It is common for people involved in car accidents to struggle mentally in the wake of what has happened. If you have anxiety after a car accident whether you were a driver, passenger or pedestrian, you should know that you are not alone. Many car accident victims struggle with anxiety which includes excessive worrying, being very active, feeling irritable and unable to relax or sleep properly. You may find that you are drained of energy, have a hard time concentrating and may feel upset, angry, confused and generally out of control.

Anxiety can make you feel unsocial wherein you have unwanted thoughts or experience problems with your relationships with others. Even though you are most likely focused on your physical recovery, you should not ignore the anxiety you’re feeling. Instead, you should speak to a doctor or psychologist about your feelings so that you can sort them out and begin to feel better once again. Anxiety can be a very debilitating problem that can affect every aspect of your life from your career to the relationships you have with your closest family members.

Some people who suffer from anxiety after a car accident have flashbacks about the accident. When flashbacks occur, it is common to feel distress when thinking about the accident and to feel out of touch with the world. You may find the idea of even getting in a car again as a frightful thought as you may be worried that you will be involved in another collision.

PTSD and Car Accidents

Post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can be triggered by a traumatic event such as a car accident. When a person has PTSD, he or she feels as though his or her safety is threatened to a point of feeling helpless. While most people associate PTSD with military personnel who’ve been in combat, this disorder can affect anyone who has experienced a traumatic event. PTSD differs from person to person and it can take weeks, months or even years for the symptoms to develop. The symptoms of PTSD include:

• Intrusive, upsetting memories of the event
• Flashbacks wherein it seems the even is happening again
• Nightmares
• Intense feelings of distress
• Intense physical reactions such as a fast heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle tension, sweating and nausea

If you’re experiencing anxiety after a car accident, you should seek medical attention. If the accident you were involved in was caused by another’s negligence or recklessness, you also should speak with a San Francisco personal injury attorney. The attorneys at Hogan Injury routinely help people like yourself who’ve been injured in cars accidents that were caused by other parties. You may be able to file a claim wherein you can receive compensation for your anxiety in the form of pain & suffering.

Our Bay Area personal injury law firm understands how anxiety can negatively affect your life and the lives of your loved ones. We also know that people with anxiety are often unable to return to work for extended periods of time. We will work hard on your behalf to help you obtain all the compensation you are due which may include compensation for your lost wages, the inability to work, your physical injuries and the pain and suffering you’ve endured. Give us a call today so we can speak with you about your case. We will listen carefully to what you’ve been going through so we can provide you with legal advice regarding your best options. We operate using a guaranteed, no-fee policy which means you don’t pay us until we win or settle your case.