Suspense January 2024

Each year, millions of people are involved in car accidents. Sadly, many of these motor vehicle crashes cause serious or even fatal injuries.

These collisions can be very traumatic, so it comes as no surprise that the American Psychological Association reported that motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the general population.

If you are involved in a collision, it is important to recognize the signs of PTSD from a car accident and to know your legal rights if you suffer from this serious disorder. This guide will explain everything you need to know.

What Is PTSD From a Car Accident?

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a type of mental health disorder. It is caused by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. The condition affects an estimated 3.5 million adults annually.

While PTSD was once called “shell shock” and primarily diagnosed among members of the military who had fought in a war, experts now recognize that this psychiatric disorder can appear in anyone who faces trauma.

PTSD is different from the normal difficulties people have when adjusting after an upsetting event. While many people who experience a car accident or other trauma face temporary challenges but get better with good self care, post-traumatic stress disorder can last for years and can interfere with routine life activities.

As mentioned above, car accidents are the leading cause of this type of psychiatric disorder among the general non-military population. The American Psychological Association also reports that motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of trauma for men and the second leading cause of trauma for women.

Symptoms of PTSD

Often, symptoms of PTSD from a car accident develop shortly after the collision. However, the Mayo Clinic explains that sometimes symptoms do not appear for months or even years after a traumatic incident.

Symptoms of PTSD are generally classified into four different categories:

• Intrusive memories: PTSD victims may relive the traumatic event, experience recurrent unwanted memories, have upsetting dreams or experience severe distress or a physical response when faced with a reminder of the accident.
• Avoidance: Victims suffering from PTSD may try to avoid anything that reminds them of the event and may refuse to discuss it.
• Mood and thought changes: Victims may think negatively about themselves or others, have difficulty with memory, face challenges maintaining relationships and feel detached from loved ones, feel hopeless about the future or lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. It’s also common for PTSD victims to have a hard time feeling positive emotions.
• Changes to physical or emotional reactions: Many people with PTSD are frightened easily, are always waiting for danger, experience difficulty sleeping or concentrating or feel overwhelming amounts of guilt or shame. Some engage in self-destructive behaviors such as drug or alcohol use.

These symptoms can become more or less intense over time and may be triggered by other stressors or by reminders of the traumatic car accident.

How Long Does PTSD Last?

PTSD symptoms may go away within weeks or months, or may last for years–especially if not properly treated.

Treatment for PTSD

PTSD from a car accident is generally diagnosed after a psychological exam. A medical professional will use the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which is a guide created by the American Psychiatric Association.

After diagnosis, patients may be treated with therapy or medication. Some common examples of PTSD treatment include:

• Cognitive therapy: This involves recognizing patterns that prevent victims from moving forward.
• Exposure therapy: This helps patients to safely face memories that cause them to re-experience trauma.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: This is a special type of exposure therapy that involves using guided eye movements to change reactions to traumatic memories.
• Medications: These may be recommended including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications or a drug called Prazosin to help suppress nightmares.

Both individual and group therapy may be useful to help PTSD victims to cope with the trauma.

Can You Recover Compensation for PTSD From a Car Accident?

Compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder may be available after a collision. If you suspect you have PTSD from a car accident, you will need to prove:

• Another driver was at fault for the accident. This means showing they were more careless than the average reasonable driver would have been. This negligence must be the cause of the accident.
• That you developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a direct result of the motor vehicle accident.
• That the PTSD is impacting your life in a way that you can (and should) be compensated for.

You will need evidence to prove these facts including a diagnosis from a medical professional as well as proof of how the PTSD is affecting you.

How Much Money Can You Get for PTSD From a Car Accident?

Compensation for a collision should include payment of:

• Actual medical bills and lost wages
• Pain and suffering compensation
• Emotional distress damages

This means you should receive payment for therapy and other treatments needed to deal with your PTSD, as well as compensation for the pain and discomfort of dealing with this disorder. The specific value of your compensation is likely to be impacted by several factors including:

• Whether the accident caused any fatalities or serious injuries
• How likely you are to recover from PTSD
• How the PTSD has impacted you financially, including whether you missed work or incurred expensive therapy bills
• How the pain of the PTSD is impacting your life

What Should You Do If You Have PTSD From a Car Accident?

If you believe you have suffered PTSD from a car accident, it is a good idea to contact an experienced auto accident lawyer ASAP.

Your attorney can help you to gather the necessary proof of PTSD so you can be fully compensated. Your lawyer can also assist with negotiating a settlement with the other driver’s insurer or filing a lawsuit to get the full amount of money you deserve.