A San Antonio Lawyer That Understands PTSD / Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
After living through an accident, it’s crucial to first assess physical injuries and get medical attention. In some cases, due to shock or the nature of the injury, not all injuries are noticed immediately or affect the victim afterward. The injury may not even be physical. A victim of a severe car accident can feel like it’s almost impossible to get back inside a vehicle or to be driven home after the accident. This feeling can last for weeks, months, or even years.
PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a psychological condition that can affect accident victims after their traumatic event. The emotional pain is a natural response to a traumatic event, but it’s not easy to live with. The victim’s quality of life can greatly suffer as a result. If the accident victim had PTSD prior to their accident, the new trauma can further exacerbate their mental and emotional suffering.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder—PTSD—is a psychological condition that can take place after a person goes through a high level of stress from a traumatic event. People deal with the stress of a traumatic event differently from one another. While some may be able to recover quickly, others could be tormented by a high level of anxiety. This amount of stress and anxiety can cause PTSD. This disorder is a recognized mental illness that can reduce quality of life.
PTSD can result from any severe accident or traumatic event. This includes events like vehicle accidents, sexual abuse, physical abuse, boating accidents, workplace accidents, childhood neglect and more.
The Symptoms of PTSD & A Victim’s Quality of Life
An individual’s nervous system and tolerance for stress differs from case to case, but there are common symptoms of PTSD. The most common side effect is the victim reliving the traumatic event through flashbacks and nightmares. This can cause feeling of distress, extreme anxiety, and physical manifestations like nausea, sweating, and heart palpitations. Accident victims suffering from PTSD may also avoid reminders of the trauma to avoid triggering more stress or a flashback. The overall stress and anxiety from the accident can also cause insomnia or hyperactivity. These factors, among individualized symptoms, can make it difficult for an accident victim to maintain employment.
Recovering from PTSD
Getting your life back to normal after a traumatic event also differs from person to person. Many choose to work through their triggers and feelings of hopelessness with a professional through therapy. Others may require prescription medication to assist in their return to normalcy. No matter the road you choose to recovery, time is a crucial factor.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim for PTSD
Taking back control of your life requires time and energy devoted to recovery. At Toscano Law Firm, we are dedicated to providing our clients that time by fully handling your injury claim and fighting for you after becoming a wrongfully injured victim. If you are suffering from PTSD after an accident, do not hesitate to call us at 210-951-0696 or fill out a form and we’ll be in touch shortly.
