Millions of people nationwide survive catastrophic car accidents each year, including in Delaware. Most crash victims overcome the shock after a while, but many others continue to experience the trauma. When that is the case, they might have developed post-traumatic stress disorder.
The following feelings are common after a car wreck:
- Shock
- Anger
- Problems believing it actually happened
- Fear or uneasiness
- Nervousness or worry
- Guilt
For some crash victims, those feelings do not subside. Instead, they become stronger, and eventually, the ongoing distress and trauma affect their everyday lives.
Problems that might indicate PTSD
PTSD can even be caused by witnessing a loved one die or suffer catastrophic injuries. The following feelings might be red flags indicating potential post-traumatic stress disorder:
- Ongoing uneasy feelings
- Unwillingness to have medical procedures or tests done
- Anxiety in vehicles as driver or passenger
- Excessive irritability, anger and worry
- Disconnected feelings from people or events
- Nightmares or other sleeping problems
- Inability to control or stop ongoing memories and flashbacks of the wreck
It might not be easy to recognize the initial signs of PTSD. However, ignoring the symptoms could have life-altering consequences, including anxiety and depression. For some people, PTSD can cost them their jobs.
It might be a good idea for crash victims to seek medical care if they do not begin to feel better over time. The lack of appetite or insomnia could also be telltale signs of PTSD. The disorder typically disrupts people’s lives, and it could drive victims to drug or alcohol dependency. Some people develop negative feelings that they cannot control, like wanting to hurt other people or themselves.
Adding the costs of therapy to recover from PTSD to all the other medical expenses, lost wages and other damages brought about by the car accident could cause severe financial hardship. When this happens to anyone in Delaware, and they can establish negligence on the part of someone else, they might have a viable claim to file a personal injury lawsuit to pursue financial relief.