Can you get PTSD from a car accident? PTSD after a car accident is a very common complication. The intensity of the experience, the shocking change to your life, and the intense pain experienced can cause a person to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Motor vehicle crashes can cause trauma when a person’s brain does not process and properly cope with the experience. Speak with a Chicago car accident lawyer from Postman Law about your case today.
The Intensity of the Car Crash
Some people develop PTSD after a car accident without actually suffering serious injuries. In these situations, the car crash is mentally exhausting and causes the brain to suffer trauma. Serious crashes include:
- Being struck by a truck
- Motorcycle accidents
- Being hit by a train
- Head-on collisions when you see the vehicle coming towards you
- T-bone accidents due to their sudden nature
- Rollover accidents
- Explosions from collisions
The more intense the car crash is, the more likely you are to develop complications from it. The intensity of the moment is not properly processed by the brain, and as a result, it cannot move through the experience in a meaningful manner. You get stuck with traumatic images and memories.
For a free legal consultation, call 844-767-8626
PTSD Can Happen After Severe Car Accidents
The severity of the car crash often plays a significant role in the impact of the accident on a person’s mental health. Many people develop PTSD when they are suddenly faced with a life-changing injury.
Examples of injuries that may cause this type of intense reaction include:
- Traumatic head injuries resulting in cognitive function changes
- Intense pain such as blows to the midsection or pain from lacerations
- Burns, including both chemical and thermal burns in an accident
- Spinal cord injuries, especially if you are unable to move during or after the accident
- Broken and crushing accidents
In these situations, a person fears for their life, and that fear can cause PTSD to develop. As noted by the National Institute of Mental Health, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) happens when a traumatic event impacts a person’s feelings of being safe. Sudden injuries and intense pain are common causes of this. Speak with Postman Law today about your case.
You Have One of the Risk Factors for Developing PTSD
Not everyone with serious injuries from a car accident develops PTSD. Whether or not you develop it depends on a combination of factors, and only a licensed professional can diagnose you with this condition. Some people are more likely to suffer from PTSD from a car accident than others.
That includes those who:
- Have a history of mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and previous trauma
- Have a family history of mental health disorders, whether they are diagnosed or not
- Your biological makeup and brain chemistry, or the way your brain regulates stress hormones, makes you more likely (especially when there are imbalances of cortisol and adrenaline)
- Whether you have support after the car accident to help you move through the experience, such as connections with family and friends, or even if you speak to a professional after the incident
- Your personal temperament, with some people simply having fewer coping skills for difficult situations
- You have prior trauma, including any other significant psychological stressor, whether it is another car accident or something else traumatic
If you are in a car accident of any type, it is important to focus first on your physical injuries and losses, but do not overlook the importance of seeking mental health support as well.
Early treatment and the use of proper coping strategies after an accident can dramatically reduce the severity or even the presence of PTSD after an accident. You should also consult a lawyer from Postman Law.
Click to contact our personal injury lawyers today
You Have Any of the Following Symptoms
You may have PTSD from a motor vehicle accident and not immediately realize it. Most people involved in an accident feel anxious, scared, and nervous in the moments and even the days after the incident, but they do not necessarily develop PTSD. Others can experience it with intensity and right away.
If you have any of the following symptoms, it is best to seek help from a mental health professional for a diagnosis:
- Flashbacks: Flashbacks are intense images of what you saw or experienced in the moments leading up to the accident. You may see what you saw or have intense flashbacks of the pain that occurred at the time of the incident.
- Intrusive Thoughts: Your brain reminds you of the traumatic event over and over again, even if you are not in a difficult situation or thinking about it. You suddenly have thoughts about the incident. Often, you will feel a spike in your heart rate or a rise in your fear level in these moments.
- Avoidance: Some people who develop PTSD after a car accident avoid the situation. They may be afraid to drive or may no longer want to go in a vehicle. Others do not want to take the same route they took when the accident occurred. This can be life-changing.
- Hyperarousal: You may feel intense without thoughts of the incident. For example, you may feel on edge or nervous all of the time. You may have no actual thoughts of the car crash but suddenly become anxious.
- Difficulty with Sleeping: Changes in sleep patterns after a serious accident may be the result of PTSD. This could mean being unable to sleep due to thoughts or images. It may also increase nightmares.
- Feeling Less: Some people with PTSD feel fewer emotions. They feel disconnected from family or friends. They lose interest in activities they once loved. Normal daily activities become difficult.
If you are experiencing any of these types of symptoms, speak to your mental health provider. Make sure to document these symptoms and their intensity in a journal.
Seek Legal Guidance from a Car Accident Lawyer
If you are in an accident caused by another person, seek medical care, emotional support, and legal representation from our car accident lawyer. Your intense fear and anxiety are a very real type of loss.
You may be owed compensation for PTSD from a car accident. Turn to Postman Law for a consultation to learn more.