Unlike in Washington, where people often assume emotional injuries are harder to separate from the underlying crash claim, Alaska does allow recovery for anxiety, PTSD, depression, and fear for the baby when they flow from a physical injury collision. Your sister does not need a visible scar to have a real claim.

But the better question is: what proof is she getting right now?

Bad advice says "mental health claims are too subjective" or "a jury in Kenai won't buy panic attacks." That is wrong. What sinks these claims is usually thin records, not skepticism alone.

If she was pregnant when the crash happened - especially in a construction zone with lane shifts, flaggers, or heavy equipment - her file should document both the crash and the stress response:

• ER or OB records showing abdominal pain, contractions, bleeding, reduced fetal movement, or monitoring
• Fetal monitoring and follow-up prenatal visits
• Primary care, therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist notes tying anxiety, sleep loss, flashbacks, or depression to the crash
• Prescriptions for anxiety, depression, or sleep
• A simple journal of panic episodes, missed work, driving fear, and pregnancy-related restrictions

In Alaska, she should also make sure the crash was properly reported. A driver crash report generally must be filed with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles within 10 days if there was injury, death, or $2,000+ in property damage. If Alaska State Troopers or Kenai police responded, get that report number now.

If road work was involved, identify the contractor and preserve the scene fast. On roads like the Sterling Highway near Kenai, traffic control plans, flagger logs, and work-zone photos can disappear.

For a standard Alaska injury claim, the lawsuit deadline is usually 2 years. And if she was partly at fault, Alaska's pure comparative fault rule can still allow recovery, just reduced by her share of fault.