Experiencing an injury is one of life’s moments you never see coming. Between recovery time, extensive medical bills and major alterations to your daily life, injuries can be devastating for both you and your family. However, when the unexpected happens and it results in a catastrophic injury, it is important to understand what that means for your or a loved one’s life. The attorneys at MHM are here to help you pinpoint the differences between catastrophic and personal injuries so you can obtain the best possible outcome for your case.
Defining Catastrophic Injury
A catastrophic injury is a serious injury that has considerable impact on the victim’s lifestyle following the incident. These injuries can impair essential motor functions, cause a permanent physical or mental disability or lead to death. The most common examples of catastrophic injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries resulting in the damage of a person’s cognition, memory, emotions or sensations;
- Paralysis of the lower extremities or entire body from immense damage to the spinal cord;
- Amputation of one’s leg, arm, hand or foot;
- Severe burns causing mobility issues or disfigurement; and
- Wrongful death.
Common Catastrophic Events Leading to Injury
Whether you are on the job, driving on a sunny day or having a surgical procedure, catastrophic injuries can happen anywhere and under any circumstance. The most common catastrophic events include:
- Vehicular accidents
- Fires and explosions
- Slips and falls
- Bike riding accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Defectively manufactured products
Do I have a Personal Injury or Catastrophic Injury Case?
Catastrophic injury cases can have serious injuries involved following an accident. Here are common characteristics of a catastrophic injury case that our attorneys will pursue.
Compensation
Catastrophic injuries often include future medical expenses, long-term earning loss, medical devices and additional pain and psychological issues that persist through life. The amount of compensation is determined after these damages are assessed. An insurance company or defendant is more likely to fight your claim than agree to a settlement. Our attorneys will be fighting the insurance company’s attempts to underestimate future damages.
Damages and Impact on Families
After a catastrophic injury, your family may have to adjust their lifestyle to meet you or a loved one’s needs and the overall impact can be devastating. From loss of earnings after being on an extensive leave from work to purchasing in-home assistance devices to piles of medical bills, an injury leaves more expenses behind for families to address.
Length of Disability
Many catastrophic injuries cause life-long damages. Victims typically experience permanent losses or disabilities that affect them for the rest of their lives. This could also lead to a longer period away from work or an inability to return to work due to a disability.
Types of Testimony
Claims for catastrophic injury tend to be more complex than a typical personal injury case. You will need testimony from experts who can speak on all aspects of your claim for damages. These experts include medical and scientific experts about the injury, occupational and psychological therapists, rehabilitation experts and economic experts to assess your financial damages.
Your Catastrophic Injury Attorneys
When situations happen and life gets stressful following a catastrophic injury, our experienced attorneys seek to pursue justice by consulting experts to prepare your case for trial. We fight to help you gain justice for the devastation you and your family experienced. Contact our catastrophic injury attorneys to help guide you through your case.