Getting in a car accident can be serious. Sometimes attorneys can forget this. In dealing with the ins and outs of an injury case, fighting with insurance adjusters, dealing with boring medical records, and the mundane details of a case sometimes it can cause an attorney to forget just how traumatic being in a car accident can be. I recently received a personal wake up call.
I had the experience of being one of the first responders on two different car accidents recently. The first involved a serious injury where an SUV crossed the center line and hit a subcompact car head on. I recognized the car, which I had seen displayed at a local car dealership. The person in the subcompact car was unconcious and seriously injured with life altering injuries. I stayed with her waiting for the ambulance to arrive, but felt helpless to assist her in any way. I was sure the poor woman would die, and it haunted me. Coincidentally, the victim was a family member of a friend and I was pleased to learn that she did survive the accident. But her life will never be the same.
Less than a week later another accident occurred right in front of my office. I ran out and offered what help I could. There were three cars involved and all three drivers were injured. The woman closest to my door was hurt, confused, and barely conscious. I had seen many accidents before, and had been the first one out at another accident in front of my office, but to see the confusion this woman felt really drove home just how traumatic an accident can be.
I won't pretend to know what you are going through after an accident. I've been in a couple myself and know what I went through, but each accident is different and each person is different. I can't truly understand how the accident affected you emotionally, and I can't physically feel your pain. But I do promise to try and understand, and I will remain conscious of just how traumatic it can be to be in an accident.