Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Caused by a Charleston Truck Accident

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological condition that sometimes afflicts a person who has lived through an extremely frightening, disturbing, painful, or life-threatening experience. Despite surviving the experience, the victim continues to relive its trauma mentally when "triggered" by something that re-awakens the flight-or-fight instincts we naturally experience when we're in extreme danger. Veterans of military combat are often diagnosed with PTSD, but it can result as well from other traumatic experiences like a serious truck accident that injured you, made you fear for your life, or killed a friend or family member who was in the car with you.

If your accident occurred in a place you must drive by afterward, your PTSD could be triggered by that scene. In more serious cases, just getting behind the wheel of a car might trigger flashbacks and fear that make it impossible for you to drive anymore. The sound of screeching brakes or a horn blowing might transport you mentally to the time and place of your wreck and force you to experience feelings of fear and helplessness as you relive the crash in your mind.

Common Symptoms of PTSD

The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder include:

Recurring, lifelike flashbacks of the truck crash

Fear of driving or riding in a car

Severe anxiety or depression

Panic attacks

Selective amnesia

Lack of motivation

Inability to concentrate at work

Loss of interest in daily activities, family life, or previous hobbies and pastimes

Insomnia

Nightmares

Self-harm impulses

Emotional instability

Feelings of alienation

Desire for isolation

Treatment for PTSD usually includes medication such as anti-depressants along with psychological counseling or therapy. Even with treatment, symptoms can persist for months or years after the accident. Some victims suffer indefinitely from their PTSD symptoms after a truck crash.

How PTSD Can Impact Your Life

PTSD can have a significant impact on many aspects of a victim's life after a serious truck accident, including the following:

Occupational problems

Feelings of anxiety and inability to concentrate could make it difficult or impossible for you to work effectively at your current position or at any job. Unemployment, financial difficulties, bankruptcy, or even homelessness might result.

Personal difficulties

Flashbacks, anxiety, and feelings of fear can lead to isolation from family and friends, as well as avoidance of social activities. Some victims become estranged from their families, fail to carry out spousal or parental obligations, or end up divorced.

Inability to carry out daily activities

Lack of sleep, problems with concentration and memory, or fear of getting into a car can interfere with your daily needs to travel, shop, work, visit, or keep appointments. You might require assistance with activities you previously carried out on your own.

Pursuing Compensation for PTSD After a Truck Crash

If you're hurt in an accident with a commercial truck, your injuries could be severe, and your medical bills very high. The good news, however, is that the trucking industry is held to high safety standards and regulated not only by state and local laws but also by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) guidelines. Negligent or intentional violation of such guidelines entitles you to compensation for resulting damages.

More good news is that every party associated with the trucking industry is required to carry liability insurance with much higher coverage limits than the average driver must purchase. That means there should be an adequate amount of insurance available to cover your damages. To collect fair compensation, of course, you must prove liability and convince the insurer or a jury that you're suffering from PTSD.

Who Are the Potential Defendants in a Truck Crash Claim?

Defendants who might bear full or partial liability for your damages in a truck accident include:

The truck driver who caused your accident
The trucking company, which is responsible for training its drivers and following FMCSA safety regulations
A truck or parts manufacturer if equipment failure caused your accident
A repair service if the truck was not properly maintained
Loading dock personnel if improperly loaded cargo played a role in your crash

These parties might have different insurance companies with which you must file claims. A car accident lawyer can work to identify all liable parties, determine their percentages of responsibility, and demand a fair settlement from each.

Documenting Symptoms of PTSD to Prove Damages

PTSD falls into the category of non-economic damages, as opposed to economic damages like medical bills, lost income, and property damage, which are easy enough to calculate. Pain and suffering are non-economic, as well, but can be proven by your physical injuries and monetarily evaluated with the help of medical evidence. PTSD, however, is a psychological disorder that's hard both to prove and to evaluate due to its lack of external evidence.

The insurance companies of the at-fault parties are likely to dispute, devalue, or deny your claim for PTSD damages because its symptoms are not visible to the eye. This is why you need the services of an experienced truck accident attorney to help you seek fair compensation. Your lawyer can help you prove PTSD and monetize its non-economic damage to you by:

Investigating your crash with the help of an accident reconstructionist to show how traumatic the experience of the crash was
Using the statements or testimony of mental health professionals as well as family and friends to prove the wreck's impact on your mental health and establish your long-term treatment needs
Proving the liability of the defendant(s) by obtaining data from the truck's "black box" recorder and dashboard camera, as well as determining the trucker's hours of service (HOS) from the truck's electronic logging device (ELD)
Assigning accurate percentages of fault to multiple defendants
Demanding a reasonable settlement from each insurer and negotiating a fair award
Taking your case to court and fighting for you at trial if fair insurance settlements are not offered.

Are You Suffering From PTSD After a Charleston, SC Truck Accident?

If you've been hurt in a truck accident, you should speak with an experienced South Carolina truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Charleston, South Carolina office directly at 843.488.2359 to schedule your consultation. We are also able to meet clients at our Conway, Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, Mt. Pleasant, North Myrtle Beach, Florence, or North Charleston office locations.

We are Proud To Serve Personal Injury Clients Throughout South Carolina

With seven office locations in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway, Mt. Pleasant, North Charleston, Murrells Inlet and Charleston and over 30 years of experience with personal injury cases. Derrick Law Firm Injury Lawyers has the knowledge, skill and experience to protect you and your family.

Talk To An Attorney Right Now