No one is ever prepared to lose a loved one in a collision. The trauma and overwhelming grief you experience may be compounded by the knowledge that the fatal crash was caused by another driver’s disregard for safety and was preventable.
At Sam & Ash Injury Law our Las Vegas car accident attorneys understand the pain and disruption that fatal accidents cause. We know that a traumatic event like a car accident can have a lasting impact on you physically, emotionally, and financially. We’re here to offer compassion and trusted guidance.
If another driver’s negligence took the life of your loved one, our team will be ready to stand up and demand answers and accountability from the at-fault party. Contact Sam & Ash, LLP today for a free and confidential consultation with one of our compassionate and knowledgeable attorneys.
Fatal Car Accident Statistics in Nevada
Nevada had 317 traffic deaths in 2020, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The vast majority of fatal traffic accidents occurred in Clark County, Nevada, which is home to Las Vegas.
Of the 187 traffic deaths in Clark County, 44 involved a drunk driver and 52 involved speeding.
Large trucks such as tractor-trailers and semi-trucks were involved in 38 fatal crashes in Nevada.
Wrongful Death Accident
If your loved one died in a car accident caused by a negligent driver in Las Vegas, you may be entitled to seek compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. You should not face financial hardship because of someone else’s carelessness or reckless actions.
Nevada law allows the spouse, children, parents, or the representative of the deceased’s estate to bring a wrongful death claim.
Through a wrongful death claim, you may seek compensation for the deceased’s lost income, the loss of support and companionship your loved one provided, and funeral expenses.
No sum of money will make up for the loss of a loved one. But compensation recovered through a wrongful death claim can help your family maintain financial stability and deal with the loss of monetary support your loved one provided the household.
What Type of Effects Occur When Witnessing Death After an Accident
Witnessing a family member pass away after a car accident can leave psychological scars. You may need grief counseling and professional help to get through this difficult period in your life.
Some of the most common effects of personal trauma include:
- Persistent, intrusive thoughts about the accident
- Avoidance behaviors, particularly avoiding the scene of the crash
- Difficulty focusing on work, relationships, and other aspects of your life
- Feeling directionless and lost
- Inability to perform simple daily tasks or make decisions
- Survivor’s guilt and wishing you could have done something more to help
- Nightmares and insomnia
- Cutting yourself off from your family and friends
- Abusing alcohol, drugs, prescription painkillers, and other substances
- Physical fatigue, headaches, and other body aches
If you have experienced psychological trauma, talking to someone after the accident is essential.
Types of Long-Term Psychological Car Accident Consequences
The psychological effects of a car accident can be long-lasting, particularly if you lost a family member or close loved one in the crash.
Some of the psychological consequences you may experience in the weeks and months following a fatal car accident include:
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Fear and anger
- Irritability
- Anxiety and depression
- Shock
- Emotional outbursts
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
According to WebMD, British researchers found that at least a third of all accident survivors were still experiencing PTSD, anxiety, phobias, and depression a year after the crash. If you are experiencing long-term psychological issues related to the loss of a loved one, you are not alone.
How To Manage Traumatic Stress After an Accident
Experiencing a traumatic event can create stress in your life. It’s essential to familiarize yourself with ways to cope with it. Here are some common ways to manage stress after being involved in a car accident:
- Try to maintain your social life and lean on your friends and family for support. By isolating yourself, you may make your trauma worse.
- Engage in activities that bring you joy.
- Write down your thoughts and feelings on paper in a daily diary. Recording your feelings can help you process your suffering in a healthy way.
- Join a local support group where you can meet others dealing with similar trauma.
- Do your best to avoid overindulging in alcohol or drugs. While many people turn to alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism after suffering trauma, substance abuse will not make your trauma go away. If you think you have a substance abuse disorder, consider speaking with a physician or mental health counselor to help you get the treatment you need.
- Try not to make any significant life decisions until you’ve had time to process the accident and your grief.
If you suffered physically, emotionally, or psychologically due to another person’s negligent actions, then you may have a right to hold the at-fault person accountable.
Can You Sue for Post-traumatic Stress?
If you were injured in the car crash in which your loved one died, you may have suffered PTSD after being involved in a car accident.
You may have a right to pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver who caused the fatal accident. If you have PTSD, you might have to take time off work to recover. You may incur costs for mental health treatment and medications.
Through a personal injury lawsuit, you may seek compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and non-financial losses like pain and suffering, including PTSD.
To bring a successful claim, you will need to prove that you were diagnosed with PTSD by a healthcare provider. You will also need to demonstrate that the car accident triggered your condition. You must connect the at-fault driver’s negligence to the crash and your subsequent psychological injuries to prove liability. Having an experienced Las Vegas car accident attorney handle your injury case is essential. A personal injury attorney at Sam & Ash, LLP will know the types of evidence needed to support your claim.
Contact a Las Vegas Car Crash Attorney Today
If you have lost a loved one in a car accident in Nevada, and if witnessing the accident has left you with emotional trauma, you should know that help is just a phone call away. The Las Vegas car accident lawyers at Sam & Ash Injury Law know how difficult it can be to process the traumatic loss of a loved one. We’re committed to helping people seek justice and fair compensation after losing a loved one due to another party’s negligence. We want What’s Right for you.
Call Sam & Ash Injury Law today for a free consultation to discuss your rights and legal options.
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