Does a Personal Injury Claim Cover Mental Health Issues?

Car accidents can cause a range of injuries and property damage, depending on the type and severity of the accident. While a minor fender-bender may only result in minimal scrapes and bruising, a serious collision can cause devastating injuries ranging from broken bones and internal bleeding to traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and amputations.

In addition to the serious physical injuries car accident victims suffer, the trauma associated with the accident and the resulting injuries can have a serious impact on victims’ mental health. If you were involved in a serious car accident that has had an impact on your mental and emotional health, a successful personal injury claim will ensure you recover the damages you deserve, including the costs associated with treating your mental health injuries. An experienced car accident lawyer will assist you with this process and pursue the maximum financial damages that you deserve.

What Are Examples of Mental Health Injuries Caused by Car Accidents?

The trauma from a serious car accident can affect your mental and emotional health for days, weeks, or even years after the accident. Depending on the circumstances of the accident and whether you suffered severe injuries, you may experience a range of mental health-related injuries, including the following:

  • Anxiety Specifically About the Car Accident: Oftentimes, when a car accident is particularly traumatic, certain events related to the accident can trigger feelings of anxiety. For example, if you were involved in a devastating car accident, you may experience feelings of intense anxiety anytime you approach the location of the accident.
  • Generalized Anxiety: In some cases, if someone already suffers from generalized anxiety disorder, a car accident can trigger those symptoms or increase the amount of anxiety they experience. Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include persistent worries, trouble sleeping, overthinking minor plans and situations, and dwelling on worst-case scenarios for certain situations.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): This can affect car accident victims who either witnessed or were the victims of a terrifying or traumatic event. Victims of PTSD can experience flashbacks, nightmares, and extremely anxious reactions that make it very difficult to engage in regular daily activities like work, school, and family life.
  • Depression: Severe injuries like spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries can cause permanent impairments and disabilities that can prevent you from being able to engage in regular daily activities like walking, driving a car, riding a bike, or even communicating if a brain injury affects your ability to speak. Victims of severe injuries often suffer from depression or a loss of enjoyment of life.

How Do I Claim Compensation for a Mental Health-Related Injury?

If you are seeking compensation for anxiety or any other type of mental health issue related to a car accident, you must be able to prove that the other driver was liable. A copy of the police report will provide valuable details about how the accident happened, what happened immediately before the collision, whether the other driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and who was at fault. Other evidence that can help support your claim includes photos of the property damage to both vehicles involved, footage from surveillance cameras, and statements from an accident reconstructionist.

In order to recover damages for anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health disorders related to a car accident, it is highly recommended that you seek treatment from a qualified mental health professional who can provide a medical diagnosis for your condition. In addition to confirming the fact that you are suffering from a mental health disorder, a mental health professional’s testimony will help show that your mental health condition is directly related to the car accident and not from another source. If you were already suffering from anxiety or depression, a mental health professional could testify that the car accident caused you to suffer more intense and frequent bouts of anxiety or depression. A dedicated car accident lawyer will assist you with the claims process and pursue the compensation you deserve.

The Savannah Car Accident Lawyers at Kicklighter Law Seek Compensation for Mental Health Injuries Related to Car Accidents

If you are suffering from anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues following a car accident, contact the Savannah car accident lawyers at Kicklighter Law. To schedule a confidential consultation, call us today at 912-754-6003 or contact us online. Our office is located in Springfield, Georgia, where we serve clients from Effingham County, Savannah, and surrounding areas.