Car Accident Legal News

Can car accidents cause PTSD in victims and survivors? The short answer is yes. It\’s not uncommon for those involved in crashes where substantial injuries or high-speed impacts occurred to wind up showing signs of potential PTSD. 

If you have been involved in a car accident and have suffered serious injuries, you will need the services of a good personal injury lawyer that focuses on motor vehicle accidents.

What PSTD Is

PTSD is short for post-traumatic stress disorder. In more simple language, it\’s a psychological condition that might impact anyone who has been through an especially frightful experience. This particular condition might have first gotten noticed as \’shell shock\’ that was noted in traumatized soldiers coming home from World War I.

Whoever undergoes it has mental difficulty in turning off the anxiety and primal fight or flight urges that happen as a result of traumatic events.

Symptoms Of PTSD

Identifying and treating PTSD can really only be done by psychological and medical professionals, and even they have trouble doing it considering how unique it can manifest in various individuals. Some people go through what is known as an intrusion, which is when a victim keeps experiencing recurrent recollections of the triggering event.

Others go through numbing, where they keep an emotional distance between themselves and their surrounding world, as they sit in their own feelings of hopelessness and depression. Avoidance means avoiding any places, people, or circumstances they associate with their trauma. Conversely, it\’s possible to go through arousal, resulting in paranoia, a lack of focus, hyper-vigilance, and disturbances of sleep.

When It Shows Up

PTSD might start manifesting within hours of a traumatic or triggering incident in some. Others might not have apparent signs until later, ranging from days and weeks to even months or years. It\’s also different for children than adults.

The Odds of PTSD after a Car Accident

The American Psychological Association says that vehicular accidents are the primary leading cause of cases of PTSD in the civilian population. The Department of Veterans Affairs has estimates suggesting that nearly 1 in 10 car accident survivors winds up having PTSD.

What You Need To Do

If you show any symptoms of having PTSD after a vehicular accident, the first step is consulting your doctor. You need to get the condition officially diagnosed, as mistaken self-diagnosis is very common for PTSD. Your physician can help you find a specialist or counselor who can help you get the treatment you need. PTSD is a very real car accident injury, just as much as physical injuries like broken bones.

Secondly, if PTSD is possible after an accident, then immediately settling your case is not likely going to be in your best interests. You shouldn\’t settle until you have a very clear sense of what damages you have suffered, as well as their extent and nature.

Mental health treatment can take a long time, so consult an attorney who is seasoned in such matters to help you handle your rights on this front.  

If you have been in a serious motor vehicle accident, you will need a top personal injury lawyer to help fight for your case.   You need an experienced car accident attorney who has both experience and case results. Someone like Personal Injury Lawyer in Asheville NC | Lakota R. Denton.   PTSD is a serious condition and you need a serious lawyer who gets results. 

In Conclusion

The question first posed at the start of this article centered on can car accidents cause PTSD in those involved. The answer is a definitive yes. Hopefully, now that you\’ve read all this, you know how to go about handling this if you or someone you care for might have suffered this particular situation.

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