Being involved in a hit and run accident can be a severe mental and physical trauma. At the time of the accident, most victims cannot figure out how to react; some even completely freeze out of fear. It can be a scary situation that we cannot describe in words.
Firstly, victims of an accident need time to process the whole incident. After, the phase of physical and mental recovery begins. This is the time victims realize that they could be paying for the actions of someone else. It isn’t fair, right? Unfortunately, most people don’t know how to deal with such situations.
Have you or any of your loved ones been in a hit and run accident recently? If so, we understand that this can be a difficult and stressful time. Below, we talk about the right way to deal with your injuries after a hit and run accident so that a speedy recovery is possible.
What’s a Hit & Run Accident?
Before moving on, it’s essential to know what qualifies as a hit and run accident.
In the eyes of the law, a hit and run accident is when someone involved in a crash flees the scene without doing the following:
- calling for medical help
- calling the police
- exchanging their information
Leaving the scene of an accident is either considered a misdemeanor or a felony, depending upon the circumstances. It doesn’t matter if the person fleeing away from the scene is at-fault or not. A hit and run offense is categorized as a second-degree felony when it results in injuries to the people involved in the crash.
Tips to Deal with Your Injuries after a Hit and Run Accident
What to do if you are a victim of a hit and run accident? Below are a few measures that can help you handle your injuries:
1. Ask for Medical Help Right Away
Injuries resulting from a road accident can be external, internal, or both. Most people seek help only if they have apparent external injuries. However, this isn’t always the best thing to do.
You should never assume that you are fine if you don’t have any visible wounds. You might have incurred internal injuries, such as concussions, whiplash, and/or spine damage. Such injuries can only be diagnosed by a doctor. Not seeking medical help right after the accident might result in future complications. Therefore, always receive medical attention by a doctor to ensure that any medical complications you may have are treated.
Seeking medical help is not only important for your overall health but also crucial for insurance and personal injury claims. You need to have your injuries documented as proof that you deserve compensation.
2. Have Adequate Rest
Sleep and rest speed up your recovery process significantly. The blood-flow to your muscles increases while you sleep, facilitating tissue and muscle repair. Your injuries will worsen if you don’t give your body enough time to heal. Also, adequate sleep raises your energy levels and improves your mood.
Some people try to go back to work as soon as they start feeling a little better. However, injuries take time to heal completely. If you try to bounce back too soon after an accident, you may end up hurting yourself even more. Therefore, even if you start feeling better, make sure to have adequate rest so that you do not exhaust yourself.
3. Practice Patience
Road accidents often cause major injuries. Recovery of such severe injuries is often long, slow, and frustrating. You must try to stay strong throughout the whole process, even when things don’t seem to be getting any better.
Remember that losing patience might actually slow down your recovery or, worse, further aggravate your condition. Also, never compare your recovery results with others suffering from similar conditions. Why? Because everyone takes their own time to heal. The only way to heal swiftly is to take proper care of yourself and follow your treatment plan.
4. Find Ways to Ease Pain
With injuries come days, weeks, or even months of pain. Constant pain can make you feel helpless, demotivated, and angry. Sometimes, it becomes too much to handle. However, you have to remain calm and find ways to reduce your suffering.
There are numerous methods to ease your pain, such as over-the-counter medicines, cold compresses, or massages to soothe aching muscles. You can try out different pain-management techniques and see which one works the best for you.
5. Learn About Your Compensation Rights
Dealing with injuries involves numerous visits to the doctor. This means expensive medical bills. However, you should not have to pay for someone else’s mistake. You deserve to be compensated for the injuries that resulted from a hit and run accident caused by someone else.
You should also familiarize yourself with the state laws regarding the hit and run incidents to seek rightful compensation. For example, Florida is a no-fault state which means you must file a claim with your own insurance company regardless of who was at fault.
If the person responsible for the accident is identified, you may be able to file a claim against their liability coverage to make them pay for your medical care and car repairs. If the person isn’t identified or doesn’t have this coverage, you can seek compensation from your Personal Injury Protection Coverage or Uninsured Motorist Coverage.
6. Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer
Going through the trauma of an accident is already stressful enough. Worrying about medical bills on top of that makes the whole situation even worse. Reach out to experienced Port St. Lucie Car Accident Lawyers to make the legal process easier on yourself. They will be responsible for collecting all the necessary information and navigating through the insurance claim process on your behalf.
Final Words
Dealing with injuries after a hit and run accident can be a challenging process. You may have to go to multiple doctor visits and/or deal with pain, mental, stress, physical therapy, etc. In such circumstances, a few simple measures can help you cope, such as seeking medical help at the right time, having adequate rest, being patient, and trying out pain management techniques.
Nobody wants to worry about medical bills at such a crucial time to focus on recovery. Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers have skilled and experienced legal experts that can help you through the legal process of seeking financial compensation while you focus on healing.