Available 24/7Car accidents are traumatizing events, and victims need strong emotional support during their recovery. Bodily injuries range from head injuries to fractures and everything in between. At The Law Office of Taylor S. Braithwaite, we help car accident victims seek financial compensation after motor vehicle wrecks. Unfortunately, many insurance adjusters overlook the psychological effects of car accidents.
They might offer only a few thousand dollars for what turns out to be serious depression or mental health problems.
Call TBS Injury Law to speak with an Aiken, SC car accident attorney at our firm. We have years of experience negotiating settlements for those injured in the Central Savannah River Area. Schedule your free consultation.
Car Accident Trauma Takes Many Forms
The psychological effects of car accidents manifest in many ways. Sometimes, they are a consequence of serious bodily injuries, whereas other trauma stems from “re-living” the accident over and over in your mind.
Here are some common psychological impacts:
- Fears of riding in a vehicle. Some people won’t get back into a car after a serious accident. They might walk long distances rather than ride in a vehicle. We call this “vehophobia.” It is a serious condition that ultimately makes it hard for people to return to work or even receive medical care.
- Irritability. Bodily injuries often cause irritability, which includes a short temper or crankiness. Although this might seem like a minor impact, any irritability can put a real strain on families. You can usually address irritability with some time alone or try deep tissue massage or other relaxation techniques.
- Depression. Serious injuries often keep people from socializing, leaving the house, or even seeing their families. Imagine you suffer a catastrophic back injury, which leaves you paralyzed. It is perfectly natural for someone to slip into a depression and struggle to recover. Depression is a real mental illness, and doctors have various medications they can prescribe. Don’t hesitate to mention your condition to your doctor.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is disabling. Many people with PTSD struggle with horrifying nightmares and intrusive thoughts. Some studies suggest that 1 in 3 motor vehicle survivors end up with PTSD, though each study arrives at a different number.
- Social withdrawal. Many injuries are disfiguring, and people might feel as if they have lost their sense of self. They might withdraw from society to protect themselves. For example, a serious burn on a person’s face might cripple someone’s self-esteem and cause them to stay home.
- Schizophrenia and other mental health problems. If you suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI), then you have an increased risk of suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other mental health illnesses.
Remember to keep your medical team updated on how you are feeling. Explain your symptoms—sleeplessness, weight loss, loss of enjoyment of life—so they can help make a diagnosis. Many people do not reach out to a mental health counselor or psychotherapist on their own. Your insurance might even require a referral.
Receiving Compensation for Trauma from a Car Accident
When someone is at fault for an accident, they are liable for all the negative effects that flow from the crash. Car repairs are an example.
Lost wages and medical care are others. However, the defendant is also liable for the psychological effects suffered by car accident survivors.
In legal lingo, we consider mental anguish or emotional distress to be a type of “non-economic loss,” much like bodily pain. There is no pre-set dollar value as there is with medical care. Instead, we need to use our best judgment to identify what is a fair amount of compensation for your irritability, PTSD, depression, or other psychological conditions.
Mental trauma or distress is sometimes temporary. The psychological effects of car accidents vary widely from person to person.
Someone with temporary irritability might not receive as much as a person who struggles with clinical depression and bipolar disorder after a major car accident.
Let us review how much people have received in similar circumstances. If your case went to trial, a jury would decide how much your mental distress is worth. But we settle most of our cases, so we will identify what is a reasonable amount to receive based on similar wrecks.
A key consideration is evidence. Anyone can allege they are suffering from car accident trauma. To receive the most compensation, we’ll need to gather evidence that paints a vivid picture of your emotional pain. We use this evidence to convince an insurance adjuster to increase the amount of compensation on offer.
Car Accident Trauma Impacts Families
In South Carolina, spouses might pursue a loss of consortium claim. This is a type of personal injury claim that seeks to compensate the spouse for impairments to the marital relationship. We typically bring these claims only when a spouse has suffered a horrifying bodily injury, like a major brain injury or spinal cord damage. The spouse who is not physically injured can seek damages for the changes in their marital relationship.
Call us to talk. TBS Injury Law can review whether it makes sense to file a loss of consortium claim and, if so, how much to request from the defendant.
Call to Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Law Firm
Our founder, Taylor Braithwaite, is a military veteran who spends most days flying the nation’s most advanced military helicopter, the Reserve National Guard. He is proud to have opened his practice in the CSRA and encourages accident victims and their families to reach out to his firm. He is open to making house calls, if necessary, to learn more about how you were hurt.
