A vehicle accident is indeed a traumatic experience for anyone. The losses are not just physical and monetary. The victims may also suffer major mental stress after the accident. PSTD is the most common and dangerous psychological disorder that can occur from the mental stress and traumatic experience that these accidents give to the victim.
The alarming thing about PTSD is that it starts with almost seeming no symptom and then gets worse with time. If it’s not given proper attention, the patient may suffer greatly. So, you need to file for compensation just like any other personal injury.
But, getting compensation for PTSD is harder as the psychological disorder is difficult to prove. You should consult with an expert personal injury lawyer if you want to successfully pursue compensation for PTSD.
But, before that, you should know what PTSD is and what you should do to file a compensation case for it.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder caused by shock and extreme stress. Previously known as Shell Shock, this syndrome is common among military people who experienced the terror of war. So, it’s very logical that you may develop PTSD after a car crash.
What are the Symtomps of PTSD?
The symptoms of PTSD are at the very beginning very mild. But it gets severe gradually. Here are the general or common symptoms of PTSD-
- Recurring vivid flashback of the accident.
- Intrusive images or thoughts
- Recurring nightmares and horrible dreams
- Severe distress and depression
- Intense anxiety, anger, fear or sudden outburst of emotion
- Physical pain, sweating or nausea
- Behavioral change, inability to be close with someone
- Feeling numbness emotionally
- Suicidal thought and feeling of worthlessness
- Panicking when someone or something reminded them the event of the accident
- Insomnia or lack of sleep
- Self-destructive behavior
- Find hard to concentrate on anything or anybody
- Drug or alcohol abuse
- Being unable to express emotion or affection
- Become abusive to family members
- Hearing phantom sound or smell
So, you can see PTSD could be more damaging than physical injury and need serious attention.
What to Consider Before Filing for PTSD?
A person who gets insured for someone else’s fault or negligence is liable to get compensation. As PTSD is as grave as other physical injuries, you have every right to make a personal injury compensation claim. As PTSD is difficult to prove, you and your injury lawyer will need to be extra careful about this case. Here’s what you should consider-
- A full psychiatric evaluation from a certified psychiatrist.
- Eye-witnesses from the accident
- Professional opinion from the doctors, certified therapists, and academics
- The statements of colleagues, family members, and other close people of the victim.
What to Consider when measuring PTSDCompensation Claim?
The treatment of PSTD is costly. So before filing the compensation, you need to consider the following expanse-
- Medical expanse
- Mental health counseling expanse
- Medication cost
- Lost income
- Rehabilitation cost
Contact Our Expert Lawyer
Psychological injuries are in many times worse than physical injuries. Because you can heal from most of the physical injuries with a little scar. But the scar that psychological injuries make can’t be seen in naked eyes but it would burn you from the inside out.
So, these types of injuries need as much attention as physical injuries. But, sadly it is much harder to prove because the opposite party will try to pull many things out from this incident. They may question the patient’s previous medical history, family history, and other social states.
And, the time limit for filing a case should also be a matter of concern. As the patient doesn’t readily develop mental illness, you may probably have nothing to file a case earlier. So, my advice is for you to contact a professional lawyer right after the accident. In that case, our efficient personal injury lawyer is here to help you.
