Can You Get Support for Depression After a Car Accident?

After a car accident, the focus for treatment often falls on visible injuries: broken bones, bruises, lacerations. But what about the wounds you can’t see?

For many accident victims, the psychological effects from a crash can be just as or more of a life-affecting issue than the physical effects. Depression after a car accident is a very real outcome, as is anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health challenges.

If you or a loved one has been struggling with depression after a car accident in Buffalo or anywhere in New York State, you might wonder if there’s any way to get help to support your psychological care.

The answer is yes, you can seek compensation for emotional and psychological suffering and the costs of treatment. Under New York personal injury law, mental and emotional distress following an accident can be a valid part of a personal injury claim.

At Feroleto Law, we understand that emotional injuries deserve recognition, care, and support. You don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Let’s take a closer look at how depression and other mental health symptoms after a car accident can form the basis of a legal claim, and how we can help you receive the support you need.

Understanding Emotional Injuries After a Car Accident

In the days and weeks after a car crash, it’s normal to feel shaken, stressed, or nervous. But for some accident victims, these feelings don’t fade. Depression can set in, sometimes quietly at first, and begin to affect your entire life.

It’s not unusual for vehicle accident survivors to experience:

• Persistent sadness or hopelessness
• Loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed
• Difficulty concentrating
• Changes in sleep or appetite
• Withdrawing from friends and family
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Ongoing anxiety or panic attacks

In addition to depression, some victims develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a fear of driving, or general anxiety disorders. Simply getting behind the wheel of a car or riding as a passenger can feel extremely challenging. Some victims might stop socializing or isolate themselves, overwhelmed by fear or sadness.

If you’re feeling any of the ways described above, you are not weak and not alone. Emotional and psychological injuries after a traumatic event are common and just as important to address as physical injuries.

How Do Emotional Injuries Happen After a Crash?

A car accident is a shocking, often violent event. Your brain and body experience sudden, intense stress. Depression and other mental conditions after a crash can come from both physical and psychological traumas.

Traumatic brain injuries such as concussions can lead to conditions such as depression after a car accident. Chronic pain or disability caused by an accident can also contribute to emotional problems developing over time.

But even if you had minor or no physical injuries whatsoever, emotional trauma can still happen. Fear, shock, and guilt can all have prolonged effects on one’s psyche that can affect physical health, relationships, and general well-being.

No matter the causes of emotional injuries, they are always deserving of proper attention and treatment.

BLOG: 3 Signs of Brain Injury After a Car Accident

Emotional Injuries Are Recognized in Personal Injury Claims

In New York, you have the right to pursue compensation for both economic and non-economic damages after a car accident. Economic damages cover measurable costs, like medical bills or lost wages. Non-economic damages cover intangible losses such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

If depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health issues have emerged because of the accident, you may be eligible to seek compensation for:

• Therapy and counseling costs
• Psychiatric medication expenses
• The impact on your daily life and activities
• Emotional distress and psychological suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of hobbies, family time, or social activities

However, emotional injuries can be harder to “see” or prove compared to physical injuries. Insurance companies may question their severity or deny that your emotional injuries are related to the accident. That’s why it’s crucial to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer who understands how to build a strong case for emotional damages.

How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help with Emotional Injury Claims

At Feroleto Law, we’ve helped countless clients whose lives were turned upside down not just by physical injuries, but by depression, anxiety, and other results of emotional trauma.

We know how insurance companies operate. We know they may try to minimize emotional injuries or argue they’re unrelated. That’s why we fight to make sure your full experience is recognized.

When you work with us, we can help by:

• Gathering medical records from therapists, psychiatrists, and counselors to document your diagnosis and treatment.
• Obtaining expert testimony from mental health professionals who can explain how the accident contributed to your condition.
• Demonstrating how your life has changed, including through personal statements from you, family members, or close friends who’ve witnessed your struggles.
• Calculating the true impact of emotional injuries, including future therapy or treatment needs.

We also take care of communicating with insurance companies so you don’t have to face the stress of constant calls or paperwork while trying to heal.

Don’t Wait to Seek the Help You May Need

Some accident victims hesitate to seek help for emotional injuries. They might fear being judged or dismissed. They might believe their suffering isn’t “serious enough” to be considered by an insurance company or judge. But emotional injuries are just as real and deserving of care and compensation as physical ones.

Under New York law, there are time limits (called statutes of limitations) for filing a personal injury claim. In most car accident cases, you have three years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. But the sooner you start the process, the better. Important evidence can fade, records can be lost, and memories can grow less clear over time.

If you’re already seeing a therapist or counselor, keep track of your appointments, treatment notes, and medical expenses. If you haven’t yet sought treatment but are struggling, we strongly encourage you to talk to a doctor or mental health professional. Not only is treatment important for your health, but it also creates a record of the emotional impact of your accident. Such records can be extremely useful in negotiating with insurance companies or as evidence in a trial, if one is needed.

Contact Feroleto Law for a Free Consultation

If you or a loved one are facing depression or emotional challenges after a car accident, please know that help is available. At Feroleto Law, we offer free, confidential consultations to discuss your situation. We’ll listen without judgment, explain your legal options, and help you decide what’s best for you.

And remember: you won’t owe us anything unless we win your case. Our goal is to ease your burden, not add to it.

Call us today at (716) 427-0243 or fill out our contact form to schedule your free consultation. We’re here to help you take the next step toward healing.