Emotional Harm and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Can Be Caused by Crashes
The sudden crash, the loud noises, the fact that your life or that of a loved one may have been in peril—it is no wonder that car accidents can be extremely traumatic. While we often consider the physical toll taken after an accident, we don’t often think about the emotional toll and the professional attention that may be required to heal. Below, find information on the symptoms of emotional damage caused by a crash.
Traffic accidents are one of the most commonly reported sources of emotional trauma, and roughly 1% of the US population is involved in a serious car accident each year. While some individuals who experienced a traumatic reaction to an accident recover on their own, many could or do benefit from some amount of counseling, and about 10% develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This condition is typified by symptoms from three different categories: Re-experiencing, hyperarousal, and avoidance. Re-experiencing symptoms include flashbacks to the crash, intrusive thoughts about the accident, and nightmares. Hyperarousal symptoms can include being easily startled, constantly on edge, more prone to angry outbursts, or having trouble concentrating or completing tasks. Some avoidance symptoms are an unwillingness to drive, a fear of returning to the scene of the accident, or symptoms such as feeling emotionally numb or depressed.
Therapy or medications for PTSD or other symptoms of trauma can help you return to feeling like yourself after a car accident. Without treatment, symptoms of PTSD can sometimes persist for months. People who recover from trauma of this kind are more likely to have had treatment, as well as support from a strong social network. Like any other serious condition caused by a car accident, the costs of treatment for anxiety or trauma after a crash are recoverable as a component of the damages the at-fault driver caused.
If you have been injured in a New Jersey car or truck accident and need compassionate, experienced legal help, contact the Wayne personal injury law firm of Massood Law Group for a consultation on your claims, at 1-844-4MB-HURT.
