PTSD Compensation Claims

Post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD, is a psychiatric illness that an individual can develop after experiencing an extremely distressing or stressful event. Triggered by a wide range of experiences, from witnessing traumatic events while serving in an armed conflict to being the victim of a personal assault, the symptoms of PTSD can have a huge impact on your life.

If you have been diagnosed with PTSD and you believe it was caused through no fault of your own, you could be entitled to make a PTSD compensation claim. At Compare Compensation Claims, we can help you compare personal injury solicitors easily, allowing you access to the best legal advice available and find the best lawyer to help win your case.

In What Circumstances Can I Claim Compensation For PTSD?

If you have been diagnosed with PTSD and it was caused through an accident or incident that was no fault of your own, you could be eligible to claim compensation.

Any event that a person finds stressful can cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and it is estimated that roughly one in every three people who experience a traumatic event will go on to develop PTSD in some form or another.

The symptoms of PTSD can start to appear immediately after the traumatic event in question, or they can develop weeks, months or even years later. Common causes of PTSD include:

• Witnessing a series of traumatic events, such as being part of an armed conflict or witnessing a terrorist attack
• Serious violent personal assaults, such as a mugging, robbery or sexual assault
• Traumatic childbirth experiences
• Serious health events, such as heart attacks or strokes

The symptoms of PTSD, which include feelings of depression, difficulty concentrating and trouble sleeping, can have a significant impact on your life. Compensation may not help to lessen these symptoms but it can help to relieve some of the financial pressure the condition can bring. For example, it could reimburse you for:

• Income lost due to an inability to work
• Future loss of earnings
• Medical expenses
• Travel costs
• The cost of a carer

As PTSD can have a significant impact on other parts of your life, receiving compensation can help to improve your quality of life. By requesting a callback with us, we can discuss your case in more detail and help you to find an expert solicitor who will support you in getting the best outcome possible.

The time it takes for your compensation claim to be settled can vary greatly. In more straightforward cases, it can be as little as six to nine months. However, if your case is more complicated, it could take over a year.

How To Make A PTSD Compensation Claim

If you have been formally diagnosed with PTSD and you believe it was triggered by a person, event or accident out of your own control, your first step should be to get in touch with a specialist personal injury lawyer. At Compare Compensation Claims, we make it easy for you to compare claims companies and find a specialist lawyer to take your case forward.

Your solicitor will be able to start building a case once you provide all the necessary information and evidence. You will need to be able to prove how the incident that caused your PTSD happened, who is responsible and the impact on your life. The more evidence you can gather for your solicitor, the stronger your case will be.

Example of evidence you can provide includes:

• Dash cam or CCTV footage of the incident
• Medical records
• Witness statements
• Photographs of the accident scene
• Accident reports

Fees And Compensation

The majority of solicitors work on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis. This essentially means that if your case is unsuccessful, you don’t have to pay them anything. If it is successful, you pay what is known as a ‘success fee’. This is a percentage of your compensation amount which you will have already agreed with your solicitor. This can be anything up to 25% but legally can’t be more than that.

As every PTSD claim is unique and the result of different experiences, and as symptoms vary in severity, it’s difficult to place a ballpark figure on how much you would be entitled to. Your personal injury solicitor should be able to give you a better indication of how much your claim could be worth after assessing all variables involved.

Based on Judicial College Guidelines, however, estimates suggest a successful PTSD claim involving minor symptoms could see you awarded anywhere between £3,000 to £6,520, while as much as £47,000 to £80,000 could be received for cases involving very severe PTSD where extreme third-party negligence is deemed the cause.

Although we cannot provide an exact estimate, our handy personal injury claims calculator tool may be able to give you a rough idea of the size of the claim you could be looking at.

How Long Do I Have To Make A PTSD Compensation Claim?

It’s important to make your PTSD compensation claim as soon as possible. There is a three-year time limit which starts from the date of your PTSD diagnosis. If you are claiming on behalf of a child or someone who lacks mental capacity, there is no time limit. However, for a minor, the three-year time limit will start on their 18th birthday.