You may be going through a complex situation with a family member or significant other suffering the after-effects of a road accident. Depending on the severity of the incident, long-term physical and psychological effects only settle in weeks or months after the event. Being in such a difficult scenario, you must have a good grasp of the available tools and resources so that you know how to help a loved one who survived a nasty road incident, as we’ve compiled in our following list.
Choose the Right Hospital
One of the first things you’ll need to address when your loved one gets involved in a car accident is medical assistance, if needed. Calling an ambulance if you’re at the scene is one of the essential steps on how to act after an incident, and a fast response can mean the difference between living and dying in some extreme cases.
However, if you’re not present and the paramedics contact you if you’re your loved one’s emergency contact, you should make sure they’re receiving the best medical care possible. Afterward, you can take care of any medical bills that may arise from their stay while figuring out how the guilty party can foot up the costs.
Seek Legal Advice on their Case
Your loved one may have gone through the road accident’s aftermath without much clue on how to move forward on their case. Some cases, like trucking accidents, require attorneys specialized in handling these lawsuits due to the often catastrophic injuries that result in wrongful death claims. As most Chicago truck accident attorneys at Curcio Law Group empathize, it’s crucial to get specialized legal representation on the matter regardless of whether your loved one was the victim of the accident or the guilty party in the case. Choosing the right lawyer to handle the legal repercussions of the accident will also help you manage all legal fees associated with the process.
Accompany them with Emotional Support
Living through a road incident is a jarring moment that some people can overcome with ease after a while. However, others continue to have overwhelming feelings that can change how they think or act and become stronger over time. If your loved one is starting to show anxiety symptoms about driving or riding in vehicles, trouble sleeping, or lasting memories of the accident that they cannot seem to stop, you must listen to their concerns and validate their feelings about what happened that fateful day. Accompanying them through their struggles about the incident and nudge them into seeking therapy if they feel like they cannot function properly can be the encouraging words your loved one needs in those complex scenarios.
Helping a family member that survived a nasty road incident might also take a toll on your emotional stability. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself by eating properly and seeking counseling if needed. Any vehicle incident carries an exhausting process afterward, therefore accompanying your loved one when possible can make things far more bearable.