www.ExpertAssessments.com

 

Contact Information

 

2308 Mt Isle Harbor Dr

Charlotte, NC  28214

 

Phone: (704) 370-6946

Fax: (704) 375-9941

 

 

 

 

Services Provided

 

Future Medical Costs Analysis

 

Vocational Assessments

 

Neuropsychological Assessments

 

Economic Projections

 

 

 

 

 

 

Types of Cases

 

Personal Injury

Workers Compensation

Social Security Disability

Short Term Disability

Long Term Disability

Medical Malpractice

VA Disability Claims

Divorce

 

 

 

 

 

 

Associates

 

Neal S. Taub, MD

Medical Director of Mercy Rehabilitation Center

 

Patrick Clifford, CVE

Nationally Certified Vocational Evaluator

 

Young Davis, PhD

Head of Economics at UNC-Charlotte

 

Jeff Ewert, PhD,ABBP

Neuropsychologist

 

 

 

 

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© 2005 BMA

 

 

Post-Traumatic Stress Reactions Following Motor Vehicle Accidents

 

Traffic accidents have become one of the leading causes of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – second only to war.1  Researchers estimate that more than nine percent of serious accident survivors develop PTSD symptoms.2  Your clients with PTSD or similar reactions may develop disabling memories and anxiety related to the accident.  Clients may require evaluation, psychotherapy, and medication before returning to their healthier, pre-accident state of mind.  When someone else bears the responsibility for a serious accident, courts should consider the costs of evaluation, treatment, vocational impairment, and other related damages.  Any time attorneys need to demonstrate reliably emotional or cognitive damages, they can call Expert Assessments, LLC and discuss obtaining a neuropsychological assessment.

 

The medical community has documented well that motor vehicle accidents can lead to post-traumatic stress symptoms.3-11  Accident related PTSD has led to lost jobs, impaired ability to live independently, sexual dysfunction, and relationship problems.  Onset can occur shortly after the traumatic incident, or clients may experience delayed onset.  Many PTSD symptoms do not manifest until survivors attempt to resume daily activities.3  When a fatality is involved, grief may obfuscate the development of PTSD. 

 

A number of characteristic behaviors may signal the presence or development of PTSD or a similar syndrome.

►     Drinking to calm nerves

►     Irritability

►     Hypervigilance

►     Anxiousness as a passenger

►     Difficulty concentrating

►     Difficulty sleeping

►     Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others

►     Ritualistic behavior (often related to the details of the accident in subtle ways)

►     Nightmares (in children this may manifest as frightening dreams without recognizable content)

►     Self-imposed limitations such as only driving during the day or avoiding the interstate

Any time you accept a case involving injury or disability, call Expert Assessments, LLC to discuss the range of expert assessments available.  When you suspect that an accident or injury may have caused your client emotional or cognitive limitations, consider ordering a neuropsychological assessment.  These are conducted by Jeff Ewert, PhD, AABP.  Ewert is a diplomate of the American Board of Behavioral Psychology and experienced in litigation matters.  The neuropsychological assessment provides documented testing that can identify damages and/or substantiate claims of cognitive limitations or disabling emotional trauma. 

 

Call

(704) 370-6946

 

 

References

1.      Norris FH. Epidemiology of trauma: frequency and impact of different potentially traumatic events on different demographic groups. J Consult Clin Psychol 1992;60:409-18.

2.      Kessler RC, Sonnega A, Bromet E. Hughes M. Nelson CB. Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1995; 52: 1048-60.

3.      Butler DJ, Turkal NW. Post-traumatic stress reactions following motor vehicle accidents. Am Fam Physician 1999; 60: 524-31.

4.      Blanchard EB, Hickling Ej, et al. After the crash: assessment and treatment of motor vehicle accident survivors. Washington, DC: American Psychology Association, 1997.

5.      Di Gallo A, Parry-Jones WL. Psychological sequelae of road traffic accidents: an inadequately addressed problem. Br J Psychiatry 1996: 169:405-7.

6.      Brom D, Kleber RJ, Hofman MC. Victims of traffic accidents: incidence and prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder. J Clin Psychol 1993; 49:131-40.

7.      Kuch K, Cos BJ, Evans RJ. Posttraumatic stress disorder and motor vehicle accidents: a multidisciplinary overview. Can J Psychiatry 1996; 41: 429-34.

8.      Green MM, McFarlane AC, Hunter CE, Griggs WM. Undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder following motor vehicle accidents. Med J Aust 1993; 159:529-34.

9.      Barton KA, Blanchard EB, Hickling EJ. Antecedents and consequences of acute stress disorder among motor vehicle accident victims. Behav Res Ther 1996; 34:805-13.

10.    Bryant RA, Harvey AG. Initial posttraumatic stress responses following motor vehicle accidents. J Truama Stress 1996; 9:223-34.

11.    Norris FH. Epidemiology of trauma; frequency and impact of different potentially traumatic events on different demographic groups. J Consult Clin Psychol 1992; 60:409-18.