Three years is Maryland's general deadline to file a crash lawsuit, but insurance will start attacking a PTSD claim long before that.

From the insurer's side, the script is predictable: no broken bone, no brain scan, no real injury. They will say your anxiety came from "life stress," not the wreck. If the crash happened during spring pothole season on a rough Hagerstown road, they may try to call it a minor jolt from bad pavement rather than a traumatic event. And if you were just a rideshare passenger, they count on you not knowing whether the driver's policy, the other car's policy, or the rideshare company's coverage should pay.

Reality is different. In Maryland, a passenger usually has a cleaner liability story because you were not driving. The real fight is proof.

The strongest evidence is:

• A formal diagnosis of PTSD, anxiety, or depression from a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist, or other qualified provider
• Treatment records showing symptoms started after the crash: panic, nightmares, flashbacks, avoiding cars, sleep loss, irritability
• Medication records and bills for therapy, psychiatry, or ER visits
• A short symptom journal tied to dates, triggers, and missed activities
• Work records showing missed shifts, reduced hours, or discipline after the crash
• Statements from family, friends, or coworkers describing the change they saw
• Crash proof: the police report, photos, 911 records, rideshare trip data, and vehicle damage

Bad advice says "wait and see" before getting mental health treatment. That hurts claims. Gaps let adjusters argue you were fine.

One Maryland-specific catch: the state does not recognize a stand-alone negligent infliction of emotional distress claim. So if you have any physical injury at all - even soft-tissue injuries, headaches, or concussion symptoms - make sure the medical record connects your psychological symptoms to that crash.

If the wreck involved an active Uber or Lyft trip, there is usually up to $1 million in rideshare liability coverage available during the ride, alongside possible claims against the at-fault driver and UM/UIM coverage. In a Hagerstown-area crash, reports may come from Hagerstown Police, the Washington County Sheriff's Office, or Maryland State Police, depending on where it happened.