People involved in serious car crashes can have many different injuries from the incident. While many people focus heavily on the physical symptoms that occur after these, there are also mental health challenges that come with severe wrecks.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most difficult mental health disorders that can occur to a person who’s involved in a crash. It’s estimated that around 39.2% of people who survive a motor vehicle crash suffer from PTSD.
PTSD intensifies normal reactions
It’s perfectly normal to feel a variety of emotions about the crash, especially if it was a serious one. These can include grief, shock and helplessness. In some cases, people who survive a fatal crash may also feel guilty. The key here is that those emotions shouldn’t become unbearable and should abate over time. A person who has PTSD may not be able to shake those feelings. They may have intrusive thoughts and begin to try to avoid situations that might result in a crash. For some, this means completely avoiding being in a vehicle.
Most people who have PTSD need to seek professional mental health help, which can be a costly undertaking. Many different types of treatments are available for this condition, but they can all take time to work.
Victims of crashes may choose to seek compensation for the financial damages they’re dealing with because of the wreck. Working with someone familiar with these matters may be beneficial since they can pull the case together and get it filed before the statute of limitations passes.