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PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition that can occur in individuals who have experienced traumatic events. Symptoms may include flashbacks to the traumatic incident, nightmares, avoiding reminders of the traumatic event, negative thoughts or feelings, being easily startled or frightened, and reactive symptoms, such as irritability, angry outbursts, and difficulty concentrating or sleeping.
What Types of Incidents Can Cause PTSD?
Victims of crime or violence may suffer from PTSD. A more common cause is motor vehicle accidents. In the most recent year for which statistics are available, 269,031 people were injured in traffic crashes statewide, as reported by the California Highway Patrol. Emotional distress and PTSD are frequently suffered by people of all ages who have been involved in car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents.
How Can PTSD Negatively Impact a Person’s Life?
Suffering with PTSD can have a significant negative impact on a person’s life. It can affect ability to work, to perform day-to-day tasks, and to relate to friends and family members. A person with PTSD, who is trying to block out painful memories, may appear uninterested or distant to others. Although they need the help and support of family and friends, injury victims suffering with PTSD may not understand what is happening or realize they need help.
What Treatments Are Commonly Prescribed for PTSD?
Counseling and medications are often prescribed for individuals diagnosed with PTSD. Other therapies to strengthen mental fitness are recommended by the Mayo Clinic. These include:
- Being physically active to release endorphins and dopamine, and to promote the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which can reduce stress and enhance your sense of well-being
- Eating nutritious meals and sticking to a healthy sleep schedule to improve your physical health
- Practicing stress management techniques such as meditation or yoga
- Strengthening your growth skillset – trying things you are not good at yet to test your abilities
- Actively pursuing a purposeful activity, such as participating in a community event, to help you reset your thinking
- Focusing on realistic optimism – confronting rather than avoiding situations in life
Can an Automobile Accident Victim Claim Compensation for Emotional Distress?
When a motor vehicle accident is caused by someone else’s negligence, injured victims are entitled to claim both economic and non-economic damages, designed to compensate them for the losses they have suffered. Economic damages are compensation for objectively verifiable monetary losses, such as medical expenses and lost earnings. Non-economic damages are compensation for subjective, non-monetary losses, such as pain and suffering and emotional distress. People involved in automobile crashes frequently experience post-crash emotional distress, which may include feelings of shock, denial, grief, anger, sadness, and fear.
Why Do You Need an Experienced Attorney Who Understands PTSD?
A serious car accident can be a terrifying, traumatic experience. If you have been involved in a wreck that was someone else’s fault, your losses may go far beyond your property damage and physical injuries. You need an experienced personal injury attorney who understands PTSD and the emotional distress an automobile collision can cause to assess the full extent of your damages and effectively pursue the maximum compensation available for your claim.
The Husband & Wife Law Team has a 98% success rate. We fight tooth and nail with insurance companies to get our clients fair settlements. Mark Breyer is a certified specialist in personal injury and wrongful death law – a distinction earned by only 1% of attorneys. If you or your loved one has suffered PTSD in an automobile accident, contact us at (602) 457-6222 to schedule a free consultation.
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