There’s no question about how devastating and life-threatening a car accident can be! They can leave you behind scars of both physical and emotional injuries, such as depression, PTSD, etc.
And if that wasn’t enough to traumatize you, comes a huge pile of medical expenses and negotiating with the insurance companies and the fault parties.
The struggle is real!
And in case you are suffering from depression, make sure to know about the depression car accident settlement in detail. So, you can get proper justice and compensation for all your pain and suffering.
Although it is hard to estimate the exact price range, however, in Canada, you can get a settlement of around $350,000 for your emotional distress.
Keep reading to know more!
What is Depression After a Car Accident?
Depression is a severe physiological consequence of traumatic events that one can develop at any instant after meeting with a car accident. After all, an accident is an accident.
It has the full power to change your entire life within the blink of an eye. Although the physical wounds can get healed up with time, but what about the emotional pains? Neither can you show your pain nor express anything, ultimately making it more painful.
And the worst part is that many people cannot even understand that they are suffering from depression, which with the passage of time, gets intensified. Although starting off from being sad or not feeling any sort of happiness/enjoyment of life, later on, this can get converted to suicidal thinking.
That’s why, if one is suffering from depression, they must be treated properly. It is not something one should overlook, even by mistake. In fact, to your surprise, this needs equal treatment and care as like the physical injuries.
And among all kinds of accidents, the car accident victim tends to suffer the most.
Depression from a car accident can come in several forms. Such as, you may have flashbacks/dreams of the accident every then and now, always feel anxious/nervous, feel irritated upon the slightest matters, etc.
Understanding Some Common Symptoms of Depression After a Car Accident
Compared to physical injuries, depression is quite hard to know as they aren’t visible to the eyes. However, there are some clear signs by which you can easily understand.
They are:
- Feeling restlessness, or guilt
- Tends to feel sad, empty, or anxious despite any valid reasons
- No more interest in the activities or hobbies once you used to love doing
- Have trouble paying any attention
- Cannot make any simple decisions, let alone bigger ones.
- Having suicidal thoughts or attempting suicide
- Cannot remember things
- Always feels down or fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Overeating
- Insomnia or stated sleeping too much
- Aggressive
Factors Play an Active Role in a Depression Car Accident Settlement?
Of course, there are. In fact, just like any other medical condition, depression is a medical condition that needs equal treatment and has financial compensation associated. And as with any car accident claim, the settlement also tends to vary based on several factors.
Let’s see how your depression plays a role in your car accident settlement amount in Alberta:
- Medical costs, including physiological counselling, therapy expenses, prescription medicines, etc.
- Lost earnings
- Future lost wages
- Changes to relationships
- Loss of quality of life
Based on the collected evidence and information in these above-mentioned criteria, the settlement amount is estimated. The more serious your condition is, the more the settlements are expected.
How to Claim Damages for Depression After a Car Accident?
It is much simpler and easier to prove the physical wounds in a car accident. On the contrary, a person finds it extremely hard to determine the emotional ones, such as depression.
After all, there is no visible evidence or tools that can accurately measure the level and extremity of the depression.
And the worst scenario is, taking these chances, several fraudulent insurance investigators aim to either pay you a negligible amount or nothing in the account of all your pains.
They try to prove to the court that you are only trying to increase your compensation by faking it all. It is not as much of a serious issue as you are showing. Besides, it is much tougher to estimate the exact compensation of the distress in comparison to the physical injuries.
This is where an experienced lawyer comes to the aid!
From gathering all the crucial evidence to filing the case, doing the paperwork, negotiating with the insurance companies, and even fighting in the court – a lawyer does it all! They are the true saviour at this direst need of time.
Some Tips to Follow Upon Suspecting Depression
In case you or any family members show signs of depression, here are some of the valuable tips to follow to recover from car accident trauma:
- Immediate resort for help instead of trying to deal with it on your own.
- Talk with a trusted family member or friend whom you can totally rely on to see if they have observed any changes in you after the accident.
- Visit a doctor and consult with them regarding your condition.
- Based on the extremity of your depression, such as you are having suicidal thoughts, then seek immediate medical help at a hospital as soon as possible. Even a second of delay is enough to torment and take your life.
To Wrap Up
That’s all regarding the depression car accident settlement.
Depression after a car accident can be extremely traumatic, and regaining confidence is a must and dire need after an accident. Whether it be a minor or a major one, an accident is an accident and is enough to turn your life upside down within a few couple of minutes.
So, instead of suffering from the pain all by yourself, it’s better to talk to legal help as quickly as possible. Besides, it is your legal right to claim compensation for all your pains and sufferings, especially when it is due to the negligence of someone else.
And the person who can help you at this challenging phase is certainly an experienced lawyer. From making the case stronger to relieving all your stresses – they will stay with you right from the beginning to the end of the case.
Frequently Asked Question
Have a look at the below most asked questions in case you have any doubts in your mind to clarify:
How long does a car insurance claim take to settle?
Once your insurer has done evaluating the vehicle and given the consent to write off, then it is estimated to settle the claim within 30 days.
Do insurance companies try to get out of paying?
Definitely. In fact, they will always be in an attempt to either eliminate the payments totally or will try to pay a negligible amount compared to the claim you deserve.
That’s why it is more than necessary to hire an experienced lawyer before going ahead with any settlement offer. After all, they are the experts in this field and know the exact gaps of how to deal with the case. So you get the legal compensation you truly deserve.