How to cope after suffering a serious accident?

19 April 2021

The impact of a serious accident can turn your life upside down. Getting the right medical treatment, rehabilitation and counselling can help you to recover and come to terms with your new way of life.

True Solicitors serious injury team outline what treatment can help you to manage following an accident.

Dealing with grief

It is normal to experience feeling of grief following a serious accident. The feelings of anger, sadness, fear and frustration, relating to why the accident happened to you and grief for your way of life pre-accident, can weigh down on you and impact your relationships with your loved ones.

It is important to give yourself time to work through the grieving process and talk through your feelings with family and friends. If you feel uncomfortable talking to those who are close to you speak to your medical team who will arrange for you to seek help from a professional counselling service. This will help you to learn to do your day to day tasks in a different way and adjust to your new way of life.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is key to help you to recover from your injuries, to grow stronger and become mobile again. It is important to stick to the schedule of rehabilitation prescribed even when you feel too tired or are in pain. Any gap in rehabilitation will only delay your recovery.

Rehabilitation can take the form of:

• Physiotherapy
• Psychological therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech and language therapy

When making a personal injury claim your solicitor will be able to get you access to private rehab, which is likely to be quicker than through the NHS, which often has long waiting lists for treatment.

Maintain a healthy diet

Eating a healthy diet and not drinking too much alcohol can help to aid your recovery. You may have also been prescribed certain medication which should not be mixed with alcohol – always check the instructions before taking.

Sleep

When recovering from a serious injury the power of a good night’s sleep cannot be underestimated. Pain may prevent you from sleeping as well as you would like and it therefore may be necessary to seek professional help to make the process of getting to sleep more manageable.

Avoiding caffeine and alcohol will also help to maintain a better sleeping pattern.

Mental Health

Recovering from a serious injury can be quite isolating and frustrating for many, as you come to terms with your lack of independence and new way of life. It is therefore important to look after your mental health and talk about how you are feeling with friends and family if you are struggling. Communication with your loved ones can help to boost your mood and make the healing process easier on yourself.

If you are feeling anxious and depressed following an accident it is also possible to seek help from a professional psychologist.

Take your time

Taking your time to heal and recover from your injuries is essential. The healing process cannot be rushed and every individual responds to treatment and rehabilitation in different ways. It is understandable to feel frustrated if recovery takes longer than you expected but it is important to recognize any progress no matter how minor this may seem.

Manage stress and worry

Stress has a major impact on those who have had their lives impacted due to injury. The worry of what the future will bring, loss of income, the possibility of needing to move home and the strain that your injuries may have on your relationships, can cause unwanted anxiety.

Although it is difficult to control these thoughts, being able to recognise when intrusive and negative thoughts creep in, will help you to focus on other things which are within your control.

Seek compensation

TRUE Solicitors has a team of lawyers who specialise in serious injury claims. Their experience and expertise can help you to obtain the maximum compensation in the shortest possible time.

We operate on a No Win, No Fee basis, meaning that there no upfront costs to you. We offer a free initial, no obligation assessment of your case.

Call us on 0344 854 7000 to discuss your claim, or submit your details below and we’ll call you back at a time convenient for you.

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