Accident victims are usually (and understandably) focused on their physical injuries. But what many injured people do not understand is that emotional trauma, very common following a car accident, is also a compensable damage.
Emotional Distress
Many accident victims are too busy dealing with their physical injuries, medical bills, and financial stress to realize that they are also suffering from emotional trauma. But emotional injuries and mental distress can often be just as devastating and long lasting as physical injuries, sometimes more so.
Common signs of emotional distress after an automobile accident include:
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mood swings
- Inability to sleep
- Lack of energy
- Anxiety
- Frustration
- Depression
- Lack of ability to concentrate
- Dramatic changes in weight
- Anger management problems
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
One of the most common forms of mental trauma suffered as a result of a car accident is post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD can develop after any traumatizing event, and automobile accidents, particularly multi-car crashes, hit and runs, and accidents involving fatalities can trigger PTSD. Signs of auto-accident related PTSD include:
- An intense fear of driving
- Accident flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Triggers when traveling in a car, even as a passenger
- Self-harm
- Depression
Recovering from PTSD after a motor vehicle collision is a process that typically involves intensive professional counseling and patience from friends and loved ones. The medical bills associated with your therapy should be part of any damage claim you may make against the at-fault driver.
Emotional damages can be harder to quantify than obvious physical injuries, but are no less painful and life altering. A skilled personal injury lawyer can help a car accident victim pursue these types of damages, ensuring fair and maximum compensation for accident-related injuries.
If you sustained physical and emotional damages in an automobile accident, contact a personal injury lawyer at O’Keeffe O’Brien Lyson Attorneys online or call 701-235-8000 or 877-235-8002 (toll-free) today.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia.
