Imagine for a moment that you are in an elevator. Suddenly the power goes out and the elevator begins to fall. However, just before it is too late the power comes back on and the elevator slows down and stops. Later, you are heading for work and waiting at the elevator. Then as you get on you are seized with panic and unable to get on the elevator. You try again and again, but each time an unreasonable panic clutches at your chest due to the traumatic experience you had earlier.
While the above example is a bit extreme and very unlikely to happen, it is a good example of mental trauma. Mental trauma is any lasting mental issues created by an accident. While many people may not realize it, mental trauma is a form of personal injury. Mental trauma is legally recognized but many people have a hard time receiving compensation for it because it is a very difficult thing to prove. If you believe you have suffered personal injury in the form of mental trauma there are several things you can do to help make your case stronger in court.
See A Mental Helth Professional
The first step in ascertaining if you have suffered mental trauma is to contact a mental health professional. Not only will they be able to diagnose any mental issues you are suffering, they can also help you begin the recovery process. However, while you go through the process of finding a mental health professional make sure to find one you click with. Many people do not and their experiences with therapists can be quite negative.
Document Your Mental Injury
In physical personal injury cases, documentation of the injury is very important. The same is true with mental trauma. If you are attempting to get compensation for mental anguish or mental issues, having documentation is even more necessary than with physical injury cases. Personal injury lawyers are often hesitant to take on mental trauma cases if there is not documentation supporting your claim. While this means you have to let people know that you are suffering from some mental issues, having documentation is crucial to your case.
In the end, proving mental trauma can be quite difficult. However if you follow the above steps and make sure that you not only see several mental health professionals but document everything about your trauma, you will have a good chance. Remember that while many people may scoff at your claims, mental trauma does occur on a daily basis, and just because you were not physically injured, does not mean there was not a personal injury which you may claim for.
For more information on Traumatic Brain injuries, please visit our Traumatic Brain Injury page