Could a car accident cause PTSD?

Some of the worst injuries from an auto accident in Texas do not affect you physically. The mental anguish you suffer can sometimes be more debilitating that any physical injury. It is not uncommon for people to experience posttraumatic stress disorder after a serious car accident, according to Frontline Medical Communications, Inc.

PTSD occurs when you have an experience where you have exposure to the possibility of serious injury or death that caused you to feel immense fear or terror. You may relive the events often in your mind or avoid anything that relates to the experience and that could trigger thoughts of it in your mind. You may also feel anxiety or panic at the thought of the incident. A car accident can very much fit this description.

PTSD can affect your mood and lead to serious side effects that cause you trouble in all areas of your life. To truly be PTSD, you need to experience the symptoms for at least 30 days. You must also experience impairment in your functioning or extreme stress due to the condition. The symptoms include trouble sleeping, detachment, distress, difficulty concentrating, emotional outbursts, avoidance of anything related to the trauma and a range of other avoidance, hyperarousal and reexperiencing symptoms.

This condition requires a clinical diagnosis. Sometimes, you may experience some symptoms but not actually have PTSD. It depends on the severity of symptoms, which symptoms you have and how often you experience them. In any case, though, a car accident is a serious enough situation that it definitely can lead to this condition. This information is for education and is not legal advice.