The road to recovery from serious injuries is long, dark, and daunting. One minute, the injured person was going about their day as they normally do, and then suddenly, an unfortunate accident turned their world upside down. However, while accidents may result in serious injuries and psychological trauma, it is possible to recover from such injuries completely if you follow the proper procedures. If you know a loved one who’s going through this hardship, here are a few effective ways you can help them recover after their injury.
Find the Right Doctor
People often choose what they’re most comfortable with, especially when their life takes a turn downhill. Although your loved one may want to stick with their primary care physician (PCP) to get their treatment, it’s your duty to give them the care they need. Oftentimes, that means looking for a certified and specialized physician instead of their PCP. If they’ve been in an auto accident, it’s best to look for an auto-injury doctor with the best qualification. If they were injured on the job, better look for a physician specializing in occupational healthcare, the right doctor will provide the needed care as well as the report needed to support the victim’s claims.
Find a Good Personal Injury Lawyer
While a specialized doctor will take care of the patient’s health, a specialized lawyer will pursue their case and ensure their rights are preserved. It’s often difficult for a patient to look into lawyers and follow up on the case with them, so it’s going to be your job to find a good personal injury lawyer.
Keep in mind that you’ll have to act swiftly so as not to miss the statute of limitations of your state. For instance, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases in Georgia is two years from the date of the incident. In that case, you’ll want to look for Atlanta personal injury lawyers to find someone who specializes in the area of personal injury law that relates to your loved one’s case. Personal injury cases can vary greatly; a lawyer specialized in auto accidents may not be as experienced in workplace injuries, so you’ll need to take their expertise into account.
Be There
Having your life turned upside down at a moment’s notice can leave anyone traumatized, both physically and emotionally. Although there’s no doubt that you care about your loved one, you should understand that, most probably, you don’t understand what they’re going through. However, they don’t need you to understand. They need you to support them on an emotional level. You can show your support by showing up and staying by their side.
It’s the support system they need the most right now, not words of encouragement or being told they can get through this. Just be there as they find their way around their battle.
Make Sure They’re Following the Treatment Plan
While you’re staying by their side, make sure to keep a close watch on them. It’s not uncommon for patients suffering from traumatizing events to seek self-destructive behavior. They may start skipping their doctor’s appointments and medications on purpose, but that’s something you should stop them from doing. It’s also possible that they can merely forget about these matters, so be sure to remind them if that happens.
Provide Support with Daily Matters
Although they might not want to open up to you or talk about their worries, you can show your support in more than one way. Merely staying around will open up more opportunities down the line, but you can start by helping them out with daily matters. If they have a family to attend to or errands to run, you can ease some of their worries by shouldering some of these responsibilities yourself. If you can’t always be available, you can hire them a maid or a personal assistant to cook and manage the house while you’re away.
Help Them Get Back on Their Feet
The road to recovery is long, but it will only get longer the more the injured patient procrastinates. They may not want to keep up with the stretches and exercises they were ordered to do, but you can try to encourage them by offering your support. Try to free up some time to exercise together with them, talk walks, and eat properly. Walk beside them as they take slow yet sure steps to getting back on their feet.
It’s difficult to see a loved one struggling, but there are a few things that you can do to support them on their journey towards recovery. If you have a loved one who has recently suffered from a serious injury, this guide should hopefully provide some insight as to how you can help them recover. By providing them the care they truly need, staying by their side, and offering your support, you can help accelerate their recovery.