How a Personal Injury Lawyer Approaches Psychological Injury Claims

Learn more about psychological injury claims with a personal injury lawyer.

Automobile crashes, workplace accidents, medical malpractice, being exposed to dangerous contaminants due to negligent manufacturing or labeling – these are just a few of the unfortunate ways we can sustain a physical injury. When you accumulate medical bills and lost wages as a result of someone else’s negligence, a personal injury lawyer can help you recover the damages you’re rightfully entitled to.
Sometimes however, the pain and suffering goes beyond the physical, and emotional pain stemming from a traumatic event can be just as debilitating. A personal injury lawyer can help you recover damages for this type of distress as well.
There are no clear-cut rules for what does and does not constitute a symptom of psychological injury. Every individual responds to a traumatic event differently. Severe anxiety, depression, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder are all signs that you have suffered an emotional injury resulting from your accident. A personal injury lawyer will want you to document how you are feeling and what psychological discomfort you are experiencing from day to day. This, along with medical records of your treatment for these issues will serve as powerful evidence when it comes to winning a settlement.
Psychological injury can result from any number of traumatic incidents, particularly if you feel overwhelmed and powerless to stop it. Domestic and childhood abuse can trigger a lifetime of emotional pain. A serious car accident or physical assault can lead to considerable psychological scarring. Enduring a natural disaster or the sudden loss of a loved one can result in emotionally injury as well. A personal injury lawyer only deals with cases where your psychological trauma was caused by the negligence of another – severe automobile accidents, workplace injuries, medical malpractice and product liability cases are the most common.

Who Can Claim a Psychological Injury? Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer

When you suffer physical injuries due to another party’s negligence, assessing the damages is pretty straight forward. Present your automotive repair and medical bills, calculate any lost earnings, and there’s your settlement. Non-economic or emotional damages however, are more difficult to quantify. Everyone who experiences a traumatic accident will be left with some level of psychological stress, at least for a time. To recover damages, though, you must be able to prove that the profound nature of your psychological injury is affecting your life on a daily basis. Also, you will most likely have to show that you were not suffering from this type of distress prior to the accident. This is why personal injury lawyers say it is so important to regularly document your emotional state and keep track of pertinent medical records.
If you’ve been injured psychologically due to the negligence of another, then you’re entitled to recovering damages. Emotional injury, although different in some ways, can still be every bit as costly. Tolbert Beadle knows these types of cases inside and out, and we won’t back down from the insurance company until you’ve gotten what’s yours. Schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer today, and remember, we don’t see a dime until you do.