PTSD and emotional distress after an accident in Tucson: help now, claim later
If you are struggling, call or text 988. In Pima County the crisis line is also 1-866-495-6735, open to anyone, insured or not. For a claim, Arizona generally gives you 2 years to sue.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (33)
Who can I call in Tucson if I am struggling after an accident?
Start with a person. Call or text 988 at any hour. In Pima County you can also call Arizona Complete Health at 1-866-495-6735. Crisis services are open to any Arizona resident, regardless of health insurance coverage.
Fear is a normal reaction to trauma, and most people recover over time. You do not have to prove anything to ask for help.
If a crime was part of what happened, such as a drunk driver or a hit-and-run, Pima County Attorney Victim Services advocates are at (520) 724-5525, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tucson Police also lets crime victims register for case updates online with a case number.
How do I know if it is PTSD, and when does it start?
- Symptoms usually start within 3 months, sometimes later.
- A diagnosis requires symptoms that last more than 1 month.
- Flashbacks can come with physical symptoms, and some people avoid driving after a crash.
- Some people recover within 6 months. Others have it for 1 year or longer.
A provider can assess it with a structured interview and a questionnaire. No special equipment is needed. Ask for the notes in writing.
Can I get money for PTSD after a Tucson crash?
Sometimes. Arizona court decisions say a claim for negligent distress needs the distress shown as physical injury. Long-term mental disturbance can count as bodily harm. A lawyer reads your records against that rule.
A bystander has a harder path. The bystander must have been at risk of bodily harm, and must have a close personal relationship with the injured person.
Jurors are told to weigh past and future pain, disability, disfigurement and anxiety. A Tucson jury hearing an emotional distress claim is not bound by a legal cap on damages.
Can Pima County's victim fund pay for counseling?
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What can it cover? | Medical, counseling, lost wages and more. |
| Do I need a conviction? | No. The fund is the payer of last resort and no conviction is needed. |
| Where do I apply? | At the county attorney's office. In Pima County, the program is at 32 N. Stone Ave., 14th Floor, (520) 724-5525. |
| What about the person who caused it? | If the person is convicted, a court orders restitution in the full amount of the economic loss. |
What if someone I love died in the crash?
We are sorry. The Pima County Medical Examiner is at 520-724-8600. Option 2 covers questions and release hours. Families can check a case and request the report on the portal. It costs $2, and is free for legal next of kin.
A certified death certificate costs $20 a copy at Pima County Vital Records. A wrongful death claim has its own rules, and grief may delay it. Ask a lawyer about the deadline soon, not after the funeral.
How long do I have to file an emotional distress claim in Tucson?
| Claim against | Time limit |
|---|---|
| A driver or company | Generally 2 years to sue. |
| City or county | Notice in 180 days. Then one year to sue. |
| A child's claim | Time under 18 does not count. |
Questions
Do I need a diagnosis to bring a claim?
A diagnosis helps because it puts the condition in your medical record. A provider can assess PTSD with an interview and a questionnaire.
Is an emotional distress settlement taxable?
It is taxable when it does not come from a physical injury. If it comes from a physical injury, it is generally not, unless medical costs were deducted earlier.
How long until a case is decided?
Time to trial for a jury case averaged 27 months in the national figures we use.
Where can I get counseling in Tucson if I have no insurance?
Start with the crisis lines. Crisis services are open to any Arizona resident, regardless of health insurance coverage. The crime victim fund may also pay for counseling.
PTSD and emotional distress in Tucson? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (33)
- 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.”
- 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.”
- Pima County Attorney, Victim Services, checked 2026-11-09. “Advocates are available Monday thru Friday from 8am to 5pm”
- 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”
- 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”
- 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”
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation.”
- Tucson Police, Victim Rights Information, checked 2026-11-08. “You will need your case number and the victim's date of birth.”
- 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. “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. “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.”
- 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.”
- Arizona Constitution, article 2, section 31, checked 2026-11-09. “No law shall be enacted in this state limiting the amount of damages to be recovered for causing the death or injury of any person”
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, checked 2026-11-09. “resides locally in each of Arizona's 15 county attorney's offices”
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Compensation Program, checked 2026-11-09. “Pima County Crime Victim Compensation Program 32 N. Stone Ave., 14th Floor Tucson, AZ 85701 (520) 724-5525”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 13-603, checked 2026-11-09. “in the full amount of the economic loss as determined by the court”
- Pima County Medical Examiner, Decedent Status, checked 2026-11-08. “Please call 520-724-8600, Option 2, for questions and release hours”
- Pima County Medical Examiner, Case Search Portal, checked 2026-11-08. “Requesting a report costs $2 except for the legal Next of Kin or the investigating law enforcement agency.”
- Pima County, Order a Birth or Death Certificate, checked 2026-11-08. “Payment for the $20 processing fee for each certified copy”
- A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
- A.R.S. § 12-502, checked 2026-11-08. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
- 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”
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Civil Bench and Jury Trials in State Courts, 2005, checked 2026-11-09. “the processing of a case required an additional half year for a jury trial (27 months), compared to a bench trial (21 months)”