Car accidents can happen to anyone, no matter how careful they are. If one of your friends, loved ones, or family members in the LGBTQ community has been in an accident, it’s time to step up and make sure they’re getting what they need to fully recover.
An accident can impact someone physically, emotionally, and financially. You may not be able to help in every way, but there’s a lot you can do to come together and help in their time of need.
Providing Emotional Support
You can support someone after a car accident by identifying their current situation, asking about their needs, and then providing the right support to aid their recovery.
Assessing Immediate Needs
The first thing to do when you find out someone has been in a car accident is to check if they are okay. Your first question should be a direct “Are you okay?”. Once you know the answer to that, you can plan out your next steps.
If they need medical attention after the accident or are already in the hospital, make sure they’re receiving the care they need to recover physically. Even if they feel fine, it may be a good idea to suggest they get checked out anyway, just to be certain.
Steps to Supporting a Loved One through Trauma
Above all, remember that car accidents can be a traumatic experience. To support someone after they’ve experienced this kind of trauma, you can offer help in these ways:
- Empathy: the best support you can offer is empathy. Listen attentively, validate their feelings, and offer your support without criticism or judgment.
- Availability: like everyone else, LGBTQ individuals need robust emotional support systems. It’s important to be available to them after their accident. Tell them that you’re available for them, but also take the time to reach out and see what they.
- Care: encourage them to relax, rest, eat well, and do activities that help them feel good. Maintaining good self-care habits can be helpful for anyone recovering from trauma.
- Practical support: helping out in practical ways can be a good way to support someone, especially if they’ve been injured or are feeling shaken up. Offer to pick up groceries, help with housework, drive them where they need to go, or anything else that would be genuinely helpful.
- Maintaining boundaries: people manage traumatic experiences in their own way. If they need space to process by themselves, be respectful and honor their wishes.
The best thing you can do is to stand by your friend or loved one after an accident. Be present and attentive to their needs so they can focus on recovery and making the right choices in the aftermath of what they’ve been through.
Fatal accidents require even more support from those close to the victim and others involved in the accident. Survivor’s guilt and anxiety from an accident can morph into other long-term mental struggles that may require a lot of help over time.
Legal Guidance for LGBTQ Car Accident Victims
Legal issues may not be the first thing to bring up with someone who has just been in a car accident, but it’s important to talk about their situation and what actions they may need to take.
Some actions are more urgent than others and should be addressed early, such as seeking out evidence from the crash.
Understanding the Timing
Depending on when the accident happened, any related lawsuit has to be filed in a timely manner to be valid. This time period is called the statute of limitations.
In states like Tennessee, the statute of limitations is one year, whereas states like Virginia and Nevada have a two-year limit, and Maryland and South Dakota have a three-year limit. Four US states have a statute of limitations of four years, which is the longest limit allowed by any state.
Most car accident settlements are handled by insurance outside of court, but it’s a good idea to keep track of the timing in case other legal options need to be taken.
Gathering Evidence
Each US state may follow a different method when judging who is responsible for an accident and who owes compensation to the other. The one who is judged to be at fault is responsible for compensating the other, whether out of pocket or through their insurance.
Gathering evidence can help support your case and demonstrate your innocence. A few common examples of evidence from a car accident are:
- Camera footage or recordings
- Images from the crash scene
- Police report from the accident
- Debris field analysis
- Reconstructions of the accident
- Witness testimonies
- Vehicle damage reports
- Markings on the roadway
Having as much evidence as possible will strengthen your case, no matter what steps are taken to resolve things after the accident.
Addressing Local Laws
The state where the accident took place is the state whose laws will apply. It’s best to find a lawyer local to the area to consult on the case because they can provide the expertise needed for that state’s laws.
Look for lawyers local to the area of the accident, not just the state generally. For example, if the accident happened in Tennessee (TN) outside the city of Nashville, you wouldn’t want to hire a lawyer based in Knoxville. Instead, you’d be better off with a car accident lawyer in Smyrna, TN, or Clarksville, TN.
Seeking Compensation
Laws vary by state, but compensation laws are fairly consistent. In most car accidents, victims can be compensated for the damage to their vehicle and their own medical costs, but also for:
- Lost wages resulting from the accident
- Emotional damages
- Potential income losses
- Quality of life losses
In accidents where there’s been a fatality, other compensations can be sought on behalf of the victim’s family or loved ones.
Conclusion
Whether you’re an ally or a member of the community, you can play a vital role in supporting your LGBTQ friends and loved ones after a car accident.
Do your best to act as part of their village, giving emotional support when you can, practical support where it’s needed, and guidance to help them untangle their legal options.
