When you’ve been injured in a car accident, your number one priority should be your physical recovery. At Golden Law Office, we recommend that car accident victims in Lexington do everything in their power to focus on their physical and emotional health and well-being.
However, we recognize that following our top car accident recovery tips can be difficult if you are struggling with the financial aftermath of a serious collision. If finances will be a hurdle to any of the below tips, schedule a free consultation with one of our car accident attorneys to discuss your options for recovering compensation.
Our Top 6 Car Accident Recovery Tips
Although every car accident victim’s recovery will look different, trying out the following tips may aid in the pace and overall effectiveness of your recovery. If you are ever in doubt about anything related to your physical recovery, defer to your doctor’s expertise.
Seek Medical Care
Always seek timely medical care after being involved in a car accident. Depending on the extent of your injuries, you may need to be seen immediately in the emergency room or at an urgent care facility. Schedule a follow-up appointment with your own doctor as soon as you leave the ER or urgent care. If you do not receive emergency care, you should still schedule an appointment with your doctor to be evaluated for any hidden accident injuries that may take time to develop.
Follow your doctor’s treatment plan as closely as possible. Attend all appointments, including those for physical therapy and rehabilitative services. Take all of your medications as prescribed. Never stop taking a medication suddenly or without the supervision of your doctor. If you suspect that any aspect of your treatment is causing worrying side effects, write down everything you notice and then tell your doctor.
If you fail to follow your treatment plan, the at-fault driver’s insurance company could use your non-compliance as evidence that you were not as seriously injured as you claim. This could, in turn, affect your ability to recover compensation for your injuries.
Take Time Off Work
You may require time off work after a serious car accident, especially if your position requires you to be physically active. Lifting heavy items, handling dangerous machinery, or even simply being on your feet for long hours can exacerbate your injuries and impede the recovery process.
Even a job that does not require you to engage in physical labor can be detrimental to your recovery. For example, sitting in an office chair for hours on end at a non-ergonomic workstation is not conducive to the recovery process for many accident-related injuries, including back and neck injuries.
Rest
Even if you are an on-the-go person who prefers to always have something to do, few things are as beneficial to the recovery process as resting. Take this time to rest your body and engage in actions that support your physical and mental well-being. A day of rest may look different depending on the type and severity of a person’s injury, so don’t compare yourself to anyone else.
Watching your favorite movie, reading a book, or playing a video game while situated comfortably in a supportive chair or position can help you rest your body while focusing your thoughts on something other than the accident.
Stay Hydrated and Eat a Healthy Diet
The Mayo Clinic recommends that men drink an average of 3.7 liters of fluids and women drink 2.7 liters of fluids a day. This comes out to about 15.5 cups and 11.5 cups, respectively. You may require more water if you live in a particularly hot climate, weigh more than average, or are moderately active.
Water helps flush toxins from the body and plays a vital role in the transportation of nutrients to your cells. Being well-hydrated will ultimately support your recovery in a way that few other things can.
You get approximately 20% of your daily fluid intake requirement from food, so it is important to also maintain a healthy diet while recovering from car accident injuries. Although specific nutritional needs vary from person to person, a typical healthy diet will include some of the following:
- A wide variety of fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Good sources of unsaturated fat, including those found in fish and avocados
- Beans, nuts, seafood, lean meats, eggs, and other sources of protein
- Milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products
If you are struggling to drink enough water or maintain a healthy diet, ask your doctor if they can refer you to a dietician who is experienced in treating car accident victims.
Engage in Mild Physical Activity
Mild physical activity can support your journey to physical recovery. Never engage in physical activity that causes additional pain or that you have not been cleared by your doctor to perform.
Low-impact physical activity that can support both your physical and emotional recovery includes:
- Walking, especially outdoors and in nature
- Swimming or gentle water aerobics
- Gentle stretching
If you are working with a physical therapist, you may be sent home with a list of exercises and stretches to perform daily. Always complete these exercises and stretches as instructed by your physical therapist.
Meet With a Car Accident Attorney
The financial repercussions of a serious car accident can be devastating, especially in terms of medical care. Your physical recovery hinges on your ability to access and afford the care you need. If the other driver was at fault for the accident, you can recover compensation for your physical, financial, and emotional damages through a personal injury claim.
Navigating a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver’s insurer is not without its challenges, though. Big insurance companies know all the tricks and tactics to limit their liability and reduce your ability to recover compensation.
Meeting with a car accident attorney will help you determine what legal options you have for recovering compensation, and how you can best prove your case to the insurance company. In a personal injury case, a car accident lawyer from Golden Law Office can:
- Investigate and determine the cause of your accident
- Collect evidence relevant to your case, including police reports, dash cam footage, witness statements, and more
- Consult with experts like medical professionals and accident reconstructionists
- Negotiate for maximum compensation
- Take over all communications with the insurance company so you can focus on your recovery
Contact Golden Law Office Today
The attorneys at Golden Law Office have experience trying and defending a wide range of personal injury claims, which makes us uniquely positioned to take on complex car accident cases.
After you’ve reviewed our top car accident recovery tips, take the next step by calling our Lexington, KY office or filling out our convenient online form to schedule a free case evaluation.
