Working Through Mental Health Problems After an Accident

When you are involved in a workplace accident, you could find yourself suffering from a significant injury. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you could be facing multiple injuries that have a critical impact on your quality of life for a prolonged period of time, possibly for the rest of your life. In many cases, mental health issues, like depression or anxiety, can appear alongside these physical injuries. These issues can be as damaging as the physical issues they develop beside, sometimes requiring medical treatment of their own.

Mental health problems are often considered to be taboo in our society. If you are suffering or think you could be, do not be afraid to speak out. Talk to your doctor about your feelings and mental state and if necessary, seek specialized treatment from a psychological counselor. Your attorney can help you seek monetary compensation for this treatment.

Some examples of mental health issues that accident victims face include:

• Depression;
• Anxiety;
• Panic attacks; and
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

All of these disorders can negatively impact an individual's life in a significant way. A mental health disorder can keep you from being able to work, being able to relate to others around you, and even simply being able to function normally in your day-to-day life.

Many individuals do not know the difference between the terms psychologist, a psychiatrist, and counselor. Familiarize yourself with them because you will work with one of these individuals during your treatment.

• A psychologist is an individual who can diagnose emotional and mental disorders and treat them without the use of drugs.
• A psychiatrist is a physician who can diagnose and treat mental illnesses with medication as well as through other means, such as talk therapy.

The term “counselor” simply refers to a psychologist who specializes in counseling patients. Not all psychologists are counselors – some work in research or educational settings. Others do not perform psychological counseling, but career or educational counseling for their clients.

Whether your mental health treatment involves prescription drugs or just talk or behavioral therapy, you can provide the insurance provider with documentation of your treatment expenses as part of your claim. Keep a record of all of your bills and written testimonies from the mental health professionals with whom you work to support your claim for compensation. You can also support your claim with testimonies from your loved ones and your own testimonies of your mental recovery following your accident.

Mental health issues can be as dangerous as physical health issues. If you are facing a mental health problem following your accident, you could be able to recover compensation for your treatment. Work with one of our skilled San Jose workplace injury attorneys at Corsiglia, McMahon, & Allard, L.L.P. to learn more about your rights as a victim and how you can file a claim for monetary compensation. We proudly serve clients throughout the Bay Area, San Mateo County, Alameda County, San Benito County, Monterey County, and Santa Clara County.

• Medical Definition of Psychologist, clinical
• Medical Definition of Psychiatrist