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Yes, you can develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after a motorcycle accident. In fact, many motorcycle accident victims experience PTSD due to the trauma, injury, and emotional aftermath of the crash. High-speed motorcycle accidents are terrifying, traumatic events, producing severe physical injuries and considerable emotional distress. The psychological stress of the event itself, coupled with the very real possibility of being disabled or facing a long, painful road to recovery, often manifests as PTSD.
If you start developing symptoms of PTSD, the cost of your mental health treatment and therapy can be included in the damages you seek in your motorcycle accident case. To ensure that you receive a fair amount for your pain and suffering and reduced quality of life, it’s important to work with our West Palm Beach motorcycle accident attorney.
What is PTSD?
According to the DSM-5, the professional guidebook containing standard criteria used by the American Psychiatric Association to classify mental disorders, PTSD is a mental health condition classed as a trauma and stressor-related disorder.
A mental health professional may diagnose this disorder if a person exhibits symptoms across recognized PTSD categories, including distressing recurring dreams and memories, avoidance, and dissociative reactions like flashbacks. These symptoms must persist for more than a month and significantly impact the person’s ability to work, relax, study, or maintain relationships.
The symptoms must cause impairment in social interactions, impact the individual’s ability to work, go to school, or take care of other responsibilities, or cause clinically significant distress.
Why do motorcycle accidents cause PTSD?
The high impact of the crash, coupled with multiple severe injuries, makes the accident itself a traumatic event. Even witnessing an accident can lead to PTSD.
PTSD can also develop in the days and weeks following the crash, as the victim feels a sense of vulnerability and helplessness, including worry over whether they’ll fully recover or come to terms with a new disability.
Everyone processes trauma differently after a motorcycle accident. For many, the emotional distress continues long after the physical injuries begin to heal. Flashbacks, fear of riding again, and feelings of isolation are all possible symptoms of PTSD after a motorcycle accident.
So, while you’re trying to heal from your physical injuries, you’re also dealing with the possibility that you may not be able to do the activities you used to enjoy, work in your same career, or even live independently. This can also trigger the onset of PTSD for motorcycle accident victims.
How can a motorcycle injury lawyer help me get compensation for PTSD?
Personal injury law firms like Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath represent people who have been injured in motorcycle accidents they didn’t cause. We handle the legal aspects of your claim so you can focus on physical and mental recovery. Because motorcycle accident cases are often high-value, insurance companies seek any reason to deny valid claims. They especially try to deny damages for mental health treatment, like PTSD.
We negotiate with insurance companies to help you get the treatment you deserve. This may include psychiatric care, prescription medications, and talk therapy. PTSD is treatable, and with quality care, many people see a significant reduction in the intensity of their symptoms. We work with your medical treatment team to determine the long-term care you need and properly value your case to ensure that your damages cover all the medical treatment you need.
Get legal help for PTSD after a motorcycle accident
Post-traumatic stress disorder can take a serious toll on your mental health and overall quality of life, especially when it’s combined with the physical injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering often caused by motorcycle crashes.
We want to help you get the help you deserve. Call Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath at (561) 655-1990 for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer.