Is There a Role for a Lawyer When Coping with Trauma after an Accident?
Primarily, the role of lawyers was to serve clients by helping them get compensation for their injuries. However, clients require more than courtroom representation and other services. Traumatized clients require care and understanding, which lawyers can offer.
Lawyers encounter different people with various types of emotional problems. So, learning to manage and deal with traumatized clients leads to higher levels of success and satisfaction. In addition, attorneys should have the emotional intelligence to understand and manage the emotions of accident victims. The common signs of trauma are changes in consciousness, mood, and personality. If you’re injured and traumatized, these car accident lawyers are recommended to help you out.
Here’s how a lawyer can help clients cope with trauma after an accident:
Understand the Client’s Trauma
The first step is for the attorney to understand the client’s trauma and how it affects them. For instance, an attorney should understand the client’s symptoms, triggers, and coping mechanisms. In addition, the lawyer should find out if the client had trauma symptoms before the accident and how they managed them. Through such information, a lawyer will know how to handle the current situation.
Show Empathy To Clients
Working with an emotionally vulnerable person and managing them are two different things. Lawyers should be cautious and assess if their actions ease or add more stress to their clients. Let your client know you understand and acknowledge how they feel. In addition, a lawyer can use nonverbal communication, like making eye contact, nodding, or smiling, as a way to show empathy.
Provide Emotional Support
The lawyer should be a source of emotional support for the client while seeking compensation. It is normal for a client to feel uneasy or anxious, but the lawyer should listen to them and provide reassurance that all will be well. However, an attorney should set boundaries by not mixing business with feelings. Be a good listener. Traumatized clients need someone to listen to them and validate their experiences.
Create a Safe Space for the Client
A traumatized person needs to feel safe and secure in their surroundings. So, a lawyer should create a safe space for clients to discuss their trauma and other needs. In addition, an attorney should be non-judgmental, empathetic, and supportive. This way, the affected person will open up and feel safer. However, a lawyer should be mindful of their body language and tone of voice, as these can trigger the client.
Assist Client’s Set Realistic Goals
Sometimes, clients can have very high hopes concerning their case. But, things may not turn out as expected. Therefore, a lawyer should help clients set realistic goals to avoid frustration after negotiations. All parties should be prepared for setbacks during the negotiation process. In addition, trauma can impact a person’s ability to focus, have hope, and believe that anything is possible. Although accident victims may feel hopeless and overwhelmed, it’s best to help them identify their strengths.
Refer the Client to Other Professionals
As a lawyer, you may feel the client needs additional support. While lawyers can offer counseling and guidance, a professional counselor or therapist may handle some situations better. Let the client know you’re referring them to better services. In addition, a lawyer can share past stories of clients who overcame trauma after an accident. Through this, a person will gain the courage to hold on.
Trauma can impact somebody’s ability to make decisions, focus, and set and achieve goals. Lawyers can play a valuable role in helping traumatized clients feel loved and appreciated. An attorney can do so by creating a safe space for the client, understanding their feelings, and showing empathy to clients. However, attorneys should know that traumatized clients require patience when dealing with them.
