Each year an estimated six million car accidents occur throughout the United States. Car accidents can be difficult situations to endure. Unfortunately, many individuals sustain both physical and mental trauma during these accidents. While physical traumas are generally easy to spot and treat, emotional trauma sustained during car crashes can be more challenging to diagnose and treat. When it comes to post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, car accidents are the leading cause in the general population. If you or a loved one are suffering from PTSD after a car accident, it is essential to seek help. Read on to learn more about PTSD car crash statistics and avenues in which you can seek help.
Post-Traumatic Stress After a Car Accident
Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a mental health condition brought on from exposure to a traumatic event. With over six million accidents occurring each year, car crashes are traumatic events for many individuals in the United States. Car accidents place individuals in a vulnerable situation where their fight-or-flight responses are often triggered.
Unfortunately, events that cause fight-or-flight stressors to be activated can lead to PTSD symptoms starting hours, days, or even months after the accident. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information or NCBI, around 30 percent of car crash survivors have symptoms of PTSD at least 30 days post-crash. It is essential to know the signs of PTSD and to seek treatment immediately if you or a loved one is struggling emotionally after a car crash.
Symptoms of PTSD After a Crash Car
While it is normal to feel a rush of intense emotions immediately following a car crash, it becomes more concerning if these emotions linger for days, weeks, or months after the event. If feelings of shock, grief, helplessness, confusion, guilt, or fear persist long after the crash car, it is important to seek help for emotional trauma. If you experience any of the following symptoms following a car crash, it is important to seek medical treatment and diagnosis for potential PTSD
- Experiencing gastrointestinal problems
- Being easily startled in everyday situations
- Having traumatic dreams about the accident
- Experiencing intrusive thoughts about the accident
- Avoiding thoughts about the accident
- Disassociating from reality
- Exhibiting avoidance behaviors
- Changes in emotional reactions
- Refusing to drive after the accident
- Numbing of emotions and feelings
- Psychologically re-experiencing the trauma
Experiencing any one of these symptoms can disrupt your daily life and ability to function in society. Along with knowing the common symptoms associated with PTSD, it is also important to understand common risk factors that may increase your odds of developing PTSD following a car crash.
Increased Risk Factors for PTSD
If you or a loved one have been involved in a car crash, it is crucial to know the common increased risk factors associated with developing PTSD. Understanding the common risk factors that can bring on PTSD will allow you to be proactive in seeking treatment. The following are all increased risk factors for developing PTSD after a car crash:
- Dissociation during or immediately after the event
- History of prior trauma
- Lack of social support or resources
- Prior psychological adjustment problems
- Family history of psychopathology
If you were the victim of a car crash, you deserve compensation for the emotional trauma you had to endure. Along with seeking compensation for the emotional trauma you experienced following the car crash, you should also seek proper medical treatment.
Seeking Treatment for PTSD
If you or a loved one have been experiencing the symptoms of PTSD following a car crash, it is vital to seek treatment as soon as possible. A medical professional will be able to diagnosis you and provide you with proper and effective treatment methods.
PTSD has the genuine potential of turning your daily life and ability to function upside down. Symptoms associated with PTSD can make it hard to go to school, work, or function normally in society. If PTSD affects your ability to function in society, you deserve treatment and compensation for your injuries. If you were involved in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, an experienced accident attorney could provide you with the legal support and representation you deserve.
Consult with an Accident Attorney Today
If you were diagnosed with PTSD following a car crash and would like to file a personal injury claim, it’s time to consult with an experienced accident attorney today. Working with an accident attorney will allow you to obtain the fairest compensation possible for the emotional or physical injuries you sustained during your car crash. Allow yourself to focus on your recovery and leave the legal proceedings to the professional. We would love to help you obtain the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to move forward with your personal injury claim. We look forward to working with you and representing you in your case.
Author Bio
Louis W. Grande is a Providence personal injury lawyer who founded his Rhode Island law firm of the same name in 2010. With more than 32 years of experience practicing law, he has successfully represented clients in a wide range of legal matters, including car accidents, premise liability, dog bites, medical malpractice, product liability, and other personal injury actions.
Louis received his Juris Doctor from the Hamline University School of Law and is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association. He has received numerous accolades for his work, including being awarded Lifetime Achievement in 2017 by America’s Top 100 Attorneys and being named among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Top 25 Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers in 2017.