What Counts as Emotional Distress After an Accident?
After a car accident, you’re likely worried about physical injuries, property damage, how much it’s going to cost, and how long your recovery will take. However, there are other injuries you can sustain after a car wreck. These traumatic events can cause psychological trauma as well. When filing a claim, you can seek compensation for your physical and psychological injuries. Let’s go over what counts as emotional distress after an accident.
The Aftermath of an Auto Collision
Car accidents often happen without warning. The sudden crash can severely shake someone to their core. In some cases, both parties may walk away from the accident with minor injuries. They may need medical treatment, but are able to speak, exchange information, and speak to the police. In other cases, car accident victims may need emergency medical treatment and need to go to the hospital.
No matter the results of the accident, people can suffer psychological damage in any kind of crash. While it’s normal to feel shaken up after an accident, persistent symptoms may indicate something more is happening.
Mental anguish and emotional distress can present as:
- Anxiety
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Depression
- Fear of driving or being in a car
- Fear of returning to the crash site
- Lack of sleep
Those experiencing the symptoms above may also have feelings of anger, grief, or feel on edge. There isn’t a time limit on how long these symptoms can last. Some may feel these types of symptoms months after the crash occurred. Healing emotional distress is not like waiting for a broken bone to heal. It’s different for everyone and it may affect some more than others.
Unfortunately, those who are experiencing emotional distress may also feel guilty or that they should be able to move on. Suffering from emotional distress is perfectly normal after an accident. A study showed that those who suffered musculoskeletal injuries in a motor vehicle crash were likely to suffer an adverse impact from psychological distress.
Proving Emotional Distress
While using evidence like the police report and medical bills can help you recover financial damages, recovering compensation for emotional distress may be more difficult to prove. An experienced car accident lawyer from Prince Law Firm can help you get the evidence you need so you receive full and fair compensation.
You may have sought professional help to treat the psychological damages. If you’ve seen a mental healthcare professional like a therapist or psychiatrist, you can show that you made these appointments and these health professionals could provide a statement on your behalf. If you’ve been taking medication to treat any symptoms of the emotional distress you’re experiencing, this can also show that you’re dealing with symptoms that a professional decided you needed medication to treat.
Additional insight that can attest to your state of mind following a car accident is written accounts of family, friends, colleagues, and your employer of how they’ve noticed a change in you since the collision.
When you’re filing a claim, the insurance company may only look at surface-level injuries. If you suffered minor physical injuries and your car wasn’t badly damaged, they may value your claim much lower than what you’re actually owed. They do not see the psychological struggles you’re dealing with and will need to treat in the future.
If you take the settlement they offer, you may cover the medical bills for the physical damages and to fix your car, but later find you need professional care for your mental health. This kind of health care can be costly and you shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for the damages that happened because of someone else’s negligence. That’s where our skilled personal injury lawyers can help.
Prince Law Firm Can Fight for You
Your lawyer will fiercely fight for you to recover the emotional damages you suffered in the car accident. We’ll collect the evidence necessary to show these damages should be included in your compensation. Our lawyers will build you a strong case so your compensation covers all the damages you’ve suffered, physical and emotional.
While car accident claims can be complex, we have years of experience fighting for those who were wrongfully injured. We’re prepared to stand up for your rights so you can recover financially, physically, and mentally. Knowing you have the financial security to get the treatment you need can provide peace of mind as you work on your recovery. To seek your legal options, get in touch with us today for a free case evaluation.
