Mental Health and Car Accidents in Texas

When you think of personal injury law, you probably think of physical injuries like broken bones and bruises. However, the law has long recognized the impact of physical injuries (and major accidents) on your mental health.

Many people are hesitant to seek help for emotional distress or trauma after an accident. It’s incredibly important to realize that trying to “shake it off” or just ignoring your distress will not only make your mental state even worse, but it can also negatively impact your physical health. There is help for emotional distress and trauma after an accident — plus, if your suffering is caused by an injury due to the negligence of another, you can seek compensation for your treatment in the form of a personal injury claim.

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Did You Know?

There is no cap on non-economic damages like mental anguish and pain and suffering.

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How an Accident Can Impact Your Mental Health

Mental health conditions should be diagnosed by a professional. This is not medical advice. The following is provided to help you recognize common symptoms of mental health conditions often experienced by those seriously injured in car accidents.

Major injuries sustained in car accidents and similar events have long been recognized to cause serious mental health disorders, such as:

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Car accidents that result in injury are a leading cause of PTSD in the general public, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 6 in every 100 people in the U.S. will suffer from PTSD and that women are more likely to develop it than men.

Symptoms of PSTD include:

• Flashbacks—reliving the traumatic event, including physical symptoms (sweating, racing heartbeat),
• Recurring memories or dreams related to the event,
• Distressing thoughts,
• Avoiding thoughts, feelings, and places related to the event,
• Being easily startled,
• Feeling tense, on guard, or on edge,
• Having difficulty concentrating.

Major Depressive Disorder

Many people who suffer from PTSD can also suffer from major depressive disorder. Depression affects how you think, feel, and behave and can have a crippling effect on your life.

Symptoms of depression include:

• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness,
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration,
• Loss of appetite and weight loss,
• Tiredness,
• Sleep disturbances (insomnia, oversleeping),
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame,
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things,
• And frequent or recurrent thoughts of death and suicidal thoughts.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders go beyond the normal worry or fear that we feel during day-to-day life. An anxiety disorder develops when feelings of anxiety interfere with your life, causing you to lose control of your responses to normal situations and interfering with your ability to function normally.

Symptoms of an anxiety disorder include:

• Feeling panic, fear, dread, and uneasiness,
• Feeling on edge or irritable,
• Uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts,
• Difficulty concentrating,
• Restlessness,
• Heart palpitations,
• Shortness of breath,
• Muscle tension,
• Cold or sweaty hands,
• Dry mouth,
• And nausea.

This is by no means a comprehensive list — people experience injuries differently, and everyone’s experience is unique. Additionally, the mental impact of an injury from a car accident often doesn’t show itself until weeks or months later.

Getting Compensated for Mental Health After a Car Accident

Your personal injury claim will include pain and suffering or mental anguish damages that reflect the impact the injury had on your mental health, but there are aspects of compensation, including:

• Lost Wages — When your mental and/or physical state prevents you from returning to work. This can include benefits lost for missed days as well.
• Mental Health Treatment — Therapy sessions, medications, and cognitive-behavioral treatments associated with your injury.
• Cost of Caregivers — If your mental state caused you to need assistance with daily life.

You cannot bring a mental health claim if you were not physically injured. Additionally, you only have 2 years from the time of the accident to file a claim, or you will lose your right to compensation.

Were You Injured in a Texas Car Accident? Call Shaw.

At Carabin Shaw, we’ve realized that our clients often struggle with a tremendous mental impact after a car accident injury. That’s why we strive to make the process as simple and straightforward as possible so that you can focus on healing.

If you are suffering from mental and physical injuries after a car accident, you could be entitled to compensation for things like:

• Ambulance Costs,
• ER Treatment,
• Therapy,
• Medications,
• Trauma/PTSD,
• Ongoing Medical Care,
• Missed Work,
• Wrongful Death,
• And More.

We’ll help you find out if your injury qualifies for free.

Call Shaw today at 800-862-1260, or use the live chat to schedule an appointment with an experienced personal injury attorney who cares. You’ll get your questions answered and advice on the next steps with no fees and no obligations. Carabin Shaw puts their clients first. We look forward to serving you.

See Also:

How Trauma Impacts Children After an Injury

October is SIDS Awareness Month

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¹APA on PTSD

²NIH on PTSD

³Mayo Clinic on Depressive Disorders

³Cleavland Clinic on Anxiety Disorders