Car manufacturers promotional material often talks about how the car will protect you and your family in a crash. Airbags, seat belts, crumple zones and avoidance systems have gone a long way toward doing that.
What they cannot do is protect you from the emotional and psychological damage that crashes can cause.
The mental harm can be more serious than the physical damage
Maybe you break your leg in a crash. That’s going to hurt a lot, and you will be unable to walk unaided for a few months and unable to drive for around half a year. Yet once that period is passed, most people can return to life as before and hopefully reach the point where their leg is as good as it was before (there are exceptions, where people suffer long-term problems).
The psychological damage can last much longer. Maybe you can physically drive, but the thought of it, or even the thought of getting in a car, terrifies you. Perhaps you cannot even walk down that stretch of road anymore due to the horrific memories it throws up of the crash.
Post-traumatic stress syndrome is a real possibility
You may get flashbacks of the moment the crash happened or wake up in the night with an anxiety attack. In some cases, it can get even worse, with some post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) sufferers experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts. These emotional changes can also strain your relationships, make holding down a job more difficult and more.
If someone injures you in a crash, do not underestimate how much it will affect you. You’ll need legal help to claim the total amount of compensation you are due.