The Signs of PTSD in PTSD Car Crash Victims Include:

• Frequent involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the RTA. Some children older than seven may start to play repetitively, and the aspects that they select a may act out the traumatic events.

• There may be frequent distressing dreams in which the vision seen during the dream will be associated with the RTA

• Some young people may have disturbing dreams that do not have content clearly linked to the RTA.

• A PTSD car accident victim may have flashbacks or other dissociative reactions where they experience or act as if the psychological trauma encountered in the RTA is relived again. This can range from the individual having some insight that they are in the present surroundings to complete loss of insight about the surroundings they are in. Some young people may display psychological trauma, which is specific, and this may be acted out again during play.

• Even with PTSD after a minor car accident, an individual may display heightened and extended mental trauma at external or internal symbols that represent something about the RTA.

• The PTSD car crash victim may also exhibit strong physiological reactions in response to cues in the environment or in the person’s mind that trigger the memories of the RTA.

There may be prolonged and consistent avoidance of triggers or items linked to the RTA such as cars or riding in vehicles, and this will be confirmed by any or both factors:

1. Avoidance or attempts to avoid traumatic memories, thoughts or feelings related to or associated with the traumatic RTA.
2. The individual may attempt to stay away from triggers in the external environment, which stimulate trauma, flashbacks, emotions, thoughts or feelings linked to the traumatic RTA.
3. There may be unhelpful and harmful changes in thinking, cognition and emotion linked to the RTA that started or became more severe after the RTA as indicated by at least two of the following factors:
4. Difficulty in being able to recall a crucial part of the traumatic RTA due to dissociative amnesia and not as a result of medication, drugs, or brain injury.
5. Repeated beliefs that are blown out of proportion or views about yourself or other people or society such as “I am not worthy,” “you cannot trust anybody,” or “everyone in society is dangerous.”
6. Altered or distorted thinking. Alternatively, changed or distorted cognitions linked to the consequences or causation of the traumatic RTA. This altered cognitions or distorted thinking results in the PTSD car crash victim blaming themselves or others. The PTSD car accident trauma is likely to impact on the person that suffered psychologically following an RTA in many other ways.
7. Persistent low moods, unhelpful emotions and negative emotional states such as being frightened horrified angry guilty or feeling ashamed.
8. A marked reduction in things that one used to enjoy or be interested in. A significant decrease in being involved in meaningful activities.
9. The individual often feels detached or distant or estranged from other people.
10. The RTA accident victim is continuously unable to feel emotions that are positive. For example, an individual is unable to be happy, to be loving or show satisfaction.

Unhelpful reactions and arousal linked to the traumatic RTA around the time of the RTA or shortly afterwards, as demonstrated by at least two of the following:

1. Irritability outbursts that are angry without provocation or with minimal provocation. These are often shown in angry verbal or physical outbursts towards people or things.
2. Destructive or reckless activity.
3. Hyper-vigilance.
4. Heightened or exaggerated startle reactions.
5. Difficulty concentrating.
6. The RTA PTSD victims may have difficulty sleeping; unsatisfying sleep; or insomnia.

The symptoms referred to above must have been in existence for more than a month. Furthermore, the symptoms result in marked distress or difficulties in occupational, social or other important areas of the individual’s functioning.

The symptoms displayed by the individual who has had the RTA cannot be accounted for by the effects of medication drugs or alcohol or another medical condition.

Following assessment, our team of Medico-Legal Psychologists will specify whether the individual has PTSD with dissociative symptoms, which may include derealisation: the psychological state where the individual frequently experiences the environment in a surreal or dreamlike state. They may additionally or alternatively show signs of depersonalisation in which they often experience feeling outside of themselves or in a dream; or that things are moving extremely slow.

Our expert psychologist RTA psychological assessments specify if the expression of the PTSD was delayed for six months or more after the RTA, so that all PTSD car accident compensation is correctly claimed.