PTSD and emotional distress after an accident in Houston: help first, then your claim
If you are struggling, you can call the Harris Center's 24/7 crisis line at 713-970-7000, or call or text 988. Under Texas law, mental anguish is usually recoverable when serious bodily injury occurs too. A claim for PTSD with no physical injury is much harder.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (22)
Where can I get help for PTSD after an accident in Houston?
You do not need a lawyer or a diagnosis to ask for help. The Harris Center's 24/7 Crisis and Access Line has counselors for mental health support. Dial 713-970-7000. The national line, 988, takes calls and texts too.
Fear after a crash or an attack is natural, and most people recover over time. PTSD symptoms usually start within 3 months, but sometimes later. Some people recover within 6 months. Others take a year or longer.
One hospital study of serious crashes found PTSD in 27.5 percent of patients at 6 months. If you avoid driving, have flashbacks or cannot sleep, tell your doctor.
Can I sue for emotional distress after an accident in Houston?
| Situation | What Texas courts have said | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| You were physically hurt | Mental anguish is usually recoverable when serious bodily injury occurs | Your claim can include fear, anxiety and sleep loss |
| PTSD with no physical injury | A Texas appeals court denied recovery to a crash passenger with PTSD and no physical injury | Much harder, and a lawyer should review it |
| You saw a loved one hurt | Courts weigh whether you directly perceived the accident and whether you were closely related | Bystander claims are narrow |
| Only careless behavior | Texas has no general duty not to negligently cause emotional distress | Mental anguish must connect to another legal duty |
That is why the physical injury in your file matters, even if it healed. It is often the link that lets the emotional harm count.
What proof shows PTSD or mental anguish in a Houston claim?
Texas courts want direct evidence of the nature, duration and severity of the anguish. Keep it concrete:
- Notes from your doctor or counselor, with dates.
- A short daily log of sleep, panic, flashbacks and missed work.
- Statements from family or coworkers who saw the change.
- Records of any avoided activity, like not driving on the freeway.
Assessment of PTSD needs no special equipment, and many providers can do it. Do not wait for a lawyer's referral to start treatment.
What if the accident was a crime, like a hit and run or DWI?
Houston has victim services that do not depend on a lawsuit. HPD's Victim Services Unit is 713-308-0080. The Harris County District Attorney's Victim Impact Statement tells prosecutors and judges how a crime affected you.
The state's victim compensation program can help with medical bills, counseling and lost wages. Texas confirms the crime was reported, the fund pays up to $50,000, and the deadline is within 3 years of the crime.
If you lost someone, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences Family Liaison Team is 832-927-5006.
Is money for emotional distress taxed, and how long do I have?
Money for emotional distress is taxable when it does not come from a physical injury. If it comes from a physical injury, it is generally not taxable unless you deducted medical costs earlier. Ask a tax professional.
The usual filing limit for a claim like this is 2 years. If a City of Houston vehicle was involved, written notice is due within 90 days.
Questions
Will seeing a counselor hurt my Houston injury claim?
No rule says treatment hurts a claim, and records of care can help show the anguish.
What if I was a passenger and not hurt?
In one Texas appeals case, a crash passenger with PTSD and no physical injury was denied recovery. A passenger's claim turns on the facts, so have a Houston lawyer review yours.
Can a parent claim anguish for a child hurt in a Houston crash?
Bystander claims depend on whether the person perceived the accident and was closely related.
PTSD and emotional distress in Houston? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (22)
- The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, Crisis Services, checked 2026-11-09. “The 24/7 Crisis and Access Line is always open with counselors available to speak with you if you need mental health support. Dial 713.970.7000.”
- National Institute of Mental Health, checked 2026-11-09. “In Crisis? Call or Text 988”
- Fitzpatrick v. Copeland, 80 S.W.3d 297 (Tex. App. 2002), checked 2026-11-09. “damages are recoverable in virtually all personal injury actions where serious bodily injury is inflicted”
- Fitzpatrick v. Copeland, 80 S.W.3d 297 (Tex. App. 2002), checked 2026-11-09. “We hold the trial court correctly granted summary judgment to Appellees that Fitzpatrick take nothing on her claim for mental anguish”
- Parkway Co. v. Woodruff, 901 S.W.2d 434 (Tex. 1995), checked 2026-11-09. “direct evidence of the nature, duration, and severity of their mental anguish”
- Texas Attorney General, checked 2026-11-09. “covering costs like medical bills, counseling, lost wages, and more”
- 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. “Although some people recover within 6 months, others have symptoms that last for 1 year or longer.”
- 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”
- Freeman v. City of Pasadena, 744 S.W.2d 923 (Tex. 1988), checked 2026-11-09. “sensory and contemporaneous observance of the accident”
- Freeman v. City of Pasadena, 744 S.W.2d 923 (Tex. 1988), checked 2026-11-09. “Whether plaintiff and the victim were closely related”
- Boyles v. Kerr, 855 S.W.2d 593 (Tex. 1993), checked 2026-11-09. “there is no general duty in Texas not to negligently inflict emotional distress”
- Boyles v. Kerr, 855 S.W.2d 593 (Tex. 1993), checked 2026-11-09. “A claimant may recover mental anguish damages only in connection with defendant's breach of some other legal duty.”
- Houston Police, Phone Directory, checked 2026-11-08. “Victim Services Unit 713 308-0080”
- Harris County District Attorney, Support for Survivors, checked 2026-11-09. “helps the criminal justice system understand the emotional, physical, and financial effects of a crime on victims and their families”
- Texas Attorney General, checked 2026-11-09. “We confirm that a crime happened and that it was reported to law enforcement.”
- Texas Attorney General, checked 2026-11-09. “The CVC Program can help cover costs up to $50,000”
- Texas Attorney General, checked 2026-11-09. “You're applying within 3 years of the crime”
- Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, Family Information, checked 2026-11-08. “Family Liaison Team (832) 927-5006”
- 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”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- City of Houston Legal Department, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “duly verified, within 90 days after the same has been sustained”