Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Compensation Claims
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a recognised psychiatric disorder and a response to a distressing or frightening incident.
Our personal injury solicitors understand that living with PTSD can be incredibly difficult for you and those closest to you. If you have suffered PTSD because of an accident or other traumatic event, we may be able to help you claim compensation.
Contact our solicitors about making a PTSD claim
Our specialist lawyers support clients across the UK from our offices in Bristol and the surrounding area in Bedminster, Bishopston, Bristol city centre, Kingswood and Thornbury. For an initial chat about making a PTSD claim, call our Personal Injury team on 0117 325 2929.
What causes PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder normally arises after someone is involved in or witnesses a traumatic event. PTSD can start straight after the event but can take weeks, months or maybe even longer to manifest; often after something ‘triggers’ it, for example, returning to the scene of the incident.
Some of the most common causes of PTSD include:
- Accidents at work
- Car accidents
- Cycling accidents
- Experiencing medical negligence
- Military accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
PTSD can show in a number of different ways, and people’s experiences can vary. Many people could witness the same incident and have different symptoms.
While everyone’s experience is different, there are some common PTSD signs and symptoms, including:
- Aggressive behaviour and anger
- Anxiety
- Avoidance (places, situations or activities)
- Difficulty sleeping
- Disassociation
- Finding it hard to concentrate
- Hypervigilance
- Intrusive thoughts
- Irritability
- Negative feelings
- Nightmares
- Panic attacks
- Physical sensations such as trembling, pain and nausea
- Self-harm
- Vivid flashbacks (reliving the event)
How is PTSD diagnosed?
If you experience any signs of PTSD after being involved in a distressing incident, and symptoms persist, it is important to seek medical advice. Your GP may refer you for an assessment with a mental health specialist such as a psychiatrist or psychologist. You may also be referred for counselling, therapy such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), and/or medication to help you cope with the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
PTSD doesn’t normally go away on its own, so it’s important to get help. Making a claim for PTSD can also help as you try to rebuild your life after experiencing a traumatic event; compensation can help fund specialist counselling and recover financial losses you have suffered from being unable to work due to your symptoms.
Can I claim compensation for PTSD?
PTSD can have a significant effect on your day-to-day life, and it can change your relationships with those closest to you. Compensation can help you access specialist treatment and therapy, and reduce or eliminate any financial losses you have suffered or will suffer because of your PTSD.
If you are experiencing signs or symptoms of PTSD as a result of a distressing or traumatic incident, whether first-hand or as a secondary victim, you may be able to claim compensation.
Starting a claim for PTSD can feel daunting, but it doesn’t need to be. Our friendly personal injury solicitors will take the time to listen to you and answer any initial questions you have. We will explain the claims process, so you know what to expect from the outset and throughout your case. Our personal injury lawyers also take PTSD claims on a no win, no fee basis to help you without any upfront costs.
Why choose Barcan+Kirby for your PTSD claim?
Our expert lawyers help clients across the UK on a wide range of personal injury claims, from our offices in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
Our personal injury solicitors are top-ranked in legal directories, Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners UK, and are recognised for their expertise by several charities and organisations, such as Headway and the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA).
In addition to advising clients on claiming compensation for PTSD, we can help with the following types of claims:
- Amputation and loss of limb
- Brain and head injuries
- Beauty treatment errors and negligence
- Car and road traffic accidents
- Cycling accidents
- Employer’s liability
- Fatal injuries
- Industrial disease
- Motorcycle accidents
- Psychological injuries
- Secondary victim claims
- Serious injuries
- Slips, trips and falls
- Spinal injuries
- Teeth damage and injuries
- Workplace accidents
PTSD claim FAQs
Some of the treatments that help people with PTSD include:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Group PTSD therapy
- Medication, e.g. antidepressants
These treatments can be effective, however, NHS waiting lists can be long. Our personal injury solicitors have links with local treatment providers and, if you are eligible, you can undergo treatment without any upfront costs. The costs are added to your claim and recovered from the other side upon settlement of the claim.
Furthermore, your lawyer can look at securing interim payments (money paid before the point of settlement out of your compensation award) to help fund the cost of any private treatment. The compensation you receive from your PTSD claim can help fund private treatment, enabling you to start your recovery quicker.
Evidence can be incredibly useful when preparing a PTSD claim. The types of evidence our personal injury solicitors might ask for include:
- Medical records
- Proof of financial losses, e.g. payslips
- Receipts for medical treatment
- Eyewitness statements
- Incident reports if the Police/other emergency services attended
- Workplace accident records
- CCTV or dashcam footage
Our lawyers appreciate that it is not always possible to provide all this evidence. Sometimes, medical records alone will suffice when preparing the claim, however, we will advise you on this during your meeting.
Yes, if you have suffered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from an event you witnessed or were involved in as an emergency worker, you may be able to claim compensation. To find out if our personal injury solicitors can help you, call 0117 325 2929 or fill out our enquiry form.
As with most other personal injury claims, you have three years from the ‘event’ to make a PTSD claim. Sometimes, this limitation period is different for PTSD claims, but our personal injury lawyers will advise you on this during your initial meeting.
If you have suffered because of a traumatic incident that you were involved in or witnessed, our personal injury lawyers may be able to help you make a PTSD claim.
For a no-obligation chat with a member of our Personal Injury team, get in touch.
Contact us about making a PTSD claim
If you have suffered because of a traumatic incident that you were involved in or witnessed, our personal injury lawyers may be able to help you make a PTSD claim.
For a no-obligation chat with a member of our Personal Injury team, call 0117 325 2929 or fill out our online enquiry form.