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5 Psychological Effects after a Car Crash That You Shouldn’t Ignore

st. louis woman with depression after car crash

A car crash can be an extremely stressful event. Dealing with the aftermath can also leave marks on the victim’s life. Physical injuries and property damage are the main things people worry about when thinking of a car accident with notable consequences, but the psychological effects it can have are not to be ignored.

Here are 5 possible ways a car crash can affect you psychologically.

PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition that might appear in people who have experienced or witnessed traumatic events. Symptoms include avoidance, fear, guilt, reliving the event in your mind, nightmares, etc. While these manifestations can be present in many car accident participants, they lead to PTSD only if they don’t fade with time, but actually get worse.

Anxiety

Car-related anxiety or general anxiety are often seen in victims who have been a part of a car accident. Anxiety can really affect one’s life, depending on the triggers of the anxiety attacks. These can be: the site of the accident, driving itself, rain or other similar conditions that were present during the accident.

Depression

Depression is a serious mental illness that can lead to self-neglect or worse if left untreated. Some patients have functional depression, which means they can perform their daily activities, but feel empty and numb inside. Often, it takes a combination of antidepressants and therapy to overcome an episode like that, which should be covered by the at-fault driver’s insurance.

Sleep Difficulties

Insomnia interrupted sleep, trouble going to sleep can also be signs of emotional distress caused by the car accident.

Phobias

The most common phobias that have been reported in car accident victims were the fear of traveling, driving or apparently unconnected ones that were actually triggered by stimuli like flashing lights or loud noises.

Compensation for Psychological Injuries of a Car Accident

If you have been in a car accident and you’re experiencing one or some of these psychological and emotional injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for them. These mental injuries affect your life and can often cause your health to deteriorate or even lead to psychosomatic diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, etc.

Emotional and mental issues should not be ignored, and if they come as a consequence of a car accident. You are entitled to include these injuries in your insurance claim and seek professional treatment for them, which is often costly and overlooked by many patients.

In order to prove your need for this type of compensation, seek help from an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney who can prove the extent of your mental and emotional injuries and who will do everything they can to cover this type of damage.


Free Consultation with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer

Don’t talk to an insurance claims adjuster before speaking with The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. We can help you avoid making statements that may affect the outcome of your case. The consultation is free; you don’t pay unless we get you money!

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Updated: January 12, 2021