Being involved in a car accident can impact both your physical and mental well-being. Serious collisions can sometimes lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which can be disruptive, if not completely debilitating. Please continue reading to learn about recovering compensation for PTSD after a collision in Florida and how our experienced Manatee County Car Accident Lawyers can assist you.
What is PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop in those who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic, stressful, or terrifying event. While fear and other intense emotions are natural after a trauma, individuals with PTSD continue to feel stress long after the event. Even after you’ve healed physically, the impact of a collision can last for a substantial period, even permanently. PTSD after a car accident can affect various aspects of your life. Common feelings related to PTSD include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Vivid flashbacks
- Difficulty sleeping (nightmares)
- Mood changes
- Chronic feelings of uneasiness
Unfortunately, those who have been through a traumatic event like a car accident tend to engage in avoidance behavior. They may actively avoid situations, people, or places that remind them of the trauma. This can significantly limit their social interactions and activities.
Can I Recover Compensation for PTSD After a Collision?
Following a car accident caused by another person’s negligence, you are usually entitled to compensation for your economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages reflect your tangible losses, while non-economic damages reflect intangible losses that are more subjective. Non-economic damages are much harder to quantify.
One of the most common ways to calculate emotional damages is to use the multiplier method. This approach involves multiplying the total amount of your economic damages by a specific factor, typically between 1.5 and 5, depending on the severity of the injuries and the impact on their life. Depending on the unique circumstances of your case, you may need to multiply the factor based on a higher or lower amount. The higher the severity of the injury, the higher the multiplier.
The court can also utilize the daily rate or per diem method. This is a more straightforward approach where a specific dollar value is assigned to each day of pain and suffering you experience. Then the daily rate is multiplied by the total number of days of pain to determine the overall non-economic damage amount. Essentially, this puts a monetary value on the daily impact the injury has had on your life.
When you are suffering physically and emotionally, fighting for the compensation you deserve can be incredibly difficult. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. At Becker & Lindauer, LLC we are prepared to help you fight for the full and fair compensation to which you are entitled. Connect with our firm today to learn how we can fight for you during these tough times.
