Dealing with the after-effects of a car accident is a challenge. If you have been injured by a careless driver, you may be owed compensation that covers several problem areas. One frequently overlooked problem is how an accident can affect your brain and it's not just about physical injuries to that organ. Your mental health could be in danger after an accident and the results can bleed into every area of your life. To find out more about dealing with post-accident mental trauma, read below.
Accident Mental Trauma: What to Know
You may have heard about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but not associated it with a car accident. Almost anything that causes mental trauma can result in PTSD and it can be a serious and debilitating disorder. Here are just a few common signs of PTSD:
- Nightmares, trouble sleeping, and flashbacks of the accident.
- Panic attacks and generalized anxiety about anything and everything.
- Moodiness, irritability, anger, and depression.
While not all accident victims will suffer from PTSD, it's helpful to know it is possible and to be treated for it. Speak to a mental health professional about your symptoms; ignoring PTSD won't help it to go away.
Compensation and PTSD
You are entitled to be paid for every way the accident impacts you. In most cases, that includes lost wages, medical bills, vehicle repair, pain and suffering, and more. PTSD falls into both the medical and the pain and suffering categories. That means you need to do the following to ensure you are paid the compensation you deserve after an accident:
- Seek medical treatment for your injuries and mental health treatment for your PTSD or any mental health-related issues after an accident. Save and organize your provider paperwork.
- Keep a pain journal. Journaling is therapeutic and your thoughts and notes serve as proof of your ongoing struggles to cope with the accident.
- Pain and suffering compensation is based on a combination of your medical bills, the seriousness of the accident, and the way the accident has affected your everyday life. Don't miss out on any of this compensation by trying to go without a lawyer.
- Don't talk to the other driver or their representation for any reason. You are not required to speak to anyone but your own insurer.
- Don't immediately agree to a settlement. Don't deposit or cash checks you get from the other side. Just hold on to them.
- Speak to a personal injury attorney and be represented. Doing so sends the other side a clear message that you expect to be paid damages.
Learn more by talking with a personal injury lawyer at a firm like Labine Law Firm.
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