Can I Recover Damages for Emotional Distress After a Car Crash?

A common question that a personal injury attorney gets asked is whether a person can seek compensation for the anxiety, fear, and mental stress a car crash causes. The short answer is yes – any damage you have sustained and that can be documented is recoverable in a car crash claim. An experienced personal injury attorney can assist you in seeking treatment for mental, emotional, or psychological harm caused by a car crash and pursuing recovery for this harm in your insurance claim or lawsuit.

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How to Tell If You Have a Case

If you were not physically hurt during a car accident in Ohio, or if your physical injuries are minor, the trauma of the car accident may still have a significant impact on your life. A few common ways car accidents affect the lives of those involved include:

• Fear of driving
• Negotiating intersections
• Traveling on the highway
• Riding as a passenger
• Being near large tractor-trailers or semis

In instances where this fear and anxiety is caused by a car accident, those emotional damages are part of your claim. If someone fails to exercise care and their negligence has caused you harm, you have a right to be ‘made whole’ under the law – that is compensated for the fair value of the damage caused to you.

Possible Recovered Damages

Many make the mistake of believing that medical bills and pain and suffering are the only damages they can recover from a car crash. However, under Ohio law, your damages are any losses you have suffered as a direct result of the car accident. There are a variety of damages that could be included in your case, such as:

• Repair or replacement of the motor vehicle that was damaged in the accident 
• Damage or loss of personal property with you during the accident
• Emotional anguish
• Psychological trauma such as PTSD
• Ambulance transportation costs
• Lost income from missing work
• Psychiatric therapy bills

Expert Guidance in Care and Treatment

At the Henry Law Firm, we are committed to getting our clients access to the best care and treatment to help them recover and put their traumatic car crash behind them. Often this treatment is for physical injuries in the form of physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, or consults with specialists. 

However, there are times when our clients can benefit from being evaluated and treated by counselors, psychologists, or participating in group sessions. Whatever your unique needs and preferences, we will work to find a suitable treatment for you, which will help you regain your life to what it was before your traumatic experience. 

When your treatment is done or when you are prepared to move forward with your case, we will work to document and prove all your damages to the insurance company and, if necessary, a jury. 

A lawyer from our firm can work with you to ensure your rights are not disregarded when you file an insurance claim for damages incurred. If your insurance refuses to pay for your damages, you can recover compensation from them by filing a lawsuit which we can also help you with. We can assist you if you need to initiate a car accident lawsuit because of your damages.

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Contact An Ohio Lawyer About Your Car Accident Claim 

Ohio’s personal injury statute of limitations gives a person two years from the car accident date to settle their claim or file a lawsuit. If you have been injured in a car crash, it is in your best interest to consult with an Ohio attorney to determine if you have a valid claim. If you have suffered harm to your mind or body or lost earnings because of a car accident caused by someone else, you will have a compensation claim.  

At the Henry Law Firm, we know how incredibly stressful it is to pursue damages from insurance companies. Insurance will make you jump through hoop after hoop, bury you with paperwork, not return your calls and ultimately deny or lowball your claim. With help from our experienced attorney, you can focus on getting better and putting the car accident behind you. We will coordinate your claim against the insurance company, gather your records and bills, and help you every step of the way to make the process as simple as possible. 

Contact our firm today to discuss the best course of action you should consider undertaking.