Can You Get PTSD After a Car Accident?
Posted in Uncategorized on April 18, 2019.
The moments after a car accident can be disorienting and painful – you may suffer severe injuries that could put you out of work for weeks. However, one side effect of Birmingham car accidents many people do not discuss is the emotional impact. You can suffer severe and lasting emotional damage, including post-traumatic stress disorder, after a car accident.
If you’ve reached this page in search of answers for a recent car accident you’ve been involved in, contact our office today to discuss the details of your case over a free initial consultation.
What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that occurs after you experience a terrifying, traumatizing event. You have issues adjusting and coping with everyday life after the event, making it difficult to engage in activities that remind you of the incident. A traumatizing event can include acts of violence and accidents – including motor vehicle accidents. PTSD can be difficult to manage, but effective therapy, counseling, and psychiatric care can help you recover.
Signs of PTSD After a Car Accident
Most people associate PTSD with people who have suffered from intentional acts of violence or who came back from a war, but those are not the only people who can experience its impact. While anxiety after a car accident is normal, PTSD goes a step further in invading your life as you move forward.
You can develop PTSD after a car accident that impacts your daily functioning. The symptoms of PTSD can last for years after the accident occurs.
If you experience any of the following symptoms after your car accident, you may be suffering from PTSD.
- A sense of shock and disbelief
- Lingering feelings of anxiety, anger, or worry for weeks after your accident
- A persistent fear that the car accident will happen again
- General uneasiness and anxiety in your day to day life
- Excessive and irritable worry and strong feelings of anger
- Nightmares, insomnia, and restlessness during the night
- A sense of distress or fear about driving, getting into a motor vehicle, or simply being around motor vehicles
- Memories of the car accident that linger long after the incident, causing you to relive the accident mentally and think about it on a regular basis
How to Recover From PTSD After a Car Accident
PTSD can be difficult and invade your daily life, and has the potential to have real impacts on your work and relationships. If you are suffering from PTSD after a car accident, seek professional help immediately. You can talk to your loved ones about your experiences, and even visit a trained therapist, counselor, or other mental health professional for treatment. If you wait to seek help for your PTSD, the emotions can bottle up and become worse, prolonging your problem and causing additional issues down the line.
Seeking Damages for PTSD in Car Accident Claims
If you are suffering from PTSD in a car accident and need compensation for the condition’s treatment, you can seek this compensation through a car accident claim or personal injury lawsuit. In these claims, you can recover both economic and noneconomic damages for your injuries, which can assist you with recovering from your PTSD.
Economic damages refer to out-of-pocket costs related to your car accident injuries that you can calculate through bills, receipts, and other documentation. When it comes to PTSD, you can receive compensation for past and future medical expenses. You can claim damages for therapy appointments, counseling, medications, and hospitalizations, if necessary.
PTSD can also impact your ability to work. You can claim lost wages for time you took off to recover from your PTSD in your car accident claim. You could also claim damages for a loss of future earning capacity due to your PTSD, especially if your former job required you to operate a motor vehicle.
In addition to economic damages, you can claim noneconomic damages for the emotional impact of the accident. You can claim damages for PTSD itself, and you can also claim damages for mental anguish, emotional distress, loss of quality of life, and disability or impairment.
Schedule a Free Consultation
If you suffer from PTSD after a car accident, you can claim compensation for your emotional injuries. Contact The Mitchell Law Firm, LLC today to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Birmingham car accident attorneys. Our firm can help you begin your personal injury lawsuit or insurance claim.