Depression is Common After a Virginia Car Crash

We associate car crashes with broken bones, concussions or sometimes more serious consequences like spinal injuries. However, depression is also common after a Virginia car crash.

The mental consequences of dealing with a car wreck may take longer to recover from than the physical damage. You can claim for depression and other issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder against the insurance company of a culpable driver.

Depression is fairly common after a car crash, according to WebMD. Long-term stress associated with a car wreck can impact your job and your relationship. Anxiety can result in serious depression.

A study of 1,000 people in the United Kingdom suggests depression after a car crash may be more common than hitherto believed. The study alluded to “rather large psychological complications even when the motor vehicle accidents have medically not been in the least bit serious,” according to author Richard Mayou, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Oxford.

The research found almost one-third of all drivers and passengers involved in nonfatal car accidents suffered symptoms of psychiatric distress a full year after the wreck. This included many people who were not seriously hurt or disabled in the accident.

Car accidents can cause long-term stress that can eventually lead to depression.

According to WebMD Health News, a car accident can cause depression. Like other types of traumatic or stressful events, car accidents can cause long-term stress that affects work and relationships. Eventually, this anxiety can lead to depression.

Even a minor auto accident can cause depression, persistent anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What Are the Symptoms of Depression After a Virginia Car Crash?

There are numerous symptoms of depression in the wake of a car, truck or a motorcycle wreck. The Mayo Clinic identified the following”

• Unremitting feelings of unhappiness, and emptiness;
• Loss of interest or pleasure in all activities including those the accident victim previously enjoyed;
• Trouble sleeping;
• Significant weight loss when not on a diet, weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite;
• Frequent agitation or restlessness;
• Tiredness, fatigue or loss of energy;
• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness;
• Trouble making up your mind, thinking or concentrating on anything;
• Suicidal thoughts or notions of death.

Many of these symptoms are very serious. In lawsuits, the lawyer for the other side’s insurance company may seek to minimize depression. In reality, it can be debilitating and ruin the life of the sufferer. It can lead to sick days and an unfulfilling life.

People who are involved in car wreck caused by another person in Virginia don’t always realize they can make a recovery for emotional distress.

In most cases, people who suffer depression or other psychological issues after a car wreck in Virginia will also suffer a physical injury. The Supreme Court of Virginia has ruled a party can claim for emotional distress without a physical injury if the at-fault party’s conduct was intentional or intolerable, reckless or outrageous. The emotional distress should be severe in these cases.

A Virginia Beach car accident injury lawyer can advise you on the success of a claim. Please call us today at (757) 455-0077.