You can sue for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after an accident that someone else caused. Whether you were hurt in a car accident, truck accident, or another type of incident, you have the opportunity to file a lawsuit to recover your non-economic damages, including PTSD.
Suing the negligent party for damages such as PTSD is challenging, but a personal injury lawyer in Long Island will walk you through the process so you have the chance to get the compensation you deserve and move forward.
- What Is PTSD?
- These Symptoms of PTSD Could Entitle You to Compensation
- Recoverable Damages for PTSD Cases
- How Will a Lawyer Benefit Your PTSD Case?
- Learn More About Suing For PTSD Today
What Is PTSD?
According to the American Psychiatric Association, PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder, which people could develop in the aftermath of suffering a traumatic event that impacts their emotional or mental health. One such traumatic event could be a car accident.
A car accident, especially a serious car accident, could leave you with invisible injuries that could remain with you long after your physical injuries heal. We recommend talking to a mental health care professional if you experience any symptoms of PTSD because a diagnosis could benefit your legal case.
For a free legal consultation, call 516-932-0400
These Symptoms of PTSD Could Entitle You to Compensation
Although PTSD is not a visible injury, you might experience symptoms immediately or over a period of time that become noticeable to you and others who know you.
These symptoms include:
- Flashbacks: You could have waking memories of the accident. Anything from similar weather to getting back into a car, or even being in the same location of the accident could result in you experiencing a rush of flashbacks that cause you emotional and mental trauma.
- Nightmares: You can’t control your dreams, and that’s what makes nightmares particularly traumatic. A car accident could invade your mind at night, constantly reminding you of the trauma.
- Difficulty sleeping: Not only could nightmares be waking you up at night, but you might also fear falling asleep. You could be tossing and turning, have night sweats, and feel tired during the day.
- Anxiety and panic attacks: The fear you feel could cause you to suffer high anxiety that results in a panic attack. This intense type of anxiety causes your heart to race, shortness of breath, muscle tension, trembling, and dizziness. And you could suffer more than one episode.
- Drug or alcohol use: In an effort to numb yourself to trauma or “forget” it, you might turn to alcohol or drugs, which causes a variety of health issues and puts you at risk of overdosing.
- Anger or agitation: You might feel anger or agitation during certain situations that result in an unusual outburst. You might even fight more with your spouse, family members, and colleagues at work. Even the smallest stimuli could trigger an outburst.
- Depression: You could especially be at risk of depression if you lost someone you love in a car accident. Common symptoms of depression include losing interest in activities you enjoyed in the past, persistent sadness, and sleeping more than usual.
- Avoidance: Perhaps you avoid spending time with someone who went through the accident with you. Maybe you avoid the location of the accident. Or perhaps you avoid riding in vehicles as much as possible. This could impact relationships, your job, and other parts of your life.
Recoverable Damages for PTSD Cases
PTSD falls into the non-economic damages category. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and mental anguish, all of which connect to PTSD. It is challenging to verify these damages as there is not a set monetary value to reference as there would be for your medical bills and other financial losses.
However, non-economic damages are valid damages that a victim of a car accident could recover compensation for. A personal injury attorney from our law firm will collect evidence such as counseling or therapy session receipts, testimony from your mental health care professional, and other documentation to present to the at-fault party’s insurance carrier and, if called for, in court to a judge and jury on your behalf.
You could also recover compensation for PTSD if you suffered physical injuries in the accident. The value of your case will vary depending on several factors such as the severity of your injuries. Our team will negotiate with the liable insurance company or file a lawsuit on your behalf for the compensation you deserve.
Click to contact our personal injury lawyers today
How Will a Lawyer Benefit Your PTSD Case?
Legal representation is about protecting your rights and navigating the legal process from filing a personal injury lawsuit to fielding settlement offers, and/or receiving a jury verdict that resolves your case.
If you hire a personal injury lawyer from our firm to handle your case, we will:
- Investigate the accident and determine liability
- Collect evidence to prove negligence and support your personal injury claim
- Calculate the value of your recoverable damages
- Negotiate a settlement with the liable party and their insurer
- Assist you in multiple languages
- Speak with medical professionals to gather proof of your PTSD
- Come to you on Long Island or within the New York metro area if you can’t come to us
- File a personal injury lawsuit and represent you in court, if necessary
- Ensure you’re aware of all deadlines, including the short statute of limitations, in your case
- Serve as relentless advocates on your behalf as we work to win the best possible case outcome for you
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Learn More About Suing For PTSD Today
If you have PTSD because of someone else’s negligence, a lawyer from Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. will work to recover the compensation you deserve and hold the negligent party accountable. You’re entitled to compensation for the psychological and emotional trauma your accident caused.
We will explain more about suing for PTSD and how we will be able to assist you when you reach out to us for a free initial consultation. A member of our legal team will be available to take your call 24/7 and answer any questions you have.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
