PTSD as a Result of a Car Accident in New Jersey

emergency workers clear the place after a car accident

For many accident victims, the injuries that take the longest to heal are the ones that are the least visible, where the permanent scars are psychological and emotional. Psychological conditions, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can have devastating and long-reaching consequences for car accident survivors, reducing their quality of life, impacting their ability to work and drive to the point requiring long-term mental health treatment. The consequences of PTSD from a car accident can be as profound and life-altering as any severe physical injury. Similar to physical injuries from a car accident, you could be entitled to monetary damages from the emotional and psychological trauma you’ve endured following the crash. 

If you are suffering from PTSD due to a car accident, reach out to a compassionate personal injury lawyer at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. for help.

How Can We Help?

If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, sudden changes in mood, insomnia, or other emotional or psychological harm following a car accident, you’ve come to the right place. Our job is to get the money you deserve to help with the damage caused by a crash, including injuries you cannot see. 

At Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C., we only represent the injured and never insurance companies.  For over 40 years, we’ve been helping the injured in New York and New Jersey get the money they need to recover following a serious accident. We have a strong record of success that speaks for itself: we’ve helped over 35,000 people and secured over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements. 

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We have Spanish speakers on-site and offer translation services for Italian, Albanian, Portuguese, Korean, Polish, and many more languages. We never settle for less, so why should you? Put us to work for you today.

What Is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that occurs in individuals who have experienced a traumatic event or series of events that the individual perceives as emotionally or physically harmful or life-threatening. What we know today as PTSD has gone by other names in the past, such as “shell shock” or “combat fatigue.” However, PTSD can develop from circumstances outside the context of military service or warfare. Other traumatic events can lead to PTSD, such as natural disasters, physical or sexual assault, domestic violence, and severe accidents.

People with PTSD experience intense and disturbing feelings and thoughts relating to the traumatic event long after they have otherwise returned to safety. PTSD can cause people to feel intense anxiety, sadness, fear, or anger, experience flashbacks or nightmares of the traumatic event, or become detached from others. They may also react strongly to sensations like loud noises or touches to a specific body part. As a result, people with PTSD often avoid situations, people, or other stimuli that remind them of the traumatic event.

In addition to PTSD, people who see loved ones injured may suffer from PTSD, and that permits them to file a separate claim for their mental anguish. This type of claim for psychological injuries caused by actually seeing a loved one get injured is called a Portee Claim, which arises out of a New Jersey Supreme Court case known as Portee -v- Jaffee, 84 NJ 188 S.C. 1980.

Symptoms of PTSD After a Car Accident

Symptoms of PTSD after a car accident can appear almost immediately, although in some cases, symptoms may not appear for months or years. PTSD causes four types of symptoms: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes to thinking or mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.

Common behaviors and reactions that people living with PTSD may experience include:

  • Frequently occurring and distressing memories of the traumatic event
  • Flashbacks or nightmares of the event
  • Emotional distress triggered by stimuli that remind the victim of the traumatic event
  • Intentional avoidance of thoughts or discussions of the traumatic event
  • Avoidance of places, people, or activities (including driving) that trigger memories of the event
  • Negative thoughts about oneself, other people, or the world
  • Hopelessness
  • Anxiety
  • Detachment from personal relationships
  • Lack of interest in activities
  • Inability to experience positive emotions or any emotions at all
  • Memory problems
  • Becoming easily startled
  • Constant feelings of being on guard
  • Engagement in risk-taking or self-destructive behaviors
  • Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Overwhelming guilt or shame, including survivor’s guilt

Treatments for PTSD Patients

Treatment for PTSD typically involves psychotherapy, although some patients may also take medication. The goal is to teach the patient skills to address symptoms, help them think better about themselves and the world, learn ways to cope when symptoms arise, and address other mental health problems caused by PTSD, such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse.

Types of psychotherapy used to treat PTSD include:

  • Cognitive therapy – A type of talk therapy designed to help patients recognize negative thinking patterns, such as bad feelings about themselves or the world, or focusing on the risk of traumatic events happening again
  • Exposure therapy – A therapy designed to help patients safely face situations or stimuli that trigger PTSD symptoms, often used for patients who experience nightmares or flashbacks
  • Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) – A treatment that combines exposure therapy and guided eye movements that help patients process traumatic memories and change how they react to them.

For patients who experience debilitating emotional symptoms, doctors may prescribe antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications.

Can I File a Claim to Cover My PTSD Treatment Caused by a Car Accident?

If you develop trauma from car accident-related symptoms, you may have the right to file a legal claim to recover damages from them. This recovery could include money for the following:

    • Costs of psychotherapy to treat and manage PTSD symptoms
    • Costs of prescription antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications
    • Loss of wages or income if you need to take time away from work while treating your PTSD
    • Loss of earning capacity if severe PTSD symptoms prevent you from returning to work
    • Emotional pain and suffering
    • Reduced quality of life caused by the inability to engage in daily tasks, participate in activities you previously enjoyed, or maintain family relationships and friendships

How Can PTSD Affect a Person’s Functionality in Their Day-to-Day Life?

People traumatized by car accident events often develop complications that negatively affect their lives, such as:

  • Depression and anxiety that result in a loss of energy to complete daily tasks or a loss of interest in favorite activities
  • Damage to personal and professional relationships caused by detaching from others
  • Irritability and anger issues that may cause sudden outbursts or lashing out at others
  • Anxiety and fear of driving or riding in cars
  • Development of eating disorders
  • Abusing alcohol or drugs
  • Suicidal thoughts and ideation, including taking steps in preparation for committing suicide

Statute of Limitations to File a Car Accident Claim in New Jersey

Under New Jersey’s statute of limitations for injury claims, you usually have a maximum of two years after a car accident to file a lawsuit to recover compensation for PTSD and other injuries you suffered. If you file your lawsuit after the limitations period expires on your car accident claim, the court can dismiss your case, costing you your chance at compensation. This deadline makes it critical to speak with a car accident lawyer as soon as possible to file your claims on time.

Contact the Car Accident Injury Lawyers at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. for Help

PTSD after a traumatic car accident can harm your entire life. If you’ve experienced PTSD after a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence, you deserve to know your rights. Contact Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. today for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about how our car accident injury lawyers can help you pursue the justice you deserve.