Being in a car accident can leave you with a variety of injuries. Most people focus on the physical ones that require hospital visits and rehabilitation, but some types of serious harm are not visible. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of them. Learn more about this mental health concern and why it can so severely impact your life after a crash.
What Is PTSD?
PTSD is a mental health condition that begins after a traumatic event. This incident is typically life-threatening, though you don’t have to live through it yourself. You can be a witness to it and still experience PTSD as a result.
Most people struggle to move on after a trauma, but as the days pass, they start feeling more like themselves again. That’s not the case for people who develop PTSD. Symptoms can become worse, impacting all aspects of life.
Typically, there are four main types of symptoms of PTSD — intrusive memories, avoidance, changes in physical and emotional reactions, and negative changes in mood and thinking. What does this mean for your everyday life?
If you have PTSD, you could experience:
- Repeated, involuntary memories
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- The need to avoid people, places, or things that remind you of the incident
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Distorted thoughts
- Guilt
- Detachment from others
- Hypervigilance
- Irritability
Dealing with these symptoms can make it very difficult to get through the day. Your quality of life may be impacted, and you could struggle to work or meet family responsibilities.
Managing PTSD Symptoms
PTSD is not considered a catastrophic injury, but it can feel like one to those experiencing it. Therapy is usually necessary to manage the symptoms. By learning to recognize the thinking patterns that impact how you feel and working to process the trauma, you can start getting relief.
The problem is that therapy sessions are costly. They may also require you to take time off from work, which could otherwise impact your schedule. If the accident occurred because of another party’s conduct, you shouldn’t have to cover all of these expenses out of your own pocket.
By filing a personal injury claim, you can fight for the compensation you need to heal. First, you’ll have to demonstrate that you suffered injuries because of another party’s negligence. This means establishing that they owed you a duty of care that they breached.
For example, if you were in a distracted driving accident involving a driver who was texting, you can show that they breached their duty to drive safely by not paying full attention to what they were doing. The next step is to show that their conduct resulted in losses for which you can be compensated.
If you developed PTSD, you’ll need to prove you have a diagnosis and that you will need ongoing therapy sessions to recover. These are compensable losses.
None of these steps is simple to accomplish. That is why hiring an attorney is essential as you pursue compensation. They will know what evidence can make a difference and can prepare a robust case on your behalf.
Contact Our Car Accident Lawyers at Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer in Tacoma, WA
If you were injured in a car accident in Seattle, Tacoma, or throughout Washington, contact an experienced car accident lawyer at Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer to schedule a free initial consultation.
Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer – Seattle
701 5th Ave Suite 4300A, Seattle, WA 98104
(253) 948-0250
Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer – Tacoma
909 A St Ste 700, Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 264-0225