3 Emotions That Could Affect You During Your Accident

If someone injured you in a car accident, you deserve fair compensation for your injuries. Unfortunately, the insurance company who pays your settlement may try to settle for as small of an amount as they can.

For best results, you need to approach the settlement process logically — if you react without thinking, you could lose money. Here are three emotions you may need to work through during the settlement process. 

1. Anger

The situation you are in isn't fair. It isn't fair that the accident has taken place, that the settlement can take a long time, and that the insurance company may try to pay only a fraction of what you need. If this unfairness makes you angry, you aren't alone, and your injuries and the accompanying pain may compound the emotion.

While your anger is justified, you can't let it rule you. Anger can cause you to make impulsive choices, and have difficulty clearly communicating, and not have difficulty understanding presented information. If you feel you are getting angry during your settlement discussions, ask for a few minutes to take a break. If you can, take a short walk and practice deep breathing and relaxation skills.

While anger is a natural human emotion, remember to think before you speak. Lashing out during your settlement could backfire and limit the settlement offers you will have access to. If your anger feels out of control, reach out to a qualified mental health professional to help you process it.

2. Sadness or Depression

You may feel sad or depressed because of the time and money you've lost to your injuries and to the settlement process, which may feel like it will never end. Fortunately, if you are at the point of settlement, the end of your claim is in sight. You just have to hold on a little while longer.

Sadness or depression can make it difficult to focus or make decisions. If you feel hopeless, you may also be tempted to settle for a much lower amount than you would otherwise.

If you feel sad or depressed, you have good reason to be. However, that doesn't mean you need to work through these emotions by yourself. Speak to your physician about the appropriate treatment for you. This may include medication, therapy, or a combination of the two. Make sure to take good care of yourself as well, including eating well, exercising, sleeping enough, and relying on your family and friends for support.

3. Anxiety

If you don't know what to expect during the settlement or are worried about the outcome, you may feel anxious. While anxiety is normal and expected, too much anxiety can disrupt your decision-making process and make it difficult for you to weigh the risk, rewards, and consequences of your decisions. This can be a major disadvantage during your settlement conference. 

If you have occasional or mild worries, relaxation techniques like deep breathing may be enough to help you calm down and move forward. However, if your anxiety becomes overwhelming, you should reach out to your doctor just like you would for depression. Anxiety is often a normal part of recovering from an accident, but getting qualified help can help you heal.

If your accident caused you to need help for anger, depression, or anxiety, make sure to let your lawyer know. You may be able to include the cost of your treatment in your settlement since you needed the treatment to become whole again after the accident.

Know you are not alone. The attorneys at Walsh & Associates, PC, will guide you through the settlement process so you can receive the compensation you are entitled to. We'll take some of the burden off of you so you can focus on healing during this difficult time. Call today to set up your consultation.