Mental trauma is incredibly common after a car accident. In fact, a research article published in Medicine involved a meta-analysis of 15 different studies with a total of 6,804 road traffic survivors included. Of those RTA survivors, 1389 had post-traumatic stress disorder. However, across all studies, anywhere from 6.3% to 58.3% of those involved in a crash reported PTSD.
It is not a surprise that there is lasting mental trauma after a car accident. Crashes are unpredictable, out of your control, loud, and potentially deadly. While any type of accident can cause ongoing mental trauma, those that result in serious injuries or fatalities are especially likely to leave surviving victims coping with mental health issues after seeing firsthand the devastation a crash can cause
If you or someone you love was involved in a motor vehicle accident and is experiencing PTSD, anxiety, depression, or other mental illnesses resulting from the crash, you may have a right to compensation.
Diaco Law can help you to better understand the types of damages you can recover and what you must prove to show your mental trauma entitles you to full and fair compensation.
Symptoms of Mental Trauma After a Car Accident
When you or a loved one is hurt in a crash, you are most likely focusing on fixing the physical injuries, such as setting a broken leg or getting stitches for serious cuts.
However, it’s critical you pay attention to your mental health as well, as damage to your mental state can cause impairment that is just as significant as physical injury.
Some common symptoms of mental trauma to be aware of include:
- Reliving the auto accident
- Experiencing nightmares about the crash
- Blocking the collision out of your memory entirely
- Avoiding getting back into a vehicle
- Feelings of emotional numbness
- Not taking part in activities you enjoyed in the past
- A feeling of hopelessness about your future.
- Emotional numbness
- Loss of memory
- Sleep disturbances, such as sleeping too much or developing insomnia
- Impaired cognitive function, such as difficulty reading or thinking
- Increased aggression
- Impaired organizational planning
These impairments can change your life, making it difficult or impossible to work and earn a living. They can also require expensive ongoing treatment, such as therapy to overcome your fears and be able to move forward.
Can You Get Compensation for Mental Trauma After a Car Accident?
Florida is a no-fault state, which means that you must get more minor injuries covered by your personal injury protection (PIP) policy rather than by pursuing a claim against another driver who caused your crash.
However, if your injuries rise to a certain level of severity, you can make the other driver pay for your losses. This can include not just physical injuries, but mental injuries as well.
At Diaco Law, our experienced legal team has helped many clients determine if they are entitled to compensation from their own insurer or the other driver’s insurer when they have sustained mental trauma.
We work with you to prove the accident was the cause of the harm, as well as to show the extent of your loss to maximize your chances of recovery.
Contact a Tampa auto accident lawyer today
You don’t deserve to be left coping with mental trauma because of an accident another driver caused, and if you find yourself in this situation, reach out to Diaco Law Firm today online, or by calling (813) 221-7978.
We will work hard to help you get the money you need to be “made whole,” or provided with adequate compensation for all loss, including the mental damage you endured.