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Living with PTSD After an Accident

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological condition that causes victims who have witnessed or lived through traumatic events to suffer from anxiety, flashbacks, and emotional difficulties. PTSD affects individuals who have served in the military, those who are victims of violent crimes, and individuals who have lived through accidents.

Personal injury claims are not just for medical bills and career limitations related to physical injuries. When you suffer from PTSD or another type of emotional trauma following an accident, you can pursue compensation for the damages it causes, like a reduced capacity to enjoy activities you enjoyed previously.

Symptoms of PTSD

PTSD symptoms include:

  • Anxiety;
  • Fear;
  • Mistrust of others;
  • Insomnia;
  • A loss of interest in activities the individual once found pleasurable;
  • Hypervigilance;
  • Emotional detachment;
  • Self-destructive actions;
  • Irritability;
  • Hostility;
  • Social isolation

An individual with PTSD might suffer from flashbacks, which are mental recreations of the traumatic event that cause him or her to feel the same trauma he or she felt with the original event again. This can make it difficult or even impossible for the individual to engage in everyday activities like working and spending time with friends socially. PTSD victims sometimes take extra care to avoid situations and activities that remind them of their traumatic events. For example, an individual who suffers from PTSD after being injured in a car accident might avoid driving or riding in cars due to his or her traumatic memories of the accident.

PTSD can cause a victim to suffer from depression or anxiety. When the victim does not receive appropriate medical treatment, he or she might self-medicate with drugs or alcohol, which can lead to addiction.

Managing PTSD

PTSD is treatable. Often, treatment takes six to 12 weeks, but it can take longer. PTSD treatment generally involves a combination of psychotherapy and medication, such as SSRIs. Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists are qualified to provide PTSD treatment.

Seeking Compensation for Your PTSD-Related Damages

If you are suffering from PTSD or any other mental disorder after being physically injured in an accident, you have the right to pursue compensation for related damages like the cost of psychological counseling and the quantified expense of your reduced quality of life.

In your personal injury claim, you must provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate how your PTSD has negatively impacted your life. This can include:

  • Expert testimony from your doctor discussing your condition and treatment needs;
  • Your own testimony about how your life has been impacted by your PTSD; and
  • Testimonies from loved ones discussing how PTSD changed you.

Work with an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer

Contact our team of experienced personal injury lawyers at Moen Sheehan Meyer, Ltd today to set up your initial legal consultation in our office. We are here to answer any questions you have and work hard on your behalf to pursue the compensation you deserve for your damages. Do not wait to start working with a member of our team.

Published July 8, 2018
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