Car Accident: A Practical Recovery Manual.

Jack Smith StressPress, Inc., 25931 Euclid Ave., Suite 270, Cleveland, OH 44132. 180 pp., $12.95.

Reviewed by Paul J. Komyatte

The emotional stress arising out of a car crash is not unlike natural reactions to other traumatic events, such as war, natural disasters, and airline crashes. Jack Smith, the author of Car Accident--A Practical Recovery Manual, served in Vietnam and helped write the American Psychiatric Association's official diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. He has worked with other veterans to help them cope with the disorder.

The premise of Smith's book is that people involved in car crashes, especially serious ones, may experience this disorder. Car Accident discusses the types of early reactions that arise after a crash and offers practical ways to recognize, accept, address, and eventually resolve those reactions.

The more serious the crash, the more serious the post-crash stress. Although there is a tendency among some, particularly men, to ignore this stress, it does not always vanish with time. This can prevent a complete recovery.

The author presents numerous anecdotal examples of how repressed stress materializes in the form of tear, anger, frustration, and resentment even years after the event. These feelings, the author asserts, hinder personal recovery and can sabotage relations with friends and family.

Thus, the first step to emotional recovery is to accept and recognize post-crash stress as natural. It is perfectly natural for people injured in a crash to experience strong early reactions, including shock, anger, fear, resentment, emotional mood swings, survivor guilt, and a sense of being helpless and out of control. These feelings can be omnipresent or show themselves through dreams, flashbacks, and "startle reactions" (in which the mind and body replay the accident).

Most of the book discusses recovery methods such as encouraging the person to express feelings of stress, anger, fear, and depression to family and friends. Smith makes clear that professional help and therapy are often necessary.

He discusses how accepting the crash and its painful aftermath can be an opportunity for personal growth, though the injured person must decide to make it so. Smith also discusses how recognizing emotional stress eventually leads to acceptance and healing.

Although Car Accident is primarily written for the crash victim, it contains several chapters for the spouse, friends, and family of the person. It also contains certain information that can be useful to plaintiffs' lawyers.

The book's discussion of natural reactions to car crashes can help attorneys recognize what clients are going through as well as explain certain behavior. Car Accident reinforces the notion that clients often need more than economic recovery from a lawsuit to heal. By recognizing the symptoms and reactions of post-crash stress, plaintiffs' lawyers can more effectively decide when to recommend further professional help to the client.

Perhaps the most important information Car Accident offers is that being good listener may be a significant service plaintiffs' lawyers can provide. People injured in crashes need to share their feelings as a crucial step in the emotional healing process, and attorneys can listen as effectively as anyone else.

The book lacks a serious discussion of the emotional effects of permanently disabling injuries. It is more aptly directed toward people who escaped car crashes without serious injury or who recovered from their injuries. A forthcoming second volume will address strong, lingering reactions to a car crash. Perhaps this volume will be more helpful for people with permanently disabling injuries and their lawyers.