When you’re reeling from the aftereffects of a serious car accident – you’re probably focused on your physical injuries, property damage, and all the bills that are piling up.
But it’s important to remember that some of your most serious injuries might be harder to detect. Victims of car accidents often experience psychological injuries in addition to (or even in the absence of) physical wounds.
Understanding Psychological Injuries
According to WebMD, even minor accidents can result in severe emotional trauma such as fears and phobias about riding in a car. WebMD reports a study that finds that one-third of car accident victims experience some form of PTSD, anxiety, depression, or phobias after an accident – with passengers often having even more emotional repercussions than drivers.
Identifying PTSD
In the months following the accident, if you experience anxiety, consistent nightmares about the accident, and/or the strong desire to avoid getting in a car, you might be suffering from PTSD. According to FamilyDoctor.org, common symptoms of PTSD can include:
- A persistent feeling of general uneasiness.
- Anxiety regarding driving or riding in vehicles.
- Desire to avoid medical tests or procedures.
- Irritability, excessive worry, or anger.
- Nightmares or trouble sleeping.
- A feeling of disconnection to events or other people.
- Ongoing memories or thoughts about the accident that you can’t seem to control.
You Can Claim Compensation For Psychological Injuries
While personal injury lawsuits often focus on collecting compensation for monetary costs like medical bills and vehicle replacement, in some situations you can also claim compensation for psychological injuries such as PTSD.
Getting medical care for your emotional trauma is essential to claiming related compensation. To prove your need for emotional trauma compensation, you’ll need to provide evidence that the accident caused you PTSD or another psychological issue. According to FindLaw, you’ll need to support your claim with testimony from a psychological trauma expert. The testimony will need to establish that:
- You’ve been appropriately diagnosed with PTSD.
- Your psychological condition is connected to the car accident in question (and not a prior event or circumstance).
- An estimation of how long your condition may persist.
- How your psychological suffering and needed treatment can be reflected in a dollar value.
How To Move Forward
Getting the proper therapy and care is essential for dealing with psychological injuries. Common treatments for PTSD include cognitive processing therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and some medications. Ask your doctor for therapist recommendations and remember that there is healing for PTSD.
Also, make sure to talk to a personal injury attorney about how to claim the compensation you deserve for your psychological injuries. Maximizing your personal injury claim can make the thought of paying for therapy a lot more positive!
The personal injury attorneys at Campbell, House, and Company understand all the areas of your life that can be affected by an accident. Get the compensation you need by calling (318) 855-0285 or contacting us online!
1815 Roselawn Ave
Monroe, LA 71201
(318) 855-0285
Fax: 505.764.9722