I retained Paul Padda after firing my other lawyer. Best decision I ever made! He did a fantastic job for me in handling my personal injury case. Always courteous and cares about his clients. Great office staff that cares about people. With Mr. Padda, I felt comfortable every step of the way. My first choice for a lawyer!
Paul Padda is a great attorney that cares about his clients. I hired him and was impressed. Very good in court and handled my case really well. He took the time to understand my case and cared about me as a person. He would be the first person I call if I need an attorney again.
Overview
Finding a Path Forward After Severe Emotional Trauma
If you are living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after a devastating accident, you know that not all wounds are visible. You might be struggling with intense flashbacks, crippling anxiety, or an inability to return to the life you once knew. Right now, you do not need generic statistics about trauma or basic legal definitions. You need a compassionate legal team that understands exactly what you are going through and knows how to secure the financial resources required for your long-term mental health recovery.
At Paul Padda Law, we offer comprehensive personal injury representation focused on the profound impact of severe psychological trauma. We know that conditions like PTSD require extensive medical care, specialized therapy, and time away from work. Our firm can specifically help you by taking over the entire legal burden and dealing directly with aggressive insurance companies. This allows you to focus entirely on your healing process without the added stress of a legal battle.
As dedicated injury lawyers, we bring deep local knowledge to every single case we take on. We thoroughly understand the Nevada court system, we know the tactics local insurance adjusters use to deny mental health claims, and we have built strong connections with trusted psychological experts in our community who can properly diagnose and document your condition.
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You can trust our team because we have a proven history of securing multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for our clients, all while treating every person who walks through our doors like family. We refuse to let the insurance companies minimize your psychological suffering. Instead, we fight relentlessly to ensure your voice is heard, your pain is validated, and your financial future is completely protected. Contact our office at (702) 707-7000 today so we can handle the legal fight while you take the essential steps toward healing.
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"Being a lawyer allows me to be a voice for the voiceless."
- Paul Padda, J.D.
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Table of Contents
PTSD Can Affect You In Many Different Ways
All serious accidents can cause significant stress. Whether you are injured in a car accident, have an accident at work, or by a bad fall, your accident can be devastating for both you and your loved ones.
It’s very common for people to be anxious or feel on-edge after experiencing any type of traumatic event. However, PTSD cases are those where an anxiety disorder is triggered and remains for a prolonged period of time. These situations must be properly addressed by medical professionals, or your stress disorder will only get worse.
Cases of PTSD are often categorized in the following ways:
- Acute PTSD – This stress disorder usually lasts less than three or four months.
- Chronic PTSD – This type of emotional trauma after an accident persists for over six months can continually affect your life and harm your recovery.
- Delayed PTSD – Many victims have emotional and mental trauma after an accident that lasts for well over six months, and this debilitating anxiety can repeatedly return and prevent a person from fully recovering.
Common Symptoms Of PTSD After An Accident
Every accident case is unique, and the physical and emotional harm that follows can affect each person differently. While it is true that those with pre-existing depression and anxiety issues are more likely to suffer from accident-induced PTSD, it’s important to understand that anybody can suffer from PTSD after a traumatic event. You should not delay in seeking medical help if you believe that you or a loved one are suffering from PTSD in the weeks and months after a serious accident or violent occurrence. Of the many symptoms commonly associated with PTSD, some include:
- Being unable to return to a setting similar to that of your accident. This could include being afraid to get behind the wheel of a car if you were in a motor vehicle wreck.
- Developing sleeping problems.
- Having terrifying flashbacks of the accident.
- Newly acquired problems concentrating.
- Feeling a continual sense of guilt about your accident.
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Diagnosing And Treating PTSD
Identifying your anxiety issues is an essential first step in getting better. Furthermore, a post-traumatic stress disorder lawsuit requires demonstrating the actual event that caused your condition. PTSD does not simply develop on its own without a traumatic and life-changing event. Medical professionals have a variety of exams and psychological evaluations that they use to determine if someone is suffering from PTSD. Once a traumatic life event has been identified, your doctors can combine that with both physical exams and emotional evaluations as they work to establish your diagnosis.
Treatment for PTSD must be tailored to fit your lifestyle and properly address the details of your condition. A PTSD accident lawyer must work closely with your doctor to make sure that you get the proper treatment that will improve your health. We understand that this may require seeing several different medical professionals, and your accident compensation must be sufficient to get you the help you need.
Possible approaches to treat PTSD include:
- Learning how to deal with symptoms as they arise
- Treating other problems such as depression or substance abuse
- Exposure therapy to help you deal with situations that cause frightening memories
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing that helps you process traumatic memories and adjust how you react to them
- Medications such as antidepressants and antianxiety prescriptions
At Paul Padda Law, we’re more than your lawyers. We’re the allies you want to help set things right.
Steps To Take While Addressing Your PTSD
It’s important to make sure that your PTSD lawyer understands your anxiety issues and how challenging your treatment process is for you and your family. Every traumatic and stressful event is different, and the effect on your life can be significant and long-lasting. The advice that we encourage our clients to follow when dealing with PTSD include:
- Stick to your treatment plan – Follow the orders of your doctors, and seek the support of anyone who can help you through your treatment process.
- Take care of yourself – Be sure to get enough rest and take time to relax. Avoid things that can increase anxiety such as large amounts of alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine.
- Don’t self-medicate – Turning to drugs and alcohol as a means to reduce your anxiety can make things worse in the long run.
- Break the anxiety cycle – If you are feeling stressed or anxious, take a step back from whatever you are doing and refocus your mind elsewhere.
- Keep your doctor and lawyer updated on your progress – It’s important to update your medical and legal professionals on how you are doing, and to request any help that you need to get better.
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Frequently Asked Questions About PTSD Personal Injury Claims in Las Vegas
Can I sue for PTSD after a car accident in Nevada?
Yes. If you developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of an accident caused by someone else's negligence, you have the right to file a personal injury claim. PTSD is considered a severe, compensable injury under Nevada law, just like a broken bone or spinal cord injury. You can pursue compensation for the psychological harm caused by car crashes, truck accidents, severe slip and falls, or dog attacks.
How do you prove PTSD in a personal injury lawsuit?
Because PTSD is an invisible injury, it requires strong, objective medical evidence to prove in court. You cannot simply claim you are stressed; you must have a formal clinical diagnosis from a qualified mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist. Your lawyer will build your case using medical records, expert witness testimony, prescription histories, and statements from friends and family documenting how your behavior and daily life have changed since the accident.
Do I need to have a physical injury to claim PTSD?
While PTSD most commonly accompanies severe physical injuries (like traumatic brain injuries or amputations), it is possible to file a claim for emotional distress even if your physical injuries were minor. However, standalone emotional distress claims can be legally complex in Nevada. You generally must prove you were in the immediate "zone of danger" during a terrifying incident. Consulting a lawyer is highly recommended for these specific types of claims.
How much compensation is a PTSD lawsuit worth?
There is no average settlement for a PTSD claim because the impact of the disorder varies heavily from person to person. A fair settlement is calculated based on your specific economic and non-economic losses. This includes the cost of ongoing psychotherapy, psychiatric medications, lost wages if your anxiety prevents you from working, and compensation for your pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Does Nevada workers' compensation cover PTSD?
Yes, but securing workers' compensation for PTSD in Nevada can be challenging. To qualify, you generally must prove that the PTSD was triggered by an extreme, extraordinary, or life-threatening event that occurred while on the job—such as witnessing a fatal workplace accident or surviving a violent assault. Standard, everyday workplace stress does not qualify for PTSD workers' compensation benefits.
What are the common signs of accident-related PTSD?
Victims of severe accidents often experience symptoms that interfere with their ability to function normally. Common signs include debilitating flashbacks or nightmares about the accident, severe insomnia, hypervigilance, and panic attacks. A major indicator of accident-related PTSD is avoidance behavior—such as a car crash victim being completely terrified to get back behind the wheel or ride in a vehicle.
How long do I have to file a PTSD claim in Las Vegas?
In Nevada, the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits—which includes claims involving PTSD—is generally two years from the exact date of the accident that triggered the trauma. Because PTSD can sometimes be a "delayed" disorder that takes months to fully manifest, it is critical to speak with an attorney as soon as you suspect you are suffering from emotional trauma so you do not miss this strict legal deadline.
A Lawyer From Paul Padda Law Can Help You
The stress and anxiety following a serious accident can greatly interrupt your life. PTSD is not merely a fear that develops after an accident. It is, in reality, a very serious medical problem that can get much worse if not properly addressed. The compensation that you can recover from the negligent party in your accident can include financial damages to help you address post-accident PTSD. Paul Padda Law understands how important recovering from PTSD can be for the victims of horrible accidents. Our firm is ready to take the necessary time to get to know you, the harm done, and what it will really take, so you can move on.
If you would like to speak with a skilled and compassionate lawyer about how PTSD after an accident is limiting your life, contact us at (702) 707-7000 today or via our online form to schedule a free, no-risk consultation.