The aftermath of a car accident can be financial, physical, mental, or emotional. While these side effects are individually devastating, they can also be intertwined so dramatically that they permanently alter a couple’s relationship, and not in a good way.
The Traumatic Aftermath of a Car Accident
There are many possible causes of friction in a relationship after a car accident, an incident that can go to the core of who you are and change you completely – sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Here are just some of the reasons relationships suffer because of a crash:
- Your outlook on life has changed. For some car accident victims, the crash jolts them into having a more positive outlook on life and an urgency to live fully and completely. However, your partner may be terrified to let you out of their sight or have little desire to keep up with your newfound impetuous nature. On the flip side, you may suffer such acute PTSD that you are scared to step into a vehicle or go anywhere. Your partner may feel like you’ll never be able to enjoy things together again or live the life you once lived together because of your anxiety and reluctance.
- Your partner sees you differently. The physical or mental damage suffered in a car accident can be so severe that, in some relationships, a lover turns into a caregiver, or they cannot see past permanent scarring or disfigurement. Intimacy and love can be transformed into obligation and resentment. If you require long-term care, your partner may not be able to deal with this demand and “for better, for worse” is truly tested, often to the point of breaking.
- Your ability to provide has changed. An altered state of mind or physical limitations can limit your ability to do your job or even work at all. If your contribution to your household is eliminated completely, this not only creates a burden on your partner, it creates a financial canyon that often can’t be bridged. Add to this strain the pressure of managing astronomical medical bills and therapy costs. Relationships end because of money problems – while these complications are not of your own making, they can still put holes in your partnership.
- You are a different person. Car accident victims who suffer a traumatic brain injury may not show signs of any physical injuries, but their mental and emotional states are severely altered, sometimes permanently, involving anxiety, mood swings, irrational anger, fear, and sleep problems that interfere with the ability to live the lifestyle they once did. Whether the injury is physical or mental, you may not be able to do even the simplest daily tasks anymore, like hold your children, help around the house, drive to work, watch your favorite TV show, or concentrate on a book.
When Your Relationship Can’t Recover from an Auto Accident
The emotional damage of a car accident is one of the biggest killers of relationships. The more severe an injury from a crash, the greater likelihood of emotional damage. Knowing that you have become a changed person after a car crash and being helpless to get back to who you were is enough to put anyone into a depression.
Your partner may not be able to overcome the challenges this newfound reality has placed on your relationship, or you may be reluctant to rely on them too heavily and dismantle their life, too.
Car accidents and negligence cause trauma every day – whether you were driver or passenger – and lead to the need for medical care, medication, and ongoing therapy, all costly. The debilitating nature of a car accident can be life-altering, sometimes temporarily, sometimes forever. The highly skilled and experienced car accident lawyers at Thurswell Law have the expertise to show proof of mental distress and emotional injuries so you get the compensation you deserve for altered life and altered relationships.
Contact Thurswell Law for a free consultation. We do not charge any fees unless you collect. Call (248) 354-2222 today to schedule your consultation.
