PTSD and Your Wisconsin Car Accident

When we hear about a serious accident, we tend to focus on the physical injuries that the victim might suffer, since those tend to require immediate attention. However, all types of catastrophic accidents, from dog bites to motorcycle accidents, can also result in emotional or mental trauma, which can be just as debilitating as physical injuries. Emotional trauma can appear immediately after the accident, or may not appear for days, weeks, or even months following the traumatic event. For some victims, the mental aftereffects of a severe accident are temporary, lasting a few days or weeks, at most. For other victims, however, the stress of an accident can result in a mental condition that may last much longer, and may even be permanent. One such mental condition is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The severity and duration of PTSD varies widely from one person to the next. While some individuals are able to eventually get the condition under control through therapy and other remedies, some individuals just don’t ever really recover from a bad accident. Some of the potential signs of PTSD including the following:

• Edginess or a propensity to be easily startled
• Avoiding circumstances that might result in a similar accident
• Insomnia, flashbacks, and nightmares
• Social withdrawal, even from close family members
• Chronic pain unrelated to the injury
• Moderate or severe depression
• Refusal to talk about or deal with the accident and its aftermath

A personal injury claim can involve both physical and mental conditions. If your personal injury claim is based in full or in part on a PTSD diagnosis, you typically will undergo an examination by a neuropsychologist, who is skilled in assessing potential PTSD symptoms and making a clear diagnosis.

When an accident causes serious injuries to you or a loved one, the impact can be devastating. Although some accidents are just that – accidents – others are caused by the negligence of another, such as an inattentive or speeding driver. If you are in this situation, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Contact Boller & Vaughan today and learn how our Wisconsin personal injury attorneys can advocate on your behalf.