June Is National PTSD Awareness Month
What Injured Riders Need to Know About PTSD After a Crash
For many riders, the physical wounds from a motorcycle crash are only part of the story. Beneath the broken bones, road rash, or surgery scars, there’s often something deeper—and less visible—going on: emotional trauma. As we recognize National PTSD Awareness Month this June, it’s time to talk openly about a topic that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves in the motorcycle community: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after a crash.
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, Wisconsin’s Motorcycle Law Firm, we’ve helped riders across the state recover not just for the physical harm they’ve suffered, but also for the emotional and psychological injuries they carry with them after an accident. If you or someone you care about has been in a serious motorcycle crash, here’s what you need to know about PTSD, how to recognize it, and how it plays a role in a personal injury case.
What Is PTSD—and Why Does It Affect Motorcycle Riders?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. While PTSD is often associated with combat veterans or survivors of violent crimes, it can just as easily affect someone who’s lived through a severe motorcycle accident.
Motorcycle crashes are uniquely terrifying. Riders are vulnerable and exposed, often tossed from their bikes, pinned, or thrown into traffic. Even when a crash isn’t fatal, the experience can be intensely traumatic—especially if a loved one was seriously hurt or killed. Many riders replay the crash over and over in their minds, feel hyper-alert on the road, or struggle to even get back on a motorcycle.
Common PTSD Symptoms Riders Experience After a Crash
PTSD shows up differently for different people, but some of the most common symptoms among riders include:
Re-experiencing the Trauma
Flashbacks of the crash
Nightmares or disturbing dreams
Intrusive thoughts or sudden memories while riding or driving
Avoidance
Avoiding the crash site, riding altogether, or even talking about the accident
Skipping social events or rides with friends
Not wanting to see photos of motorcycles or crash scenes
Hyperarousal
Feeling constantly “on edge” or easily startled
Trouble sleeping or concentrating
Irritability or angry outbursts
Mood and Thought Changes
Feeling numb or detached
Difficulty finding joy in things that once mattered (like riding)
Guilt, shame, or hopelessness—especially if someone else was injured or killed
If you recognize any of these signs in yourself or someone you care about, know this: you’re not weak, and you’re not alone. PTSD is a real, diagnosable condition—and it’s treatable.
Why Riders Often Don’t Talk About PTSD
The motorcycle community is tough. Riders pride themselves on grit, independence, and resilience. But that strength can sometimes make it harder to admit when something’s wrong. Riders may downplay what they’re feeling or dismiss it as “just part of the ride.” That attitude is understandable—but it can also prevent healing.
At Wisconsin’s Motorcycle Law Firm, we’ve talked to countless clients who said things like:
“I can handle a broken leg—but this mental stuff? That’s been the hardest part.”
PTSD doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you went through something awful, and your brain is doing its best to make sense of it. Just like you’d get help for a crushed collarbone or a herniated disc, you deserve support for the mental impact too.
How PTSD Is Diagnosed After a Motorcycle Accident
If you think you might have PTSD after a crash, it’s important to talk to a medical professional—ideally a psychologist, psychiatrist, or trauma-informed therapist. Diagnosis typically involves:
A clinical interview
Discussion of symptoms and how long they’ve been present
Ruling out other possible causes (like brain injury or medication side effects)
The key is that PTSD symptoms usually persist for more than a month after the crash and interfere with your daily life, job, relationships, or ability to ride.
How PTSD Can Affect a Rider’s Life
For many riders, PTSD means:
Giving up the thing they love most: riding
Struggling at work due to loss of focus or panic
Becoming withdrawn from friends, family, or fellow riders
Battling depression, anxiety, or substance use as a way to cope
In some cases, riders may feel like they’re “not themselves” anymore—or that they lost a part of their identity the day they crashed. That emotional fallout is real, and it matters.
Can You Be Compensated for PTSD in a Motorcycle Accident Case?
Yes—and this is something every injured rider should know.
In Wisconsin, personal injury law allows you to seek damages for both physical and emotional harm caused by someone else’s negligence. That includes:
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Mental anguish
Loss of enjoyment of life
Costs of therapy, medication, and psychiatric care
To prove PTSD in a legal case, we typically work with:
Medical records from licensed therapists or doctors
Testimony from mental health professionals
Statements from family, friends, or coworkers who can describe changes in behavior
Your own honest account of what you’ve been through
You don’t need to suffer in silence. If PTSD has altered your life after a crash, that deserves to be part of your case—and we know how to build that into your claim.
Why PTSD Claims Require the Right Kind of Lawyer
Not every personal injury lawyer understands what it takes to prove emotional trauma in a motorcycle case. PTSD isn’t visible like a broken arm. It doesn’t show up on an X-ray. And it can be easy for insurance companies to downplay—unless your lawyer knows how to fight back.
At Wisconsin’s Motorcycle Law Firm, we don’t treat PTSD as a “side issue.” We treat it as a major part of the story when it is one. We've worked with riders who:
Needed ongoing therapy just to sleep again
Couldn’t ride after the crash—even when their physical injuries healed
Were forced to quit jobs because of anxiety or panic
We take time to listen, understand, and present your full experience—so the court or insurance adjuster doesn’t just see broken bones, but the emotional scars too.
If you want to learn more about how PTSD affects motorcycle crash victims and what your legal options are, check out our full page on the topic here:
👉 PTSD After a Motorcycle Crash
What to Do If You Think You Have PTSD from a Motorcycle Crash
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Talk to a Mental Health Professional
You don’t have to tough it out alone. A licensed therapist can help you process what happened and begin to heal.
2. Keep Track of Your Symptoms
Journaling your sleep, mood, triggers, and emotional shifts can help your provider—and your attorney—understand what you’re going through.
3. Talk to an Attorney Who Gets It
You need someone who respects motorcyclists, understands PTSD, and knows how to tell your full story to an insurance company or jury. That’s what we do.
4. Don’t Let Insurance Brush It Off
Many insurers try to treat PTSD like an “inconvenience,” not an injury. That’s where we come in. We’ll push back—and fight for full compensation.
You’re Not Alone — And You Deserve Help
This June, as the nation talks more openly about PTSD, we want Wisconsin riders to know one thing: you are not alone. If you’re struggling after a crash, we see you. We respect what you’ve been through. And we’re here to help.
Whether you’ve been battling flashbacks, riding anxiety, sleepless nights, or guilt that won’t go away—your mental health matters just as much as your physical recovery.
Get a Free, Confidential Case Evaluation
If you or a loved one is dealing with PTSD after a motorcycle crash, reach out today. Our case evaluations are free, confidential, and go straight to our inbox. If we can help, we’ll schedule a consultation. If not, we’ll point you in the right direction.
📋 Free Case Evaluation Form
Final Thought
As riders, we’re trained to watch the road ahead, prepare for danger, and stay in control. But when life throws you off the bike—literally—it’s okay to ask for help getting back up.
PTSD doesn’t make you less of a rider. If anything, facing it makes you braver than most.