Post-Traumatic Stress Common After Car Accidents In Naples
Car accidents in Naples happen suddenly, often with little to no advance warning. These are traumatic events, and it is common for victims to suffer lingering effects in the aftermath. Our Naples car accident lawyer explains the symptoms of crash-related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how to get the compensation you need to recover from it.
Car Accident PTSD Common
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often occurs due to unexpected events in which you suffer serious, potentially life-threatening personal injuries or witness them happening to others. It typically affects combat veterans, victims of violent crimes, and people who have experienced natural or manmade disasters. However, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that PTSD is common in the aftermath of car accidents as well.
Being involved in a car accident in Naples is a traumatizing experience. The NIH warns that PTSD symptoms you may experience for weeks, months, or even years after include:
- Intrusive thoughts about the accident: This includes having sudden thoughts or seeing images of the crash in the midst of other activities and suffering from bad dreams about it at night.
- Avoidance of certain activities: To avoid thinking about the crash, car accident victims may feel reluctant or even refuse to get into a car, sit in certain seats within the vehicle, or travel on certain roads.
- Reliving the event: When they are in a vehicle or in any type of situation that could potentially remind them of the accident, victims may find themselves reliving it. This can involve flashbacks, in which they re-experience the sights, smells, and feelings associated with the crash.
- Physical and mental health issues: Victims of PTSD may suffer from increased anxiety, depression, and isolation, while also experiencing physical symptoms, such as sleep disorders, digestive issues, and chronic headaches.
How To Get Compensation For Car Accident PTSD
When a car accident in Naples happens due to the negligence of others, you have the right to hold them accountable. Depending on the situation, you may be able to seek compensation through an insurance claim or a car accident lawsuit filed through the Collier County Court.
Under the Florida Statutes, victims are entitled to economic damages, compensating them for tangible losses. This includes property damages, medical expenses, and lost wages. You may also be entitled to non-economic damages. Non-economic damages for PTSD may include:
- Compensation for the pain and trauma you suffered during a crash;
- Compensation for ongoing mental anguish you experience in the aftermath;
- Additional amounts for any loss of enjoyment in life, in cases where PTSD prevents you from enjoying your usual hobbies and activities.
Our Naples Car Accident Lawyers Are Here To Help
It is common for victims of car accidents in Naples to suffer PTSD in the aftermath. At Cardinal Law, P.A., we are here to help you get the compensation you need to recover from it. Call or contact us online and request a consultation with our Naples car accident lawyers today.
Sources:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2396820/#:~:text=For%20many%20individuals%2C%20the%20symptoms,e.g.%2C%20reluctance%20or%20refusal%20to
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.81.html
