viewed in an MRI, physical injuries are simpler to understand and acknowledge. Mental pain, however, cannot be viewed from even the most intuitive pieces of machinery.
A mental illness is “invisible,” making it difficult to understand and quantify its effects.
The Mental Health Stigma
Until recently, society has attached a stigma surrounding mental health and its treatment. Some believe one should be able to handle one’s emotions privately, while others believe talk therapy and medications are forms of pseudo-science – beliefs claiming to be scientific and factual when, in actuality, they are fallacies of the scientific method.
Separation of Services
Treatment for physical health and mental health have resided in two separate spaces in the healthcare field. While this is beginning to change, the divide between the two has fed the misconception that the mind and body are wholly separate from one another – with no potential for overlap or influence.
Seeking Compensation for Emotional Damages
The road to compensation for emotional distress or damages is not well paved. Despite the emotional effects after an incident becoming more widely accepted in the legal realm, it is still a challenge to prove in a personal injury case.
Having a team of the best personal injury lawyers on your side could mean the difference between compensation and loss. As the leading personal injury law firm near you, Hoffman Law Firm will work with you to gather evidence to prove your emotional distress is more than just words.
We will gather the necessary evidence of psychological symptoms to prove emotional distress, including therapists’ records, medical documentation, and expert testimony, as well as testimony from the victim and loved ones to attest to the victim’s quality of life before and after the incident.
Don’t Suffer in Silence–Speak with an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Today!
Your mental well-being is nothing to keep quiet about – especially in the wake of an accident. At Hoffman Law Firm, our lawyers for personal injury near you understand personal injury cases and the emotional distress that often goes overlooked. And we are here to help.
Located in Charleston, South Carolina, we proudly advocate for accident victims throughout the Palmetto State. We have established a reputation for success, securing much-needed compensation for medical expenses, property damage, pain, and suffering, and more.
To meet with a member of our team, schedule your free consultation today.
