Emotional Trauma is like any other injury you may suffer in a Tennessee or Georgia car wreck. Just because there isn’t a physical injury does not mean that you have not been affected. Tennessee and Georgia personal injury law holds you can recover for anything that impacts you as long as you sustained a provable injury.
However, you are not automatically entitled to payment for anxiety attacks or emotional distress after a car wreck. The insurance company or jury may be skeptical when you claim that you have anxiety, as it’s not the easiest claim to demonstrate or prove. You will need to prove that you have been injured and the kind of injury you suffered. You will also need to show that your anxiety happened as a result of the accident. In other words, this is the causation element of the personal injury claim that you must show in order to be able to receive financial compensation.
You can back up your claim by proving that you deserve compensation for psychological trauma after a car accident by having experts testify on your behalf. You can present documentation, such as medical reports drafted by a psychologist or psychiatrist regarding your condition. You need to show that your quality of life has been affected negatively by the accident.
How Much Compensation Can You Get for a Psychological Injury?
What you receive depends on the facts and circumstances of your unique situation. But as a general rule, you need to prove that your psychological injury is serious.
For instance, you may have travel anxiety after a car accident that keeps you from living your normal life. This, in turn, leads you to a loss of enjoyment of activities that you previously did and enjoyed. Your compensation for these damages might be paid in a jury verdict or settlement, depending on whether an insurance company agrees to settle for an acceptable amount or you and your lawyer decide to go to trial to get a higher amount.
Loss of Earnings After a Car Accident
In addition, there is another way that you can be compensated for the anxiety that you are suffering as a result of the accident. You can be paid for the time that you missed from work and your lost wages in the future. When your anxiety is extreme, you may be unable to work. Anxiety can be so crippling that you cannot even leave home. If anxiety about riding in the car has impacted your ability to earn a living, it may be included in your damages. Lost wages are often the largest part of an award after an accident.
Georgia or Tennessee accident attorneys like Dennis and King can review your claim to give you a better idea of how much your accident anxiety is worth. The insurance company may have a different view on how much they should pay you, if they pay you at all.
This is one of the reasons you need a Tennessee or Georgia personal injury attorney to help you negotiate with the insurance company and help make sure you receive the financial compensation you deserve for your anxiety or emotional distress following an accident. Contact us today for a free strategy session.
