Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition that many people experience after surviving a traumatic event like a car accident. If you are living with this condition after an auto accident, call a lawyer right away.
PTSD symptoms can cause serious emotional and psychological turmoil for an extended period of time. You should be fairly compensated for your PTSD, and a lawyer can help you include it in your claim for damages. Evidence of PTSD can be challenging to obtain and present, as the condition is somewhat subjective. We can speak to mental health professionals about your condition and present evidence of how the condition has changed your life. Factors we should highlight to hopefully get you as much compensation as possible include the duration of your PTSD symptoms, the severity of your symptoms, and the overall impact of your PTSD on various areas of your life.
Picking up the pieces of your life after a car accident can be hard, and you can call our Alabama car accident lawyers of Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 to set up a free case review to get started.
Why You Deserve Compensation for PTSD After a Car Accident in Alabama
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition that commonly affects survivors of car accidents. The stress and trauma of the crash may trigger other mental health symptoms that negatively impact your daily life and routine.
Many people living with PTSD after a car accident have trouble getting back in a vehicle. This uncontrollable fear might prevent them from doing ordinary tasks like driving to work, running errands, or driving to school. This can severely limit how you live and prevent you from simply living and enjoying your life.
PTSD may not only be psychologically devastating, but it might last for a long time. Many people with PTSD report dealing with symptoms for years after an accident. This is especially common in very severe accident cases. You deserve fair compensation for the suffering you live with and how long it affects you.
Presenting Evidence of PTSD and Other Damages in Alabama Car Accident Cases
Coming up with evidence of your PTSD symptoms and how they have impacted your daily routine might be challenging but not impossible. As with many mental health conditions or damages related to general pain and suffering, PTSD is rather subjective. As such, our Birmingham car accident attorneys need strong evidence that not only demonstrates you have PTSD but that it has a significant, negative effect on your life.
Perhaps one of the most important pieces of the evidentiary puzzle is your own testimony about how you have experienced living with PTSD. Remember, PTSD and other non-economic damages are subjective and based on your unique experiences. The jury cannot make an informed decision about damages if you do not testify about how PTSD has changed your life.
If you have not yet seen a therapist, psychologist, or other mental health professional, you should do so as soon as possible. A doctor might be able to provide a proper diagnosis, which may be very convincing to a jury. Your doctor might also be able to testify about your condition and explain how badly you are affected.
Factors to Determine What PTSD Damages Might Be Worth in Your Alabama Car Accident Case
Every case is unique, and the exact factors and details that play a role in the outcome of your case may vary. However, certain factors tend to be more common and should be discussed with an attorney. Below are several crucial details that might factor heavily into your damages for PTSD and other non-economic injuries.
Duration of Symptoms
You should meet with an attorney and try to figure out when your PTSD symptoms started. PTSD is a complicated condition that does not always show up right away. You might feel okay and mentally stable for a while after a severe accident, only to be hit with a sudden panic attack or other PTSD symptoms.
Speaking to a doctor about your symptoms is best. Your doctor might be able to more accurately pinpoint when your PTSD began based on the details you provide. They can also give us an idea of how long your PTSD symptoms might last.
Some people are able to overcome their PTSD with treatment, while others struggle with it for years. Knowing when your condition began and how long it may endure can help us determine how much compensation a court might award you.
Severity of Symptoms
We must also consider the magnitude of your PTSD symptoms. Since every case is different, people often experience symptoms differently. For some, they might have depression and the occasional panic or anxiety attack. For others, they might suffer debilitating flashbacks to the trauma of the accident.
Some people are able to push through their symptoms, while others are entirely debilitated. While both cases warrant compensation, a more severe case with harsher symptoms may warrant greater damages.
Overall Effect of PTSD on Your Life
While the duration and severity of your PTSD symptoms are important, they are not the only things to consider. Many smaller aspects of your condition, which might be hard to explain in court, might come together to create an overall negative impact. In short, the total effect of your PTSD on your daily routine and life must be considered.
This goes beyond the time and magnitude of symptoms. This includes details about how your symptoms have affected your ability to work or spend time with loved ones. The reduced quality of your life might be significant, and you deserve equally significant compensation.
Call Our Alabama Car Accident Lawyers if You Suffer From PTSD Symptoms After a Crash
Putting your life and mental health back together after a car accident is difficult and takes time, and you can call our Alabaster, AL car accident lawyers of Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 to set up a free case review to get started.
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