A man was thrown from his car and into a river when he swerved to avoid a pickup truck that made an illegal lane change. The man's SUV flipped and rolled across all four lanes of traffic. There were three other people in the car, including the man's mother, girlfriend, and his small child. The child was not injured, but the two women were both hospitalized.

Charges are pending against driver of the pickup truck, who could also face civil liability for the injuries from the accident he caused. The people in the SUV may be able to recover for their injuries, medical bills, and pain and suffering.

The man who landed in the water was rescued when a quick-thinking plumber lowered a ladder to him. He says he climbed out of the water and immediately went to comfort his young child, who was crying. He was not seriously injured but he says that the experience was horrible.

"I just remember shooting out of the car. I don't remember flying through the air," he said in an interview with the local news.

People who have had traumatizing experiences in accidents may suffer psychologically for a long time afterwards. Mental anguish is one of the things that victims may recover for as a part of their overall pain and suffering. If you have lasting injuries or psychological trauma from a car crash, it's important to consult an attorney as well as a doctor. You may be entitled to payment to cover the costs of your treatment and any lost work opportunities.

Source: News4Jax, "Man Describes being thrown into St. Johns River," Feb. 14, 2012.