Accidents can leave those involved with a variety of physical injuries and property damage. However, an important but sometimes forgotten repercussion of an accident is psychological damage. An individual can sustain emotional harm in addition to physical injuries, which can develop into serious mental health conditions that impact every aspect of a person’s life. If you have suffered psychological harm and sustained mental injuries as a result of an accident, you may wonder whether you can recover compensation for your damages. Continue reading to learn more and work with a Washington D.C. injury attorney for skilled representation and legal advice.
What Are Psychological Injuries?
Psychological or mental injuries in terms of personal injury law refers to harm that a person sustained to their emotional and psychological well-being. These injuries can present in a variety of ways, like anxiety, depression, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), phobias, and other mental health conditions.
In an accident, psychological injuries can be the result of trauma experienced during the incident, the fear of a similar event happening in the future, a symptom of a physical injury, and more. While these injuries are not physically visible, they can significantly impact a person’s quality of life and alter their relationships, work, and well-being.
Can I Recover Compensation for Psychological Injuries After an Accident?
Although physical injuries are generally visible and easier to prove, psychological injuries can be just as damaging, affecting an individual’s ability to function and enjoy their everyday life. Compensation in personal injury cases is designed to reimburse or compensate a victim for the economic and noneconomic losses associated with the accident.
Because psychological injuries can affect every aspect of a person’s life, they are eligible for compensation. Psychological injuries can be both economic and noneconomic. Victims can be compensated for financial losses like the cost of seeking mental health treatment, medication, loss of income, etc. However, there are also noneconomic damages involved, such as loss of enjoyment of life, inability to participate in social activities, difficulty functioning in everyday tasks, and more.
How Can I Receive Compensation?
While you can recover compensation for psychological injuries, it can be more complex than seeking damages for physical injuries or property damage since mental health issues are harder to prove and are more subjective.
You must be able to provide sufficient evidence that the defendant caused the accident, the accident caused your psychological injury, and your injury has caused you to suffer damages or losses. Your diagnosis, treatment plan, and other medical records are also crucial.
Evidence of the impact on your everyday life is also important. Your personal experience and witness statements from friends, family, and employers can attest to changes in your mood, behavior, functioning, and more. You should provide evidence of financial losses like time taken off work, therapy co-pays, medication costs, and more.
A skilled attorney can help you better understand how to approach compensation for your psychological injuries and losses. Contact Trombly & Singer, PLLC today to discuss your situation and secure representation.