Emotional distress and PTSD claims in Scottsdale: help now and your options
If you are struggling after a crash, you are not alone. Call or text 988 for crisis help. Scottsdale Victim Services answers questions at 480-312-4226. In Arizona, a long-term mental disturbance can count as bodily harm in some claims, but a claim for negligent distress needs the shock to show up as a physical injury. A distress claim built on a crash generally has a 2-year deadline.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (29)
Where can I get help in Scottsdale after a traumatic crash or attack?
Start with whatever feels safest. If you are close to a crisis, contact 988 by call or text. Fear after trauma is a natural response, and most people recover over time.
If the harm came from a misdemeanor crime inside the city, the Victim Services Division of the City Attorney's Office serves crime victims. Its number is 480-312-4226. Families who lost someone to a death the Medical Examiner reviews can call the Family Advocate at (602) 506-3176.
How do I know if what I feel is PTSD?
Only a provider can diagnose it. A provider needs no special equipment to assess you well. A serious crash can leave a person unwilling to drive or ride in a car. These facts may help you talk with a provider:
| Question | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| When do symptoms start? | Usually within 3 months, sometimes later |
| How long before it can be diagnosed? | Symptoms for longer than 1 month |
| How long can it last? | Some recover within 6 months, others have symptoms for 1 year or longer |
| How common is it? | About 6 of every 100 people at some point in life |
| After a serious crash | PTSD developed in 27.5% at 6 months in one hospital study |
Can I sue for PTSD in Arizona if I was not badly hurt?
Maybe. Arizona has said a long-term mental disturbance can be enough bodily harm. For a negligent infliction claim, the shock or mental anguish must show up as a physical injury. That is a hard rule, and a lawyer can tell you how it applies to your facts.
If you saw someone else hurt, a bystander must also have been at risk of bodily harm, and must have a close personal relationship with the injured person.
Can crime victim compensation help with counseling?
Possibly. Arizona's fund can help pay for medical costs, funeral expenses, mental health counseling and wage loss. It is always the payer of last resort. You apply at your county attorney's office.
If a drunk driver caused the crash in Scottsdale, the City Attorney's Prosecution Division prosecutes misdemeanor DUI inside the city. The County Attorney's Office says a defendant can be ordered to repay a victim's financial loss as part of the sentence.
How many people are hurt in Scottsdale crashes each year?
In 2024, ADOT counted 4,219 crashes in Scottsdale, with 15 people killed and 2,113 injured. In 2023 and 2024 the city recorded 22 traffic deaths. Behind each number is a family dealing with what you may be feeling now.
If a city vehicle or property was involved, a notice of claim is due within 180 days, and you then have one year to sue.
Questions
How long do I have to bring an emotional distress claim?
Generally 2 years. A child's time under 18 does not count for private claims.
Do I need a diagnosis to claim?
A provider's records carry weight. A PTSD diagnosis requires symptoms that last longer than 1 month.
Does my own fault matter?
It reduces an award but does not bar the claim.
Does Arizona cap these damages?
No. These claims face no cap on injury damages, since the constitution bars one.
PTSD and emotional distress in Scottsdale? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (29)
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “In Crisis? Call or Text 988”
- City of Scottsdale, checked 2026-11-09. “please contact Scottsdale Victim Services Division at 480-312-4226 and ask to speak with an advocate”
- 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 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. “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”
- 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.”
- 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”
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation.”
- City of Scottsdale, checked 2026-11-09. “The Victim Services Division of the Scottsdale City Attorney’s Office offers various services to misdemeanor crime victims”
- Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, Information for Next of Kin, checked 2026-11-08. “The Family Advocate is available to speak with families, answer questions, and provide emotional support and resources.”
- VA National Center for PTSD, checked 2026-11-09. “A good assessment of PTSD can be done without the use of any special equipment.”
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “some people may avoid driving or riding in a car after a serious car accident”
- 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”
- 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”
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, checked 2026-11-09. “resides locally in each of Arizona's 15 county attorney's offices”
- City of Scottsdale, checked 2026-11-09. “The Prosecution Division is responsible for prosecuting misdemeanor and certain civil offenses that occur within the City of Scottsdale, including but not limited to domestic violence, assault, disorderly conduct, threats and intimidation, theft, city ordinance violations, DUI and other traffic violations”
- Maricopa County Attorney's Office, checked 2026-11-09. “If you suffered a financial loss as a result of a crime, the defendant can be ordered to reimburse you as part of the sentence imposed by the Court.”
- ADOT, 2024 Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, checked 2026-11-08. “| Scottsdale | 4,219 | 15 | 1,421 | 2,783 | 15 | 2,113 | 226 | 6 | 128 |”
- City of Scottsdale, 2024 Traffic Volume and Collision Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Twenty-two (22) total traffic fatalities were recorded in 2023 and 2024”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-09. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
- A.R.S. 12-502, checked 2026-11-09. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
- A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
- Ariz. Const. art. 18, § 6, checked 2026-11-09. “the amount recovered shall not be subject to any statutory limitation”