Pain and Suffering: The Mental Damage Caused By Auto Accidents

After an auto accident, most people are preoccupied with what they perceive as “the important stuff:” financial setbacks across what is often a wide variety of financial accounts, healing from physical injuries, and even trying to keep a business afloat. Nonetheless, these aren’t the only types of damage victims deal with after an accident. 

Many car crash survivors experience serious, and sometimes prolonged, mental health issues. While some emotional distress fades away over time, other psychological effects could be lengthy. They can have a substantial negative impact on all of your relationships, as well as work, productivity, and general mental wellbeing. Perhaps the most serious of these “aftermath” damage issues involve mental health.

If you’ve been in a serious crash and are experiencing emotional distress, don’t try to cope on your own. You need to treat mental health issues just like any physical injuries you sustain in a wreck. Always speak to a doctor or psychiatrist. They might suggest coping methods or recommend psychotherapy or medication.

Whether you’ve been hurt in a car, truck, boating, train, ATV, or golf cart accident, contact the Florida personal injury lawyers at Searcy Denney for help. We have experience in all of these legal areas.

Types of Mental Issues Faced by Accident Victims in Florida and Elsewhere

Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common mental health issue experienced by car crash survivors. According to the American Psychological Association, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of PTSD in the general populace. Acute stress disorder (ASD) has many of the same symptoms as PTSD but lasts less than four weeks.

Our Florida personal injury lawyers know that post-traumatic stress disorder can significantly impact your life if you try to cope with it on your own. Letting PTSD go untreated can lead to:

• Anger management issues
• Loneliness and depression
• Suicidal thoughts

Persistent Anxiety

Many people experience minimal or mild anxiety for months after a serious crash, but the National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that moderate and severe anxiety levels can also be present for weeks or even months after an accident. 

People suffering from persistent anxiety caused by specific experiences like car crashes may face additional side effects, such as:

• Phobias
• Panic Attacks
• Sleep Disorders
• Physical Symptoms, i.e., headaches, dizziness, chest pain, nausea, and muscle tension 

Major Depressive Disorder

Depression, clinically referred to as major depressive disorder (MDD), is another mental health issue common in both crash victims and the general populace. For crash victims, depression is often tied to the physical injuries and pain sustained from the crash.

Contact Our Florida Personal Injury Lawyers for Help With Your Mental Damage Stemming From a Crash

If you or a member of your family has been injured in an accident in Florida, contact the Florida personal injury lawyers at Searcy Denney for help and advice. We offer a free consultation and work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay unless you recover. If you need our help, contact us online today.