News & opinion Car Accident Victims Can Suffer PTSD

Car Accident Victims Can Suffer PTSD

Auto Accident PTSD Lawyers
ppointments. Bills.

ep

i

s. You’

e de

ling

ith

lot

fte c

ccident,

nd you might be most conce

ned

bout you

fin

nces o

you

physic

l inju

ies. But

h

t

bout the ment

l effects? Post tum

tic st

ess diso

de

(PTSD) is one conce

n people tend to initi

lly ove

look o

t

y to b

ush off, but the

el

tionship bet

een PTSD

nd c

ccidents is cle

.

met

n

lysis of studies on the <

h

ef=”https://

.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc/

ticles/PMC5779792/”>p

ev

lence of PTSD in

uto

ccident su

vivo

s > found shocking

esults: ove

22% of c

ccident victims

ill suffe

f

om PTSD. Thei

expe

iences

e

e found to be comp

ble to those of e

thqu

ke su

vivo

s

nd flood su

vivo

s.

PTSD goes f

beyond emotion

l dist

ess. Just like

b

oken bone, psychologic

l tumfte c

ccident needs tho

ough t

e

tment

nd

ecove

y pl

n.

PTSD suffe

e

s de

l

ith int

usive thoughts,

void

nce issues, mood s

ings, fl

shb

cks,

nd nightmes. These symptoms sp

e

d into thei

eve

yd

y lives, c

using fu

the

nxiety

nd dep

ession. PTSD f

om

c

ccident c

n signific

ntly imp

ct you

qu

lity of life.

Ment

l he

lth

nd emotion

l

ellbeing e seldom given the

ttention they need, especi

lly

hen ove

sh

do

ed by something like

c

ccident inju

y. But

hile inju

ies c

n he

l ove

time, the psychologic

l t

um

of

c

ccident c

n t

ke even longe

to

ecove

f

om.

c

ccident c

n h

ve seve

e psychologic

l consequences fo

d

ive

s

nd occup

nts

like, but insunce comp

nies

ill t

y thei

hdest to inv

lid

te, dismiss,

nd deny you

feelings. They’ll t

y to m

ke you feel like PTSD doesn’t qu

lify

s

“se

ious enough” inju

y o

dese

ve compens

tion.
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PTSD l

ye

ho

ill put you

he

lth

nd s

fety fi

st <

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t-to-do-

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ccident/”>

fte c

ccident >.

t Ste

t J. Guss,

e kno

PTSD c

n be

c

ippling consequence. Belo

you’ll find mo

e info

m

tion

bout PTSD, ho

it

el

tes to c

ccidents,

nd

h

t you c

n do if you e suffe

ing f

om <

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vices

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ccident-

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“>PTSD

fte c

ccident >.

h

t Is Post-Tum

tic St

ess Diso

de

?<

b>

cco

ding to the

me

ic

n Psychi

t

ic

ssoci

tion (

P

),<

h

ef="https:

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.psychi

t

y.o

g/p

tients-f

milies/ptsd/

h

t-is-ptsd”> post-t

um

tic st

ess diso

de

> (PTSD) is

ment

l he

lth condition

ffecting those “

ho h

ve expe

ienced o

itnessed

tum

tic event.” Ex

mples of tum

tic events

hich might le

d to PTSD include n

tul dis

ste

s such

s hu

ic

nes, to

n

does,

nd e

thqu

kes,

nd being

victim of oitness to teo

ist

cts,

violence, shootings,

ss

ult,

nd se

ious

ccidents. The

P

estim

tes 3.5% of

dults in the United St

tes cu

ently suffe

f

om PTSD,

nd

pp

oxim

tely 10% of people

ill be di

gnosed

ith PTSD

t some point in thei

lifetime.

ddition

lly,

omen

e t

ice

s likely to

cqui

e PTSD th

n men.

Symptoms of PTSD<

b>

Unlike m

ny physic

l c

ccident inju

ies, you

on’t notice the symptoms of PTSD in you

self o

you

loved one fo

d

ys o

eeks

fte se

ious c

ccident. These symptoms, ho

eve

, might l

st fo

eeks, months,

nd sometimes yes. PTSD m

nifests in diffe

ent ys - not eve

yone

ho suffe

s f

om PTSD h

s the s

me symptoms. Symptoms of PTSD vy in intensity depending on the pe

son

nd thei

histo

y, but m

y include:

Dissoci

tion: <

b>Ou

bins cope

ith t

um

by disconnecting

nd supp

essing.

hen this ch

onic

lly imp

i

s ou

eness

nd le

ves us "zoned out," it is c

lled dissoci

tion. You m

y dissoci

te du

ing

c

ccident o

in its immedi

te

fte

m

th. Just like ho

ush of

d

en

line c

n m

sk you

physic

l

ches, dissoci

tion m

y tempo

ily m

sk you

ment

l

nguish. Don’t put off getting help until it’s too l

te.

void

nt beh

vio

: It’s only n

tul

e

ould nt to

void something th

t c

used us p

in. Ho

eve

,

fte

c

ccident, this PTSD symptom c

n inte

fe

e

ith you

life t

emendously.

void

nt beh

vio

s c

n include not d

iving on

high

y o

t night, o

efusing to even get in

c

t

ll. This

void

nce st

engthens you

belief th

t d

iving is d

nge

ous,

nd this keeps you locked in

cycle of fe.

fte

su

viving o

itnessing

seve

e c

ccident, you m

y

lso find you

self

voiding people

ho

e

e in the c

ith you, even if they

e

e f

iends o

f

mily membe

s. You m

y

lso

void the loc

tion

he

e the

ccident h

ppened.

ddition

lly, PTSD victims might t

y to

void

emembe

ing o

thinking

bout the

ccident,

s

ell

s

esist t

lking

bout the incident

nd thei

feelings

bout it. (PTSD m

nifests in

vetens in simil ys.) These fes c

n pe

petu

te

cycle of

ntisoci

l beh

vio

,

esulting in….

Det

chment

nd

lien

tion: People

ith PTSD often

ithd

nd isol

te themselves to

void

nyone onything th

t

eminds them of the tum

they expe

ienced. They m

y feel

bno

m

l o

un

ble to

el

te to othe

s.

Hype

vigil

nce

nd hype

sensitivity: PTSD suffe

e

s might h

ve intense neg

tive

e

ctions to o

diny sights, sounds, o

touch. Sometimes they h

ve difficulty cont

olling thei

e

ctions. They might h

ve

ng

y outbu

sts ove

little things o

beh

ve in

self-dest

uctive m

nne

.

Int

usive thoughts: <

b>PTSD victims c

n h

ve int

usive thoughts th

t might p

esent in

v

iety of diffe

ent ys. C

ccident su

vivo

s might h

ve fl

shb

cks oecuing nightmes of the

ccident.

Fin

lly, PTSD doesn’t

l

ys occu

lone. It c

n pop up

long

ith othe

conditions such

s:
  • Dep

    ession

    nd

    nxiety

  • Mood s
    ings

    nd inst

    bility<

    li>

  • lcohol

    buse

  • D
    ug

    buse

  • gophobi
  • Vehophobi
    <

    li>

  • Insomni
    <

    li>

  • Memo
    y p

    oblems

    nd

    n in

    bility to focus<

    li>

 

Di

gnosing PTSD

fte

C

ccident<

b>

PTSD

fte c

ccident is

e

l p

oblem. You c

n obt

in

PTSD di

gnosis f

om

t

usted p

ofession

l,

nd you

c

ccident l

ye

c

n connect you to these

esou

ces if needed.

Docto

s look fo

specific c

ite

i

befo

e they m

ke thei

decision on

PTSD di

gnosis. Typic

lly, PTSD symptoms must pe

sist fo

ove

one month. Most people

ho develop PTSD

fte

c

ccident

ill do so

ithin th

ee months, but symptoms might

ppe even l

te

cco

ding to the

P

. Genelly, docto

s di

gnose PTSD

hen symptoms c

use signific

nt emotion

l dist

ess

nd p

oblems functioning in eve

yd

y life.

You

He

lth Is Ou

Numbe

One P

io

ity

Post-t

um

tic st

ess diso

de

isn’t often discussed in the context of c

ccidents, but to the victims, it is just

s

e

l

s thei

physic

l p

in.

The seve

ity of you

inju

ies does not

l

ys influence the seve

ity of you

PTSD. If you felt th

t you

life

s in d

nge

, even fo

moment, the

e c

n be l

sting consequences to you

psyche. The mo

e you t

y to supp

ess thoughts

bout the c

ccident, the mo

e t

ouble you m

y f

ce. You m

y

lso be de

ling

ith

l

ck of soci

l suppo

t. You m

y feel emb

ssed

bout feelings of fe

nd helplessness you c

n't seem to sh

ke. You m

y hesit

te to tell f

iends o

even docto

s

bout you

ment

l

ellbeing. You could feel p

noid on the

o

d

nd dist

ustful fello

d

ive

s. If you think you e pti

lly

t f

ult fo

the

ccident, you m

y

lso be de

ling

ith guilt.

o

se still, if the c

ccident involved

f

t

lity, you m

y be bu

dened

ith su

vivo

's guilt. P

ope

thepy c

n help you le

n ho

to he

lthily p

ocess these emotions

nd ove

come them. Bottom line: PTSD is

e

l,

nd you dese

ve

e

l help. If you o loved one e expe

iencing

ny of the p

eviously listed symptoms, seek medic

l

ttention

s soon

s possible.

You don’t h

ve to suffe

in silence.

T

e

ting PTSD

fte C

ccident

Psychologists, psychi

t

ists,

nd othe

scientists

ho study PTSD

fte

moto

vehicle

ccidents h

ve come to

consensus on

<

h

ef=”https://

.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc/

ticles/PMC2396820/”> fe

diffe

ent t

e

tments > to help you th

ough you

st

uggles. They include:

Cognitive Beh

viol Thepy (CBT): <

b>CBT is

fo

m of psychologic

l t

e

tment th

t ment

l he

lth p

ofessions use to t

e

t m

ny diso

de

s, including PTSD. The

me

ic

n Psychologic

l

ssoci

tion (

P

) st

tes th

t CBT

elies on sevel<

h

ef="https:

/

.

p

.o

g/ptsd-guideline/p

tients-

nd-f

milies

cognitive-beh

viol"> co

e p

inciples,<> including

ecognizing

nd unlening hmful p

tte

ns

nd

epl

cing them

ith he

lthy coping skills

nd mindfulness. Ultim

tely, CBT helps you b

e

k out of p

tte

ns

el

ted to PTSD

fte c

ccident

nd f

ce you

fes. Suppo

tive Psychothe

py: This t

e

tment is often used in conjunction

ith CBT. The go

l of suppo

tive psychothepy fo

those

ho t

e

t PTSD c

ccident victims is to help p

tients cope

ith thei

ment

l

nguish

nd the

ys it imp

cts thei

d

ily life. Thepists focus on p

oviding comfo

t,

dvice,

nd encougement.

ddition

lly, suppo

tive psychothe

py p

ovides

n outlet fo

those

ho

e st

uggling

ith PTSD to vent thei

f

ust

tions.

Eye movement desensitiz

tion

nd

ep

ocessing (EMD

): <

b>EMD

h

s p

oven effective fo

PTSD p

tients,

cco

ding to the

P

nd

o

ld He

lth O

g

niz

tion (

HO). By tcking

nd guiding

p

tient’s eye movements

hile they

ec

ll

t

um

tic event, clinici

ns c

n "

e

oute" the bin's

ssoci

tions. (

simil

thing h

ppens du

ing

EM sleep cycles.) Medic

tion:

hile not

l

ys

long-te

m fix, medic

tion c

n

lso be helpful in t

e

ting PTSD symptoms. The length of time

c

ccident su

vivo

must unde

go the

py depends on the ci

cumst

nces of the

ccident, the seve

ity of inju

ies

nd psychologic

l tum

,

nd

hethe

o

not

f

t

lity s involved. But no m

tte

the c

se, solutions

e

v

il

ble. Only

licensed psychi

t

ist c

n find the t

e

tment th

t’s

ight fo

you,

nd

e he

e

t SJG c

n help connect you to the thepy

nd

esou

ces you dese

ve

fte

c

c

sh.

e

ch out fo

leg

l counsel tod

y. It’s 100% f

ee

nd 100% confidenti

l.

 

Seeking Compens

tion fo

PTSD

fte C

ccident

If you’ve suffe

ed f

om c

ccident PTSD, you dese

ve compens

tion, pl

in

nd simple. PTSD settlement

mounts v

y. Ho

much compens

tion you c

n expect depends on the othe

det

ils of you

c

se - but kno

th

t

e t

ke you

p

in

nd suffe

ing se

iously.

D

m

ges you might

ecove

in

settlement include medic

l expenses, futu

e medic

l expenses, lost

ges, futu

e lost ges,

nd non-economic d

m

ges fo

emotion

l dist

ess, loss of conso

tium,

nd mo

e.. Some ex

mples of d

m

ges

el

ted to PTSD

fte

c

ccident include:
  • Cost fo

    visits to

    psychi

    t

    ist, psychologist, o

    othe

    ment

    l he

    lth p

    ofession

    l<

    li>

  • T

    vel to

    nd f

    om docto

    ppointments

    el

    ted to PTSD di

    gnosis

    nd t

    e

    tment

  • P
    esc

    iption medic

    tions<

    li>

  • T
    e

    tment fo

    othe

    issues

    ccomp

    nying the PTSD, such

    s subst

    nce

    buse t

    e

    tment<

    li>

  • Cost of inp
    tient ment

    l he

    lth

    nd t

    e

    tment p

    ogms

    el

    ted to PTSD

    hen

    pplic

    ble

  • Compens
    tion fo

    ment

    l

    nguish

You c

n be su

e the <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

7-sec

ets-of-de

ling-

ith-

n-insu

nce-

djuste

/”>insu

nce comp

ny<>

nd/o

<

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

c

ccident-not-you

-f

ult

“>

t-f

ult p

ty > n

med in the l

suit

ill go out of thei

y to

void p

ying

cl

im. You

tto

ney must be tho

ough

nd

gg

essive in o

de

to p

ove negligence. C

us

tion is one of the most contested elements of negligence—th

t is, youtto

ney must p

ove th

t the

ccident is

h

t led to you

PTSD.

Psychologic

l diso

de

s e difficult to p

ove. You c

n’t t

ke pictu

es of them to sho

to

cou

t. Plus, se

ious symptoms often don’t sho

up fo

d

ys o

eeks

fte

the c

ccident. The defense

ill use this to thei

dv

nt

ge

nd m

ke out

geous

guments to dev

lue you

cl

im

nd

void

s much fin

nci

l li

bility

s possible.

If you

egul

physici

n h

s

efeed you to

ment

l he

lth p

ofession

l bec

use they suspect PTSD

fte

c

ccident, do not be

sh

med. Visit

psychi

t

ist o

psychologist, let them di

gnose you,

nd begin t

e

tment immedi

tely.

s you continue to visit you

the

pist, they

ill document you

visits, symptoms,

nd p

og

ess. Not only is this the best

ction fo

you

emotion

l he

lth, but you

medic

l

eco

d

ill p

ovide v

lu

ble evidence to insu

nce comp

nies

nd the cou

t to help p

ove c

us

tion, sho

ing th

t you h

ve PTSD

nd ho

it links to the c

ccident you expe

ienced. You might

lso conside

keeping

d

ily jou

n

l of you

expe

iences, symptoms, feelings,

nd

nything

ssoci

ted

ith the c

ccident. This p

ovides

nothe

tool fo

youtto

ney to build you

c

se.

Cont

ct

n Expe

ienced

uto

ccident LyeS

P

If you’

e de

ling

ith PTSD

hile fighting fo

f

i

settlement f

om

stubbo

n insunce comp

ny,

e’

e he

e to help. Choose<

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

good-c

ccident-lye

/”>

c

ccident l

fi

m<> th

t kno

s the defense t

ctics

nd sttegies insunce comp

nies use to

void fin

nci

l li

bility.

hen dep

ession,

nxiety,

nd othe

symptoms of PTSD c

use you to miss

o

k,

ithd

f

om you

d

ily life,

nd d

m

ge you

bility to function, don’t shoulde

the fin

nci

l bu

den on top of the emotion

l dist

ess you’

e

l

e

dy suffe

ing.

c

ccident

tto

ney c

n h

ndle the det

ils of you

c

se

nd develop the best sttegy to seek the justice you dese

ve,

hile you focus on thepy

nd le

ning ho

to cope

ith o

elimin

te you

PTSD symptoms. You

PTSD is

e

l condition

o

thy of

e

l help. Neve

let insu

nce comp

nies tell you otheise. By

o

king closely

ith t

usted t

e

tment p

ofession

ls

nd ent

usting you

c

se to

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

cont

ct-us

/”>skilled pe

son

l inju

y

dvoc

te<>, it’s possible to

ecove

f

om the symptoms of PTSD

nd etu

n to

bette

life. St

t now.

 

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