PTSD and Stress After a Car Crash: Signs, Help and Records

Is it normal to feel stressed or afraid after a crash?

Yes. Many people feel anxious, sad or angry after a crash, or have trouble sleeping. Most get better over time. Get help if it does not ease or gets in the way of daily life.

The National Institute of Mental Health, or NIMH, lists car crashes among events that can cause trauma.

MedlinePlus says not all feelings of distress are symptoms of PTSD.

A smaller group has strong symptoms, such as unwanted memories, avoidance and feeling on edge, that start within days and last up to a month. A medical reference calls this acute stress disorder. If not treated, it may lead to PTSD.

Pain and injury can add to the strain. NIMH lists them among stressors that may raise the risk of PTSD.

Where can I get help in a crisis?

If you are struggling or thinking about suicide, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If a life is in danger, call 911.

You can also chat at 988lifeline.org.

For worries that are not a crisis, start with your primary care provider. They can refer you to a mental health professional.

What is PTSD, and what are the signs?

PTSD is a condition some people have after trauma, when symptoms do not go away. Signs include reliving the crash, avoiding reminders, feeling on edge, and changes in mood. For PTSD, they must last more than a month and get in the way of daily life.

Reliving can include flashbacks, with a racing heart or sweating.

Avoiding can change your routine. NIMH says some people avoid driving or riding in a car after a serious crash.

Feeling on edge can mean being easily startled, or having trouble sleeping or focusing.

Mood changes can include fear, anger, guilt or shame that does not go away, or blaming yourself or others too much.

Symptoms usually begin within 3 months, but sometimes later. People with PTSD often also have depression or anxiety.

How is PTSD diagnosed and treated?

A mental health expert can tell whether you have PTSD. This may be a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a clinical social worker. The main care is talk therapy, medicine, or both.

NIMH says to work with a professional who has experience treating PTSD.

Treatment can be one on one or in a group. It usually lasts 6 to 12 weeks, but it can last longer.

Children may react in other ways, such as nightmares or bed-wetting. If signs last more than a month, NIMH says the family should reach out to a health care provider.

What does the evidence say about recovering from crash stress?

Most people recover from stress after a trauma, and it eases over time. For people with PTSD, recovery time varies. Some recover within 6 months, and others have symptoms for a year or longer.

NIMH says it is important to get professional help if symptoms do not improve or start to get in the way of daily life.

This is general guidance from health agencies, not a study of crash survivors. It cannot predict your own recovery.

Which records show emotional harm in a claim?

Records from your doctor, counselor or therapist can show your symptoms, diagnosis and care. Keep the bills for each visit too.

You have a right to copies of your medical and billing records, with few exceptions.

There is no right to a provider’s psychotherapy notes. These are notes a therapist takes during a session, kept apart from your medical record. HIPAA also bars most sharing of them without your permission.

Before you sign a form that lets someone else get your records, ask which records it covers.

Our page on describing pain and suffering covers how to show the effects on daily life.

Can I claim counseling costs from my own insurance?

You may. Your own PIP or medical payments coverage may pay medical bills, no matter who was at fault. Ask your insurer whether it covers counseling.

Florida’s insurance department says medical payments coverage, if your policy has it, pays for needed medical care after a crash, no matter who was at fault.

New Jersey’s insurance department says PIP pays your own medical costs no matter who caused the crash.

In New York, the deadline for written notice of a no-fault claim is 30 days after the crash. Later notice needs a clear, written reason.

Whether counseling is paid depends on your policy and your state.

What if I want to talk with a law firm about emotional harm from a crash?

You can get care, keep your records and file insurance claims on your own. The steps above show where to start.

Some people also want to ask a law firm about emotional harm after a crash. People’s Justice is not a law firm. We do not review your crash or recommend a lawyer. If you want, you can use the form on this page to ask to be connected with a law firm that pays us to advertise.