PTSD Claims

People all over the world experience traumatic events every day which are out of their control. These frightening and overwhelming incidents can include car crashes, assaults, accidents and witnessing accidents or horrifying scenes.

Most of the time, people involved in traumatic incidents will experience a certain amount of shock, but they will not be permanently psychologically affected. A certain number of those involved, though, will experience a severe and ongoing emotional reaction to the event. This reaction was previously recognised in soldiers returning from the battlefield and called ‘shell shock’.

Post traumatic stress disorder

These days, the condition which used to be known as ‘shell shock’ is known as ‘post traumatic stress disorder’ or ‘PTSD’. Experts now agree that the condition affects many people who have been exposed to traumatic situations, on and off the battlefield.

More recently, PTSD has been diagnosed in people who have experienced continual overbearing stress as opposed to one isolated event, such as working in a highly stressful environment, and some of these sufferers have made successful claims for PTSD compensation.

PTSD symptoms

Symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder can include flashbacks, nightmares, difficulty sleeping, muscle tension and total avoidance of the source of the trauma. They can also include feelings of grief, guilt, anger, depression and extreme anxiety.

Symptoms of PTSD tend to be very invasive and can cause problems with all areas of a person’s life including work, family and friendships. Symptoms can appear at any time over the weeks or months following the traumatic event, although they normally appear within around six months.

Some professions are more likely to be exposed to the potential causes of PTSD. Military, ambulance workers and members of the fire brigade and police force all have the propensity to come face to face with shocking scenes on a daily basis. These people therefore have a higher risk of suffering from post traumatic stress disorder at some point in their lives.

Treatment of PTSD

Psychotherapy: Many types of psychotherapy are commonly advocated for sufferers of PTSD. Counselling can involve education about PTSD along with careful discussion of memories and feelings about the trauma. Group psychotherapy (often considered to be the most beneficial for military personnel and veterans) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are also commonly used to treat PTSD sufferers.

Medication: A range of medications, including a variety of different anti-depressants, can be used to treat PTSD. Medicines sometimes show a benefit in reducing PTSD symptoms, although they rarely cure the condition on their own.

PTSD compensation claims

In the past, courts have been reluctant to award compensation for psychological conditions arising from traumatic experiences, such as post traumatic stress disorder. However, as awareness increases, more people are successfully claiming for this very real and potentially devastating psychiatric condition.

People unable to work due to the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder may be able make a PTSD claim for loss of earnings. If you would like to find out whether you could make a claim for PTSD compensation, call the National Accident Helpline or claim online today.