Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is well known as a serious mental health disorder that commonly occurs in people who have served in the military and have experienced extremely stressful and disturbing events. What is less well known is that PTSD is also a known result of some car accidents. The disorder can be mentally exhausting and may affect the car accident victim so much that normal life cannot be resumed without successful psychiatric help and the use of drugs that can help to alleviate PTSD symptoms.
If you have been hurt, physically and emotionally, by a car accident which was not your fault, such as a merging accident, you should seek professional help. A personal lawyer may help you with a personal injury claim that could provide the financial assistance you need to deal with PTSD.
The Cost of a PTSD Injury Caused by a Merging Accident
There is no easy way of calculating the financial effect of PTSD. The car accident victim may be forced to change jobs, or spend time away from their normal job, seek medical and psychiatric help and may need to spend money on therapeutic drugs. PTSD can be hard to diagnose and even harder to treat. Treatment must start with the realization that you need help and that there will be no instant solutions.
A successful personal injury claim will at least help to remove financial concerns over the cost of the disorder’s effect on your job and family life. Calculating the full cost of PTSD may involve the role of an expert psychiatric witness called on invitation by your lawyer. The compensation package should take into consideration future medical needs and possibly the loss of earning potential or career advancement.
Filing a Claim For a PTSD Injury After A Merging Accident
As with all personal injury claims, the onus is on the plaintiff to provide sufficient evidence to show that the injuries, mental, physical or both, were caused by a specific case of negligence. If you were hit by a negligent driver when merging into your lane, then you have good grounds for claiming compensation. You may be able to persuade eye witnesses to make a statement corroborating your account of the accident. A police report will presumably have been compiled at the crash scene and hopefully it will shed light on who was to blame. If your car was taken to a car repair yard, then a report from the yard will also provide valuable evidence of what happened during the accident.
Why You Should Speak With A PI Lawyer
If you have been diagnosed with PTSD, you will need every bit of support you can get. There is no reason why you should have to face financial disadvantage and mental stress because of someone else’s negligence. You are advised to talk to a personal injury lawyer as soon as you think you are able to do so. A PI lawyer will have dealt with cases like yours before and will be your best chance of obtaining compensation for an accident that was not your fault.
