Your life changes for good after a massive accident. Whether you are faced with loss of income or ongoing pain, your recovery ought to include protecting your legal rights.

After a life-changing accident you are physically and emotionally exhausted. Road traffic accidents cause you massive pain and lengthy recovery times, while workplace accidents can involve lengthy interviews with human resources and insurance companies. Among all of this, you face healing, rebuilding your life, and the high costs of medical bills that probably were not your fault to begin with. 

Ongoing recovery is overwhelming. Here’s what you can do about it:

Focus on your recovery

Your priority should be to recover. Although recovery takes time, healing the physical wounds allows you to move on to healing other wounds incurred by the trauma your accident caused. Take care of both your physical and mental health. Allow your wounds to close and seek out therapeutic help to ease the strain on your mind. 

If your doctors recommend you for physical rehabilitation, further therapy courses, or appointments aimed at speeding your healing process, you must go to all of them. Keep records of time and all your receipts. Recovering from a traumatic injury such as spinal cord damage or brain injuries is frustrating and takes a long time. Stick at it. 

Take care of your legal rights

Becoming entangled in an accident can leave you open to legal mishaps. As soon as you are recovered enough to relay your story, you should call a specialist in personal injury law like these Tucson Injury Attorneys. Discussing your experience through a case assessment allows your new lawyer to judge how strong your case is. If they think you have a valid case, they can then pursue justice on your behalf, through the legal system. 

Protecting your legal rights means advocating on your behalf while the accident investigation is ongoing. You may be in a coma or in such severe pain that you cannot focus. This is where a lawyer can be of most help. They can gather evidence, speak with witnesses, and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. They can ensure you get the maximum compensation amount possible for your claim. Through representation, they can help you reclaim some of the costs of your recovery. This includes pain and suffering, loss of earning, recuperation of costs, and all your medical and travel fees. 

Holistic healing options

Of course, there is more than one way to heal. Holistic therapies can soothe the mind in a way that not even therapy reaches. Many holistic healing techniques focus on the body, mind, and spirit. If you are interested in further healing routes, you should try the following:

• Acupuncture. This ancient Chinese medicine involves long, thin needles which are inserted into strategic points around the body. These needles can target pain, eliminate tension, and contribute towards your wellbeing.
• Yoga. Stretching out your body can be symbolic of stretching out your psyche. These stretching techniques contribute to the body’s health and healing and make you more flexible in the process.
• Meditation. Often cited by the modern doctor as a good way to calm your mind: meditation is now being taught in UK schools.
• Massage. Nothing eases tension better than a visit to the masseuse. 

Remember, your legal fees may not cover your holistic therapy treatments. That doesn’t mean they are not worth their weight in gold. You should also consult your medical professional before you take up a new holistic healing practice just in case it triggers any allergies. There may be contraindications that your doctor will know about.

Put it behind you with therapy

In addition to making a full physical recovery, you must turn your attention towards your mental health. Many of those who experience accidents severe enough to see them injured for a long time often end up with mental health issues. Commonly this might manifest as Posttraumatic stress disorder. However, anxiety and depression are also common after accidents. 

It is important that you see a mental health specialist as well as physical doctors. If you are struggling with your emotions, they can help you navigate them more clearly. Learning healthy coping tactics will allow you to process the trauma in a healthier way than others. If you find yourself relying on drugs or alcohol to fix your problems, you should seek immediate help. 

Remember: legal options exist to combat your medical fees, and to deter the accident from happening to someone else in future. Don’t feel guilty about compensation. It is your legal right.

Adam Mulligan, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.