Snellings Law PLLC Attorneys are Personal Injury Trial Lawyers
Scared to ride
after a motorcycle wreck?
Emotional Trauma after a Motorcycle Wreck
When I was younger, my friends and I used to race on our bicycles. During one such race, we were headed around one of those chain-link backstops. As we made the turn, my pedal caught in my friend’s front spokes, and I went flying…right into the backstop…face first. I had the chain link pattern in the form of scabs on the right side of my face for several weeks. While I played it off to my friends as no big deal, I remember being nervous to get back on my bike. This was especially true when I was riding with my friends, and one got a little close. I am not sure I ever raced again on my bike either. I can only imagine how much that fear is magnified for our clients who have been involved in a motorcycle crash.
Severity of Motorcycle Wrecks
There is rarely a minor motorcycle wreck. Motorcycles obviously provide much less protection against vehicles than sitting in the interior of a car. With seatbelts, crumple zones and more surface area to disperse the force of a crash- a car occupant is much better protected than a motorcyclist in a collision. In our experience though, many riders can avoid direct contact with vehicles, but the contact with the roadway or other obstacles is what injures them. I cannot tell you how many of our clients have made amazing riding moves to avoid a vehicle pulling out in front of them or into them. While they many times will avoid the direct contact, they end up having to lay their bike down or end up crashing into another obstacle injuring them.
Though many people already know the severity of injuries in motorcycle accidents, many people don’t think about the psychological and emotional trauma that go along with them. Accidents can cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, which can mean even riding in a vehicle can be traumatizing for a victim, much less on a motorcycle. PTSD can mean crippling anxiety and fear when going on the road, but it can also mean emotionally draining flashbacks and memories of the wreck. These symptoms can be triggered not just by riding on a motorcycle or in a vehicle, but also by certain sights, noises, and smells.
Medical Treatment After a Motorcycle Wreck
While you need immediate medical attention for your physical injuries after a wreck- we highly recommend seeking psychological attention as well. Although many of our clients initially refuse, we have yet to have one seek counseling that regretted it afterwards. We get it – going to a counselor to talk through feelings is not at the top of many of our clients’ lists of things they want to do. However, not taking this opportunity to address mental trauma can lead to long-lasting effects that significantly outweigh talking through them with a trained professional. A professional counselor (psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, licensed counselor, etc.) is trained to help people work through their problems and emotions, and they want nothing but the best for you. There is no shame in seeking help for emotional and psychological issues, and, in fact, you should be applauded for seeking help.
If you are not familiar with mental anguish, watch Scott’s video on it here.
Mental Anguish Damages
There are many different things that go into a personal injury claim and settlement. One key factor that influences your settlement is mental anguish. The specific damages element that addresses the non-economic aspect of mental trauma (meaning not the cost of treatment, but instead, how this has affected you) would be mental anguish. While it is easy for armchair lawyers and tort-reformers to complain about mental anguish damages, we all know how real and devastating they can be. In fact, some of our most staunch tort-reformer clients have had a 180 degree change in heart once they or their loved one has been through a traumatic psychological event.
We always advocate that our clients who are feeling symptoms of mental trauma at the very least undergo an evaluation from a psychological health professional. If nothing else, they at least have documentation of their struggle, and it is not some “made up anguish” as adjusters like to state. It is also a step for these clients to see that the counseling process is not so scary as well as showing them that their symptoms are real and normal. Most of our clients suffer from anxiety and other psychological trauma after going through any type of crash, whether it be a motorcycle wreck, car accident, bicycle accident, pedestrian accident, or any other type of event.
How Snellings Law Can Help Motorcycle Victims
If you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle accident, please do not neglect your psychological health. As personal injury attorneys, we have seen what can happen to clients who refuse to treat that injury and the havoc it can cause in their personal and family life. We would love to hear your story and see how we can help. Whether it be by answering questions or by serving as your attorneys, we are here for accident victims.
At Snellings Law, we have over 30 years of combined trial experience, and our sole focus is helping personal injury victims. You can reach us on our website using the email form or the live chat feature. You can also give us a call using the call now button below or dialing 214-387-0387.
