Emotional distress and PTSD after an accident in Glendale, Arizona: help first, then the claim
If you are having a hard time, call or text 988, or call Arizona's crisis line at 1-844-534-HOPE (4673). It is open to any Arizona resident, insured or not. When you are ready, know that Arizona often ties emotional distress claims to a physical injury. A claim over emotional harm generally has to be filed within 2 years.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (35)
Who can I call in Glendale if I am struggling after an accident?
Start with the people who answer today. The 988 line takes calls and texts. Arizona's line is 1-844-534-HOPE (4673), and crisis services are open to any resident, with or without health insurance. The AHCCCS list gives Mercy Care, 1-800-631-1314, for Maricopa County.
| Where | What it offers | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Glendale Police Victim Assistance | Help with victim compensation and civil options when a crime is involved | (623) 930-3030 |
| Glendale Family Advocacy Center | A local place to call or visit | 6830 N. 57th Drive, (623) 930-3720 |
| City Prosecutor Victims' Services | Support for victims and witnesses of misdemeanors in Glendale | Through the City Prosecutor |
You do not need a lawsuit to ask for help. These are separate from any claim.
What does PTSD look like after a crash, and when does it start?
Symptoms usually begin within 3 months of the event, but they sometimes emerge later. PTSD is diagnosed only when symptoms last more than 1 month. Some people relive the event, with a racing heart or sweating. Some avoid driving or riding in a car after a serious crash.
Some people recover within 6 months, while others have symptoms that last a year or longer. Roughly 6 in 100 people have PTSD at some point in their lives. In one hospital study of people after serious crashes, 27.5 percent had PTSD at 6 months. That study is not about Glendale, but it shows how real this is.
Can I sue for PTSD in Arizona after a Glendale accident?
Often yes, when you also had a physical injury. For a negligence claim, Arizona courts have required that the shock or mental anguish show up as a physical injury. An Arizona appeals court has said that a long-term mental disturbance can count as bodily harm too.
If you saw someone else hurt, the rules are tighter. A bystander must have been in the zone of danger and must have a close personal relationship with the person hurt.
When the claim goes to a jury, Arizona's instruction lists past and future pain, disability, disfigurement and anxiety. Anxiety is part of the harm the jury weighs. Arizona's constitution bars caps, so a Maricopa County jury faces no ceiling on anxiety damages.
How do I prove emotional harm?
- See a doctor or counselor and say what you feel. Notes made at the time count.
- Providers may use a structured interview to assess PTSD. No special equipment is needed.
- Keep a short daily log: sleep, nightmares, panic, avoiding the road where it happened.
- Ask a family member or co-worker to write what they notice.
- Keep records of missed work and treatment costs.
Claims against a public body, such as a city vehicle or a city road, need a notice of claim in 180 days. Glendale's City Clerk takes the notice at 5752 W. Glenn Dr.
Who pays for counseling after an accident in Glendale?
The at-fault driver's insurer may pay in a settlement. Arizona's usual minimum liability coverage is $25,000 per person. Health insurance can pay as care happens, and Medicare must be repaid from a settlement.
If a crime hurt you, the county's compensation program helps crime victims and families with medical, mental health, funeral and wage loss costs. Arizona's program may cover counseling, and it is the payer of last resort. Decisions depend on program rules and available funding.
Tax note: settlements that do not come from a physical injury must be included in income. Payments for a physical injury are generally not taxable, unless medical costs were deducted earlier.
Questions
How long do I have to sue for emotional distress?
Generally 2 years. A claim against a public body needs notice in 180 days.
What if I had no physical injury?
That is harder in Arizona, because courts have required distress to show up as a physical injury. A lawyer can tell you how your own facts fit.
Is it normal to be afraid of driving?
Yes. Fear of getting back in a car after a serious crash is not unusual. If it lasts, tell your doctor.
PTSD and emotional distress in Glendale? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (35)
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “In Crisis? Call or Text 988”
- AHCCCS, Crisis Hotlines, checked 2026-11-09. “Crisis services are available to any Arizona resident, regardless of health insurance coverage.”
- AHCCCS, Crisis Hotlines, checked 2026-11-09. “1-844-534-HOPE (4673)”
- Keck v. Jackson, 122 Ariz. 114 (1979), checked 2026-11-09. “the shock or mental anguish of the plaintiff must be manifested as a physical injury”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation.”
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “Symptoms of PTSD usually begin within 3 months of the traumatic event, but they sometimes emerge later.”
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “a person must have symptoms for longer than 1 month”
- Glendale Police, Phone Directory, checked 2026-11-08. “Victim Assistance | (623) 930-3030”
- AHCCCS, Crisis Hotlines, checked 2026-11-09. “Maricopa County: Mercy Care 1-800-631-1314”
- Glendale Family Advocacy Center, Victim Assistance, checked 2026-11-08. “Superior Court resources and civil options”
- Glendale Family Advocacy Center, Victim Assistance, checked 2026-11-08. “call or visit the Glendale Family Advocacy Center at (623) 930-3720 ~ 6830 North 57th Drive, Glendale, AZ 85301”
- Glendale City Prosecutor, Victims' Services Program, checked 2026-11-08. “Victims and witnesses of misdemeanor crimes that occur within Glendale city limits are provided support through the City Prosecutor's Office Victims' Services program.”
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “reliving the traumatic event, including physical symptoms, such as a racing heart or sweating”
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “some people may avoid driving or riding in a car after a serious car accident”
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “Although some people recover within 6 months, others have symptoms that last for 1 year or longer.”
- VA National Center for PTSD, checked 2026-11-09. “About 6 out of every 100 people (or 6% of the U.S. population) will have PTSD at some point in their lives.”
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “PTSD developed in 27.5 % (n=101) and 24.3 % (n=77) of the population at 6 and 12 months respectively”
- Monaco v. HealthPartners of Southern Arizona, 196 Ariz. 299 (App. 1999), checked 2026-11-09. “a physical injury, as well as a long-term physical illness or mental disturbance, constitutes sufficient bodily harm”
- Keck v. Jackson, 122 Ariz. 114 (1979), checked 2026-11-09. “the plaintiff/bystander must himself have been in the zone of danger”
- Keck v. Jackson, 122 Ariz. 114 (1979), checked 2026-11-09. “must result from witnessing an injury to a person with whom the plaintiff has a close personal relationship”
- Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “The pain, discomfort, suffering, disability, disfigurement, and anxiety already experienced, and reasonably probable to be experienced in the future.”
- Ariz. Const. art. 18, § 6, checked 2026-11-09. “the amount recovered shall not be subject to any statutory limitation”
- VA National Center for PTSD, checked 2026-11-09. “Providers may use a structured or semi-structured interview”
- VA National Center for PTSD, checked 2026-11-09. “A good assessment of PTSD can be done without the use of any special equipment.”
- A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- City of Glendale, City Clerk, checked 2026-11-08. “623-930-2252, Option 1”
- A.R.S. § 28-4009(A)(2)(b), checked 2026-11-08. “(i) $25,000 because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident. (ii) Subject to the limit for one person, $50,000 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident. (iii) $15,000 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.”
- CMS, checked 2026-11-09. “because it must be repaid to Medicare when a beneficiary receives a settlement, judgment, award, or other payment”
- Maricopa County Attorney, Victim Related Information, checked 2026-11-08. “serves to assist crime victims and their families with crime-related expenses such as medical, mental health, funeral, crime scene clean up, and wage loss.”
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, checked 2026-11-09. “Victim Compensation may help pay for out-of-pocket expenses including: medical costs, funeral expenses, mental health counseling, wage loss, transportation costs, and crime scene cleanup.”
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, checked 2026-11-09. “the compensation program is always the payer of last resort”
- Maricopa County Attorney, Victim Related Information, checked 2026-11-08. “All decisions are based on program rules and the availability of funding.”
- IRS Publication 4345, checked 2026-11-09. “do not originate from a personal physical injury or physical sickness, you must include them in your income”
- IRS Publication 4345, checked 2026-11-09. “did not take an itemized deduction for medical expenses related to the injury or sickness in prior years, the full amount is non-taxable”