Anxiety, PTSD, driving phobia after a crash — yes, it's a claim.

The common patterns we see

Psychological injury after a car accident isn't one thing. It shows up in a handful of recognisable patterns:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — intrusive memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, avoiding driving or specific roads, exaggerated startle response.
• Adjustment disorder — low mood, anxiety, social withdrawal in the weeks and months after the crash, in response to the disruption.
• Major depressive disorder — persistent low mood, loss of interest, fatigue, hopelessness, often associated with chronic pain from the physical injury.
• Anxiety disorders — generalised anxiety, panic attacks, specific phobia (often driving phobia).
• Driving phobia / vehicular anxiety — inability to drive, anxiety as a passenger, avoidance of certain roads or intersections. A specific phobia that can be debilitating, especially for work.
• Sleep disorders — insomnia, broken sleep, vivid distressing dreams.

Any of these caused by the accident is a recognised CTP injury.

Threshold vs non-threshold for psychological injury

Under MAIA 2017, "minor psychological or psychiatric injury" falls in the threshold ("minor injury") band. The legislation distinguishes:

• Threshold — psychological injury that does not meet the diagnostic criteria for a recognised psychiatric illness. Statutory benefits available; damages claim closed.
• Non-threshold — a diagnosed psychiatric illness (PTSD, major depression, adjustment disorder, anxiety disorder, etc.) under DSM-5 or ICD-11 criteria. Statutory benefits available; damages claim available where someone else was at fault.

The classification is heavily contested by insurers. A proper diagnostic assessment by a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist is the foundation. Where the diagnosis meets the criteria, the case for non-threshold is strong.

See threshold vs non-threshold injury for the underlying framework.

What CTP funds for psychological treatment

Initial assessment

• GP consultation and mental health treatment plan.
• Referral to a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist.
• Diagnostic assessment using standard criteria.

Active treatment

• Psychology sessions — typically weekly to fortnightly. Trauma-focused CBT, EMDR, and exposure therapy are the standard evidence-based treatments for trauma after motor accidents.
• Psychiatry where medication is needed — antidepressants, anxiolytics, sleep medication.
• Driving rehabilitation where driving phobia is the primary impact — graduated exposure with a driving psychologist or occupational therapist.
• Group programmes for chronic pain associated with depression.

Income support

Same statutory benefits as for any other injury — up to 52 weeks of weekly payments if the psychological injury is keeping you from work or working at full capacity. Including if you can't drive and your job requires driving.

The damages component for non-threshold psychological injury

Where the injury is non-threshold and the crash was someone else's fault (in whole or part), a damages claim opens up. For psychological injury, the damages claim typically includes:

• Past and future economic loss — income reduced or lost beyond the 52-week statutory benefits window.
• Future treatment costs — ongoing psychology, psychiatry, medication.
• Future care where the impact on day-to-day function is significant.
• Pain and suffering (non-economic loss) — only where the whole-person impairment from the psychological injury is assessed above 10%.

See damages claim explained for how the pieces fit together.

The 28-day rule still matters

Even where symptoms aren't yet clear, get the claim in inside 28 days of the crash. Psychological injury often surfaces weeks or months later — when the initial shock fades, when you try to drive again, when chronic pain wears you down. The CTP claim being open from day one means treatment funding is available the moment a clinician makes the diagnosis.

See the 28-day rule.

What to do

1. Talk to your GP. Tell them about the accident and any symptoms — emotional, cognitive, sleep, anxiety, avoidance. Ask for a mental health treatment plan if appropriate.
2. See a psychologist or psychiatrist early rather than waiting. Early intervention has the best evidence base for preventing chronic PTSD.
3. Keep a symptom diary. Useful clinically and for the claim. Note triggers, sleep, panic episodes, days you couldn't do something you would have done before.
4. Get the CTP claim in inside 28 days — even if you don't yet know whether the psychological side will become a major component.
5. Be honest with treating clinicians. Minimising symptoms (common) makes diagnosis and treatment harder, and weakens the claim.

What we do for you

We get the claim in and set up funding for the psychological treatment alongside any physical injury treatment. We push for non-threshold classification where the diagnosis supports it, and build the damages claim where someone else was at fault. We're also careful with the medical records side — insurers sometimes ask for broader disclosures than they're entitled to, and we narrow it down.

Take the short check at /check, or call (02) 7238 7379 and a real person picks up.