When the average person thinks about a personal injury case, they usually think about physical injuries such as broken bones, strains, lacerations, etc. While physical injuries are certainly a big component in most of West Virginia’s personal injury cases, by no means are they the only factor. Many people who have been involved in an accident find that in addition to treating their physical health, they also require professional assistance for their mental health. Many fail to discuss their mental health and the cost of maintaining it following an accident because they’re unsure if the treatment from a mental health therapist is covered in a personal injury case. An experienced West Virginia Personal Injury lawyer will definitely help you to gain the highest possible settlement for your case.
Why Victims of a Personal Injury Case Seek the Help of a Mental Health Therapist
It seems like every single year we gain just a little more knowledge about our mental health and what’s needed to maintain it. As we continually develop a better understanding of our mental health, we also realize that there are times when we can’t handle it on our own and require the assistance of a mental health therapist. It’s not unusual for the victims of personal injury accidents to require the services of mental health therapist. The reason mental health therapy is so important to the victims of a personal injury is because of the psychological toll dealing with the aftermath places on a person. The more traumatic the accident or the more severe the injuries, the more extensive the victim’s mental health needs are.
Mental health complications many victims of personal injury accidents struggle with during the accident’s aftermath include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD
Victims who are unable to get the professional mental health treatment they need not only experience diminished quality of life but also find that their mental health struggles can impede their body’s ability to recover from the physical injuries sustained during the accident.
The high price tag attached to mental health therapy is the main reason so many personal injury victims don’t seek help for the mental health conditions they suffer following the accident. They’re afraid that any settlement they get from the insurance company won’t cover the expense of therapy.
Can Mental Health Therapy be Included in a Personal Injury Case?
Mental health therapy is important, but it’s also quite expensive. According to The Good Therapy Organization, the cost of mental health therapy sessions ranges from $65-$250 and can cost more sometimes.
Factors that influence the cost of mental health therapy include:
- How much training the therapist has had
- The therapist’s experience level
- The location of the therapist’s office
- How long the therapy sessions last
If you require specialized mental health therapy the cost per hour significantly increases.
The high price tag attached to mental health therapy is the main reason so many personal injury victims don’t seek help for the mental health conditions they suffer following the accident. They’re afraid that any settlement they get from the insurance company won’t cover the expense of therapy.
Even though it’s not something the insurance companies that are involved with your case will voluntarily share with you, as the victim of an accident, you are entitled to mental health therapy and the cost of it will be included in the final settlement.
How to Make Sure your Mental Health Therapy is Included in Your Personal Injury Case
The types of mental health treatments you can ask for in a personal health case include:
- Prescriptions designed to help your mental health
- Counseling
- Specialized psychiatric therapy
While you’re legally allowed to include mental health in a personal injury case, proving your mental health suffered as a direct result of the accident isn’t always easy.
The first step in making sure that the cost of your mental health therapy is included in your personal injury case is seeking the assistance of a good therapist right away. This creates documentation that you’re struggling to preserve your mental health and that the accident was the reason you require therapy.
It’s in your best interest to choose a mental health therapist who is willing to make a specific diagnosis, provide detailed documentation, and has the knowledge needed to determine if the root cause of your recent mental health struggles is the accident.
Your mental health is important, which is why it’s so important that you can discuss the challenges you face with a Personal Injury attorney who has a great deal of experience dealing with cases similar to yours. In addition to making sure you select a personal injury lawyer from The Miley Legal Group who will do everything legally possible to make sure you get the settlement you deserve, you also need to select the one you’re comfortable talking about the challenges your mental health has encountered since the accident.
