When Anxiety Causes Injury: What To Do Next Based On The Situation
Anxiety is a leading cause of mental health issues in the U.S.. However, it is an even bigger problem when the anxiety causes injury to others. There are a few ways that anxiety plays into these personal injury cases, and a personal injury lawyer can determine if you have reasonable cause for a lawsuit. Here are some common situations involving anxiety and personal injury, and what you can do next.
Your Anxiety Leads to Someone Else's Injury
This is a worst-case scenario. Your anxiety caused someone else around to to be injured. You should not be surprised to learn that you will probably be sued. In this case, you need a lawyer to defend you because you are dealing with a disorder that prevents you from thinking and behaving rationally when your anxiety is elevated.
Someone Else's Anxiety Leads to Your Injury
It is not exactly fair or right, is it? Someone gets all wound up, but you are the one that gets knocked over, slapped, or worse. You have the right to sue, since the person who caused your injuries clearly knew that he/she has this problem, and knew that he/she should have left the scene without hurting anyone. Assault is assault, period, and the assaulter should pay the victim. Ask your lawyer for the best advice in your case.
Your Anxiety Leads to Your Own Injury
Yeah, this one probably would not fly in court, unless you could prove that there were special circumstances in the situation. It is rare, but personal injuries resulting from accidents caused by your own high levels of anxiety do make for court cases. It usually ends up being a negligence case more than a case about your own anxiety (e.g., someone left several sharp objects laying around and you had a panic attack and fell unto the objects, cutting yourself in the process). Again, consulting with a lawyer will help you decide if there is something extraordinary about your case that would give you reason to sue someone else for your injuries.
Deciding Whether or Not to Reveal Your Mental Health Condition
In personal injury cases where a mental health condition contributes to personal injury, you and your personal injury lawyer will have to decide whether or not it is a good idea to reveal your condition. It could work for you, or it could work against you. Let a lawyer like Zohar Dan PA advise you in your situation.