We'd like to ask our California readers to think for a moment of what their idea of a typical bicycle accident looks like. For most people, the rider is likely the victim, having been struck by a driver that wasn't paying attention or did not see them.
Because most bicycle accidents result in serious or fatal injuries, the hypothetical rider in the minds of our readers may have suffered broken bones or a traumatic brain injury. The victim may need extensive medical treatment for these injuries and may require compensation from the negligent driver as well.
Now we want to ask our Sacramento readers an important question: did the injuries you imagined for the victim include injuries other than physical ones? If you're like most people, then you may not have considered the emotional scars that these accidents can leave behind or that they can be just as traumatizing as the physical injuries themselves.
According to a plethora of research that has been conducted all over the globe, a bicyclist may suffer post-traumatic stress disorder for a period of time after a serious accident. This is true for both children and adults, who may experience high levels of anxiety and fear following a crash. Nightmares may be common as well for victims who may find it difficult to stop the events from replaying over and over again in their heads.
Depending on the severity of the accident, PTSD can last for a matter of months to a matter of years. In some cases, a person may never fully recover from the mental anguish the accident inflicts upon them, leaving them with PTSD symptoms for the rest of their life. But because these scars are difficult to see or predict the length of effect, some people may not consider seeking the compensation necessary to cover the damages it may cause to a person's life.
After reading this post, we hope this is something our California readers will consider from now on. Because even though accidents may be unpredictable, seeking compensation through civil litigation is oftentimes a constant, especially in cases of negligence.
Source: Red Orbit, "After An Injury, Many Children Can Be Affected By PTSD," April Flowers, May 28, 2014