Post-traumatic stress is caused by a great many things, from war to car crashes. As personal injury attorneys, we see how PTSD affects car accident victims everyday, and we want to help people identify the problem and get medical help.
Even if the injuries sustained in the car accident are minor, PTSD can be severe. If the injuries were serious or fatal, however, PTSD can even be debilitating, escalating beyond a person's ability to cope on their own.
How people are affected by PTSD varies a lot as well. Some people will simply be more anxious when driving for a couple weeks, while others maybe too afraid to ever drive again.
Common Symptoms of PTSD after an accident include:
Guilt (especially if someone is disabled or died in the accident)AngerNightmaresPanic or fearDrug or alcohol useDepressionEndangerment of themselvesNumbnessSocial disconnectionIf you see any of these signs in yourself or a loved one after an accident, please consider seeking help. Many things can set off these feelings, though it is most commonly experienced when driving near the area of the accident or hearing similar sounds (such as sirens or squealing tires). You can help avoid these by taking alternate routes or asking others to drive.
Treatment for PTSD After an Accident:
1. Psychotherapy: therapy sessions, which can be either short-term or long-term, to help victims feel safer and more in control so that they can begin to cope in a healthy way with what happened
2. Cognitive behavior therapy: CBT helps victims develop thinking habits that help reduce symptoms and guides thought processes to improve condition
3. Group therapy: therapy sessions with others, usually with the same condition, that allows everyone to talk and see positive results; sometimes these are combined with individual sessions to allow a person to discuss their feelings with people who understand
Compensation for Treatment of PTSD:
In many cases, therapy for PTSD after a car accident can be compensated in a personal injury claim. While you cannot just claim to have PTSD and demand money from the insurance company, well-documented visits to doctors and licensed therapists can serve as proof that you have PTSD and have sought medical help. These records can be seen by insurance companies as part of the medical damages from the accident.
In many cases, people feel they can deal with their PTSD themselves or do not really realize that they have PTSD but this is a serious condition and treatment should be sought. And the insurance for the person at-fault for the accident should pay these costs as part of the personal injury claim.
Joshua Shulman is a highly-esteemed personal injury lawyer in Portland, Oregon. He has first-hand experience with many different types of injuries, and has made it his goal to prevent as many injuries as possible with his safety guides and resources.
For those who have been injured, Joshua and his law partner Sean DuBois have created the Portland Personal Injury Resource Center, at http://www.pdxinjurylaw.com/rc-portland-personalinjury.html.
Josh and Sean are dedicated to helping people who have been injured. For more information about the resources offered, or safety information, visit http://www.pdxinjurylaw.com/ or 503-222-4411.
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