Can You Get PTSD from a Car Accident?

The Mental Effects of a Car Accident

You may develop all sorts of mental health complications after a car crash. From PTSD to anxiety to depression, these conditions can affect your health and wellbeing. They can also impact your ability to go about your day-to-day life, earn a living, and physically recover from your injuries.

Defining PTSD

PTSD is a mental condition that develops in people who have suffered a traumatic event. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), PTSD causes sufferers to feel tense and afraid, even at times when they are not at risk of harm.

In addition to being upsetting, PTSD can also cause disruptions in the lives of those affected. Symptoms can include panic attacks, nightmares, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts. People with PTSD may also avoid triggering situations, places, and events, altering the way they go about their lives.

PTSD can also be accompanied by other mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. PTSD can trigger these disorders or exacerbate existing difficulties.

PTSD After a Car Accident

According to an article published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, the rates of both acute and chronic PTSD were high for victims of serious car accidents. This means that not only did the subjects of the study meet the criteria for PTSD in the days and weeks after a crash but also after the immediate effects had faded.

PTSD can be rooted in more than one accident-related effect. Your trauma may come from the circumstances of the crash itself, whether due to the fear you felt before the moment of impact or the psychological turmoil that arose due to your injuries.

Treatments for PTSD

If you or a loved one is struggling with PTSD from a car accident, you may have many questions about your prognosis and treatment options. While PTSD can be a lifelong illness, its effects can be mitigated with medications, psychotherapy, and the passage of time.

Medications

A doctor may be able to prescribe certain psychiatric medications to help you after an accident. One of the most common and effective types of treatment are anti-depressants, which can help manage the symptoms of PTSD.

Psychotherapy

Also known as “talk therapy,” psychotherapy can be helpful to those dealing with the emotional fallout of a car accident. Some forms of therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), involve learning strategies that can give a sufferer tools to combat their harmful thoughts.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), CBT has been shown to improve patients’ quality of life and mental wellbeing. However, therapy often requires multiple sessions over time, which can lead to high doctor’s bills that are not covered under all insurance plans.

Time

The NIMH reports that with the passage of time, many people living with PTSD see an improvement in their symptoms. However, time alone does not remedy the disorder. By confronting one’s triggers and symptoms in combination with a structured treatment plan, sufferers of PTSD can live normal lives.

A New York car accident lawyer can help you sue for compensatory damages so that you can get the treatment that you need to recover from your trauma. If your accident was caused by another party’s negligence, you could be entitled to financial recovery.

Pursuing Compensation with the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP

An attorney from the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP can help you recover compensatory damages for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is not just physical; it also includes loss of enjoyment of life.

Remember, you very much can get PTSD from a car accident. It is real. Do not dismiss your mental pain; it is just as significant as what you and your loved ones have had to endure physically after a crash.

Reach out to our law firm today to begin the road to recovery. We offer our legal help on a contingency-fee-basis, meaning that you do not have to worry about retainers, upfront fees, or hourly rates. You only owe us our attorney’s fees if we can recover payment for you and your family.

To begin a free, no-obligation case evaluation with the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP call (866) 878-6774.