[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/suing-for-ptsd-after-a-car-accident\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/suing-for-ptsd-after-a-car-accident\/","headline":"Can I Sue for PTSD After a Car Accident?","name":"Can I Sue for PTSD After a Car Accident?","description":"Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that can significantly impact your overall well-being. Sudden and violent events like car accidents can be traumatizing for the survivors. If you\u2019ve been involved in a car accident, the fear and stress resulting...","datePublished":"2023-09-26","dateModified":"2025-08-11","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/author\/julius\/#Person","name":"Julius Amourgis","url":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/author\/julius\/","identifier":50,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e49a6abb900684fc2323b7043eaceeb537475408ebc3a2cefbbe0ce24506d3b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e49a6abb900684fc2323b7043eaceeb537475408ebc3a2cefbbe0ce24506d3b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Amourgis & Associates Attorneys at Law","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/amourgisassoc.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Logo-header-1.png","url":"https:\/\/amourgisassoc.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Logo-header-1.png","width":425,"height":87}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/ptsd-from-car-accident-settlement.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/ptsd-from-car-accident-settlement.jpg","height":500,"width":700},"url":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/suing-for-ptsd-after-a-car-accident\/","about":["Accident Advice"],"wordCount":1065,"articleBody":"Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that can significantly impact your overall well-being. Sudden and violent events like car accidents can be traumatizing for the survivors. If you\u2019ve been involved in a car accident, the fear and stress resulting from the event can have lasting effects that make it difficult to function as you did before the accident.\u00a0Fortunately, the compensation from a lawsuit can help put you back on more stable ground. Talk to our attorneys to find out if you have grounds to sue for PTSD after a car accident.\u00a0What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?While PTSD is most often associated with experiences in war and other large-scale traumatic events, it\u2019s also a typical result of a severe car accident. You don\u2019t even need to have suffered significant physical injuries in the collision. Simply being involved in a sudden, unexpected event that threatens your health and life can be enough to trigger PTSD.PTSD should not be confused with post-traumatic stress, which is characterized by feelings of anxiety, depression, and fear immediately following a traumatic event that eventually goes away. What makes PTSD different is that these feelings get worse over time, making it much harder for a person to live and function as they did before the accident.PTSD is a serious mental health condition, and its symptoms require professional treatment. Medication, talk therapy, and other forms of treatment can aid in your recovery process.Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress After a Car AccidentPost-traumatic stress following a car accident can present a wide variety of symptoms. Some of the most common include:DepressionAnxietyRe-experiencing the accident through flashbacks or nightmaresDwelling on the accidentDifficulty recalling the details of the accidentAvoiding the scene of the accidentFear of driving or riding in a vehicleSleep disordersDifficulty concentratingChanges in mood or personalityDisruption of personal relationshipsDifficulty working or maintaining employmentUse of alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanismSuicidal thoughtsSeek mental health treatment if you\u2019re experiencing post-traumatic stress that isn\u2019t improving. A psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional will assess your symptoms and may diagnose you with PTSD. At that point, they\u2019ll review your treatment options and help you work toward recovery.You should also speak with a car accident attorney. Trying to secure a car accident PTSD settlement can help alleviate some of the stress associated with seeking treatment for PTSD and make it easier to focus on healing.Long-Term Effects of PTSDThe symptoms listed above are some of the typical manifestations of post-traumatic stress. If symptoms gradually improve in the weeks following a car accident, you likely don\u2019t have PTSD. However, speaking to your physician or mental health provider for a professional assessment is still important.When these symptoms don\u2019t go away and instead worsen with time, you\u2019re likely experiencing PTSD. Over the long term, if not treated, PTSD can lead to a heightened risk of drug and alcohol abuse, anxiety, depression, heart disease, and other conditions.Additionally, the overproduction of stress hormones makes it much harder to relax and enjoy life to its fullest. This can lead to damaged relationships, difficulties at work, and other harmful effects.How to Prove You Have Post-Traumatic Stress After a CrashIf you\u2019re seeking a car accident PTSD settlement, you\u2019ll first need to prove you have PTSD as a result of your accident. This can be more challenging than proving you experienced physical injuries, as mental health effects may not be visually apparent, but it\u2019s certainly not impossible.Your attorney will need to demonstrate that you have PTSD as a result of the accident, as opposed to some other situation, and that it\u2019s causing a significant negative impact on your life. Some of the evidence they\u2019ll use to support your case includes:Medical recordsDocumentation of symptomsEvidence of official PTSD diagnosisPolice report from the accidentRecords of missed workTestimony from family, friends, and coworkersYour own testimonyTestimony from expert witnesses, such as your doctorsYour car accident attorney will take the lead in gathering evidence to support your case. The opposing side will likely produce its own expert witnesses in an effort to discredit yours, but this is just another reason to trust your case to an experienced attorney. Their goal is to demonstrate that you have PTSD from your accident and effectively argue that you deserve compensation.What Damages are Covered by a Car Accident PTSD Settlement?The average PTSD settlement following a car accident covers various expenses arising from your diagnosis. The possibilities extend well beyond pain and suffering and may include:Mental health treatmentMedicationsLost incomeChildcare costsTemporary transportationLoss of consortiumLoss of quality of lifeThe amount you can recover in compensation will also depend on many factors, including your ability to function from day to day, your ability to work, your long-term prognosis, and whether you have other complications arising from the accident.While it can be more complicated to place a dollar value on PTSD than on physical injuries, this is another area where you\u2019ll benefit from your attorney\u2019s expertise. Lawyers have an understanding of how PTSD can impact an accident victim. They will be able to determine a fair amount of compensation and will fight for it on your behalf.Contact the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers at Amourgis & Associates, Attorneys at LawIf you\u2019ve been involved in a car accident and are experiencing PTSD as a result, you may be entitled to compensation. Our car accident attorneys\u00a0are committed to helping our clients seek maximum compensation after traumatic vehicle accidents. When you trust us with your case, we handle everything, removing the stress and making it easier to focus on your mental and emotional recovery.If you\u2019re worried about how you\u2019ll pay a lawyer to pursue the compensation you need, we\u2019re the firm for you. We work on a contingency fee arrangement. That means you pay nothing upfront, and we take our fees as an agreed-upon percentage from the compensation we get for you. If you don\u2019t get paid, neither do we.Contact us today for a free case evaluation and to learn more about how we fight for fair car accident PTSD settlements in cases like yours."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Can I Sue for PTSD After a Car Accident?","item":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/suing-for-ptsd-after-a-car-accident\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]