Can I Recover Compensation for PTSD After a Car Accident?

A car accident can impact both your physical and mental well-being. Victims may experience psychological challenges such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which can be disruptive, if not completely debilitating. Keep reading to learn about recovering compensation for PTSD after a collision in New Jersey and how a seasoned Morris County Car Accident Attorney can help you navigate your options.

What is PTSD?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop in those who have endured or witnessed an extremely traumatic, stressful, or terrifying event. It’s important to understand that not everyone who suffers a trauma will develop PTSD. For those who do, the symptoms can be debilitating, significantly disrupting their daily lives. Understanding the common symptoms is critical to ensure that you receive a proper diagnosis and treatment. The following are among the most common symptoms:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Vivid flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Difficulty sleeping
• Intrusive or obsessive thoughts about the event
• Mood changes
• Feeling detached

Can I Receive Compensation for PTSD After a Car Accident?

If you have been involved in a car accident due to the negligence of another party, you could be entitled to compensation for your economic and non-economic damages. These compensatory damages are intended to reimburse victims for their financial, emotional, and physical losses, not punish the defendant. Essentially, they aim to restore them to the position they were in before the injury occurred, making them “whole” again. Economic damages reflect tangible losses, while non-economic damages reflect intangible losses that are more subjective. Economic damages are easy to document, making them simpler to calculate, whereas non-economic damages are more challenging to quantify.

Generally, the court will use one of two methods to calculate these damages. In most cases, they will turn to the multiplier method in which the court multiplies the total amount of your economic damages by a specific factor, usually between 1.5 and 5, depending on the severity of your injuries and the impact on your life. The higher the severity of your injury, the higher the multiplier. For instance, if your economic damages amount to $100,000 and the multiplier is 4, the total damage award will be $400,000.

Although this is often a fair way to calculate your pain and suffering, it might not be the most comprehensive way to determine your non-economic damages. As such, the court may use the daily rate method instead. When you apply this method, you will determine a specific dollar value for each day you suffered because of your injuries, and then that daily rate is multiplied by the total number of days to determine the amount for your non-economic damages. For example, if you experience pain and suffering for 100 days at a daily rate of $100, the total damage award would be $10,000.

As you can see, it’s important to understand your rights after a collision as you may be entitled to significant compensation for your damages. At Lutz Injury Law, we are prepared to help you navigate the claims process effectively and fight for the funds you deserve. Connect with our firm today to learn more about what we can do for you during these tough times.