A serious car accident can affect more than the body. Some people continue to experience fear, anxiety, sleep problems, or distress long after the vehicles have been removed from the scene. An Irvine car accident lawyer can review how emotional injuries have affected a person’s daily life and whether the evidence supports including those effects as part of a personal injury claim.
Feeling shaken immediately after a serious crash is common. For some people, the reactions gradually improve. For others, symptoms continue and begin interfering with driving, work, sleep, relationships, or normal activities. The National Institute of Mental Health recognizes that serious accidents can be traumatic events and that reactions may include anxiety, anger, difficulty sleeping, trouble concentrating, and repeated thoughts about what happened.
Emotional Injuries Can Be Real Even When They Are Not Visible
A broken bone may appear on an X ray. Anxiety and PTSD are different.
A person may look physically recovered while still experiencing:
- Fear of driving
• Panic in traffic
• Nightmares
• Difficulty sleeping
• Irritability
• Problems concentrating
• Feeling constantly on guard
• Avoiding the location of the crash
• Distress when hearing brakes or sirens
These symptoms can affect work and daily activities even though other people cannot see them.
The National Institute of Mental Health identifies sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, feeling tense or on edge, and being easily startled among possible PTSD symptoms.
Not Every Stress Reaction Means Someone Has PTSD
It is important not to assume that every person who feels anxious after a crash has post traumatic stress disorder.
Many people experience stress reactions after a traumatic event and improve over time. A PTSD diagnosis involves specific symptoms and should be made by a qualified health professional.
The legal claim should reflect the actual evidence.
A person may experience significant anxiety after an accident without receiving a PTSD diagnosis. Another may later be formally diagnosed after symptoms continue.
An attorney should not replace a doctor or mental health professional. The role of the lawyer is to review the medical evidence and document how the condition is connected to the crash.
Fear of Driving Can Affect Everyday Life
One of the most common problems after a serious collision is fear of getting back into a vehicle.
A person may:
- Avoid freeways
• Refuse to drive at night
• Take longer routes
• Depend on other people for transportation
• Experience panic as a passenger
• Become distressed near the crash location
For someone who regularly drives to work, school, medical appointments, or family responsibilities, these changes can have a major effect on daily life.
The fear may also be triggered by circumstances similar to the original accident.
For example, someone injured in a rear end collision may become extremely anxious when another vehicle follows closely. A person injured at an intersection may experience fear when crossing similar intersections.
The National Center for PTSD explains that reminders of a traumatic event can trigger distress and that some people avoid situations associated with the trauma.
Serious Physical Injuries Can Add to Emotional Distress
Emotional symptoms do not always come from the frightening moment of impact alone.
A serious crash can lead to:
- Surgery
• Chronic pain
• Loss of independence
• Time away from work
• Financial stress
• Difficulty caring for children
• Changes in physical abilities
• Uncertainty about the future
A person who once exercised, worked independently, or drove everywhere may suddenly depend on others.
Physical pain can also become a reminder of the accident. The National Center for PTSD notes that when a motor vehicle crash causes both chronic pain and trauma symptoms, pain itself can sometimes act as a reminder of the event.
Treatment Can Help Document the Emotional Effects
Insurance companies may question emotional injuries when there is little documentation.
Relevant evidence may include records from:
- Primary care doctors
• Psychologists
• Psychiatrists
• Therapists
• Other treating professionals
The records may document symptoms, diagnoses, treatment recommendations, medication, and changes over time.
The person’s own account is also important, but the claim may be stronger when the emotional effects have been discussed honestly with appropriate medical professionals.
An injured person should not exaggerate symptoms or seek treatment only to create a legal claim. The goal is to obtain appropriate care and accurately document what is happening.
Family Members May Notice Changes After the Crash
The injured person may not always recognize how much their behavior has changed.
Family members, friends, or coworkers may notice that the person:
- No longer wants to drive
• Sleeps poorly
• Becomes easily startled
• Avoids social activities
• Has difficulty concentrating
• Appears more anxious or irritable
These observations may help show how life changed after the accident.
However, every claim should remain based on truthful and specific evidence.
General statements that someone is “different” are less helpful than clear examples of changes in activities, behavior, or daily routines.
PTSD and Anxiety Can Affect Work
Emotional injuries may also interfere with employment.
A person may have difficulty:
- Concentrating
• Sleeping before work
• Driving to the workplace
• Performing a job that involves vehicles
• Remaining calm in stressful situations
• Maintaining the same work schedule
Someone whose job requires regular driving may be affected differently from someone who works from home.
The attorney should look at the individual person’s responsibilities and how the crash changed their ability to perform them.
Insurance Companies May Minimize Emotional Injuries
An insurance company may argue that emotional symptoms are:
- Temporary
• Unrelated to the accident
• Exaggerated
• Caused by other life events
• Unsupported by medical evidence
The insurer may also point to social media photographs or activities and argue that the person appears happy.
A photograph showing someone smiling does not explain how that person sleeps, feels while driving, or functions throughout the rest of the day.
An attorney can review the complete evidence instead of allowing the insurer to reduce the claim to one isolated image or statement.
Emotional Harm Can Be Part of a California Personal Injury Claim
California Courts identifies emotional harm among the losses that may be considered in a personal injury case. It also recognizes that emotional distress can be more difficult to measure than expenses supported by bills.
The evidence may include:
- Medical and mental health records
• Treatment history
• Statements about daily limitations
• Testimony from people who observed changes
• Evidence of missed work
• Evidence of activities the person can no longer perform
There is no automatic formula for determining the value of emotional harm.
The seriousness, duration, treatment, and effect on daily life all matter.
Contact an Irvine Car Accident Lawyer After a Crash Causes PTSD or Anxiety
An Irvine car accident lawyer handling a serious injury claim should consider both the physical and emotional effects of the collision. PTSD, anxiety, fear of driving, sleep problems, and other emotional injuries should be evaluated based on the actual medical evidence and the effect on the person’s life.
Bojat Law Group represents people injured in serious car accidents throughout Irvine, Orange County, and Southern California. The firm handles freeway crashes, rear end collisions, multi car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, Uber and Lyft accidents, pedestrian accidents, catastrophic injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and wrongful death cases.
Bojat Law Group has recovered more than $100 million for clients and offers free consultations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call Bojat Law Group at (818) 877-4878 to discuss your Irvine car accident case. There is No Win No Fee, which means you pay no attorney fee unless compensation is recovered.
