What Is Vehophobia?
When people consider the aftermath of car accidents, they tend to only think about the physical injuries that could impact their lives. Those are not the only wounds you can suffer, however. Even though you can’t see them, psychological injuries can severely affect how you go about your day.
One of the potential issues you can experience after a crash is vehophobia, and it could be life-altering.
Understanding Vehophobia
Vehophobia is the fear of driving. Like other phobias, it tends to be a response to a traumatic event, such as a car accident that resulted in injuries. It’s an intense and paralyzing fear that can be triggered in very specific circumstances, like getting on a highway, or can be all-encompassing, meaning that even riding as a passenger is impossible.
Although it often occurs after someone suffers catastrophic injuries like a brain injury or spinal cord damage, it can also happen after witnessing a serious collision.
Some signs of vehophobia include:
- Shallow breathing
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Chest pain
- Rapid heart rate
- Panic attacks
It’s common for those who suffer from this issue to do everything they can to avoid driving. This can greatly impact your life. Even mild vehophobia could make driving to work a nightmare every day, which means that you could end up missing work days and income.
Treating Vehophobia
Vehophobia usually requires therapy sessions that rely on exposure therapy and other treatment modalities. It can take a significant amount of time to start feeling more confident around vehicles and even longer to get behind the wheel yourself without experiencing symptoms.
Support groups can also be helpful because they allow you to see that there are others who are also suffering from similar conditions. Additionally, some people may benefit from medications for anxiety, though this is typically a short-term option meant only to alleviate symptoms for long enough to allow you to pursue therapy.
Legal Recourse After Suffering Vehophobia
If a car accident led to your development of vehophobia and the collision occurred as a result of another party’s negligence, it may be possible to file a personal injury claim to receive compensation for what you’ve suffered. Filing a claim against the other party requires demonstrating that they were negligent and their conduct resulted in your injuries.
To accomplish this, you’ll have to demonstrate that they owed you a duty of care that they breached, resulting in your losses. It’s not always easy to prove all of this, so one important step you should take is to hire a car accident lawyer to represent you.
With an experienced attorney by your side, you can focus on the healing process while they manage the legal aspect of your claim. You can expect the lawyer to investigate how the accident occurred, gather as much evidence as possible that shows the other party was negligent, and negotiate with insurance companies to help you receive fair compensation.
If the insurance companies don’t want to cooperate or they don’t believe that you suffered a serious mental health concern like vehophobia, an option that your lawyer may recommend is to file a lawsuit. With the right strategy and evidence, you can receive the funds you need to cover your cost of therapy, lost income, and all other losses related to the incident.
A Rock Hill Car Accident Lawyer Can Help if You’re Dealing With Vehophobia
In South Carolina, you may be entitled to file a claim after a car crash that left you with physical and emotional trauma. By filing a claim, you can pursue the compensation you need to help you heal from trauma like vehophobia. It’s important to rely on experienced lawyers to assist you through this complex process for the best results.
Contact The North & South Carolina Car Accident Lawyers At Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys For Help Today
For more information, please contact our car accident lawyers in South Carolina and North Carolina at Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys to schedule a free consultation today.
We proudly serve York County, Lancaster County, and its surrounding areas in South Carolina:
Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Rock Hill
212 E Black St, Rock Hill, SC 29730
(803) 324-7574
Open 24hrs
Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Lancaster
204 A S Main St, Lancaster, SC 29720
(803) 902-7065
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Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Fort Mill
1201 Carolina Pl Suite 102D, Fort Mill, SC 29708
(803) 902-4045
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Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Lake Wylie
264 Latitude Ln #102A, Lake Wylie, SC 29710
(803) 902-3608
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We also proudly serve Mecklenburg County and its surrounding areas in North Carolina:
Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Charlotte
1100 S Mint St #109, Charlotte, NC 28203
(980) 340-8620
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