Life after experiencing an injury can be extremely difficult. You may not be able to do some of the things you used to do before, you may not be able to return to work, and you suddenly have to deal with different doctors, lawyers, and insurance companies.
It’s normal for your mental health to take a hit right along with your physical health.
You don’t have to let a personal injury keep you down for long. With a few changes, you can make life a little easier.
Get the Best Settlement Possible
Personal injuries are often associated with monetary costs. From doctor’s appointments, medication, and medical devices to possibly losing income, money can worsen a stressful situation.
Hire the right attorney, and they can help you get the best settlement for your personal injury claim. They can support you throughout the process, telling you what to say and do so you have the best chance of getting the most money in a settlement. Getting the extra money you need to pay bills can ease your worries and help you focus on your recovery.
Make Your Home More Accessible
A personal injury can make day-to-day tasks more difficult. If you aren’t careful, you could end up exacerbating your condition or experiencing an accident because you reached a little too far to open the window or slipped and fell in the bathroom.
There are things you can do to make your home more accessible. Not only will a few changes make your home more comfortable, they will also make it safer so you don’t end up worsening your injury.
A few ways to make your home more accessible include:
- Rearrange your furniture so it’s easier to get around if you use a walker or a boot to heal a broken bone.
- Install handrails and grab bars in bedrooms and bathrooms that can be removed once recovered.
- Secure rugs to the floor with rug tape or remove them to prevent slips and falls.
- Rearrange the kitchen so important items are easily within arm’s reach.
Ask Friends and Loved Ones For Help
It can be difficult to ask for help, but asking your friends and loved ones for help can make life a lot easier for you. From bringing dinner over so you don’t have to cook to help you mow the lawn and run errands, there are many things your loved ones can do to make your day go a little more smoothly.
If you’re having trouble reaching out and asking for help, it’s important to remember that your friends and family want to help you. By telling them what to do, they know the exact way to help without guessing. After all, if a friend or a loved one reached out to you for help, you would want to help them, too.
Take Advantage of the Gig Economy
The gig economy can make life a lot more convenient. Delivery apps can drop everything from a week’s worth of groceries to dinner at your door. Take advantage of them when getting out of the house is hard.
Not only can you have things delivered to your door, but you can also make deliveries yourself. If you’re strapped for cash and need to make some money while you wait for your personal injury settlement to come through, you may be able to work for an app like Postmates or Grubhub.
The nice thing about this work style while recovering is that you can do it when it’s convenient. If you’re feeling up to it, you can make a little extra cash or stay home on days when your pain is flaring up—all without needing to call and put in time off.
Consider Therapy
Therapy can be hugely helpful when you’re recovering from an accident. A therapist can help you work through your thoughts and feelings about your injury, helping you to move on from your accident.
Not only should you consider seeing a mental health therapist, but you should also consider physical therapy. A physical therapist can help you strengthen your body and regain your range of motion after an accident, and they can do it without exacerbating your injury. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll also regain some of your confidence.
Let Yourself Have Good and Bad Days
Recovering after an accident isn’t linear. You may feel like you’re making progress, only to feel like you’ve gone backwards the next day.
Don’t beat yourself up when you have a bad day. It doesn’t mean that you’re not recovering the way you should. You may feel like you’re taking two steps back for every step forward, but progress is progress, even if you have a bad day every now and then. Take extra care of yourself on those days and know that it’s only a matter of time before a good day comes your way again.
Make Time For Fun
It’s easy to get swept up in the recovery process when you are injured. You spend more of your time in doctor’s offices and your attorney’s office, while daily activities, like cooking and bathing, take more time and effort. It’s easy to let fun fall by the wayside, but having fun is extremely important to your recovery.
When you’re having fun, you are focused and present. You aren’t anxious, and you aren’t experiencing self-criticism. It eases stress and reminds you that there are still things to live for. Make time to do the things you love to do the most, whether that’s shopping with a friend or playing with a grandchild.
Life goes on after a personal injury. You get to decide if it goes well or if it goes poorly. Take the time to think about ways you can make each day just a tiny bit better than the last and recovering from a personal injury is a little easier.
