Catastrophic Injury Lawyers

Simple accidents occur daily. Sometimes the consequences aren't that simple, however. Individuals may slip and fall down a single step or a whole flight of stairs, particularly when railings are inadequate or defective. Reckless drivers cause injuries when they crash into another person's vehicle. Simple accidents aren't a major concern as long as individuals leave with only minor bumps and bruises. If you suffer major or catastrophic injuries, however, you may deal with pain, disabilities, and economic losses for the rest of your life.

Seemingly common accidents sometimes result in long-term medical care, ongoing medical expenses, lost income, and unexpected disabilities. When another person causes or contributes to your injury, that person should pay for your damages. However, negligent individuals or entities do not always step up and take responsibility for their actions. Therefore, it's up to you and a catastrophic injury lawyer to do what's necessary to make them pay.

Federal law considers any kind of long-term injury preventing a person from working as catastrophic. Yet, some injuries occur more than others. Some common kinds of catastrophic injuries include:

• Severe burns are not just really painful, but they can also be traumatic and produce life-long physical and psychological pain. Burns are classified as catastrophic when they cover much of the body and require reconstructive surgeries, skin grafts, and sometimes a medically induced coma to heal. Even with medical care, the risk of infection due to wide, deep burns is significant.
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are caused by an external force striking or penetrating the skull. These injuries are usually caused by a violent blow to the head or by an object penetrating the skull. Traumatic brain injuries often happen in serious car accidents, slips and falls, and workplace injuries. Brain injuries that are classified as catastrophic often mean that a victim experiences cognitive problems, like loss of memory and ability to focus; physical problems, like impaired coordination and balance and loss of motor functioning; hearing problems; vision problems; and behavioral problems, like depression, anxiety, and aggression. In situations with serious brain injuries, victims may experience a coma, a vegetative state, or death.
• Spinal cord injuries can be catastrophic because of how essential the spine is to the human body's operation. A traumatic spinal cord injury can happen due to a sudden blow to the spine during a car accident or slip and fall. A catastrophic spinal cord injury commonly causes long-term loss of strength, feeling, and function below the site of the injury. This might cause temporary paralysis or even permanent paraplegia or quadriplegia. In these situations, the injured victim will likely need extensive rehabilitation and assistive devices to return to some movement and independence.
• Serious orthopedic injuries such as crushed bones and fractures requiring several surgeries are also classified as catastrophic. A crushed bone or multiple fractures usually occurs when force or pressure is put on a body part. Sometimes these kinds of injuries are due to being stuck between two heavy objects in a car accident or a workplace accident. Crushed bone injuries are incredibly painful, might require multiple surgeries, and also run the risk of long-lasting problems.
• Amputation, meaning the loss of a limb or an extremity, is usually a result of a serious accident. An amputation often can not be repaired and may put the person's life at risk. Amputations are less common than most other catastrophic injuries, however when they do occur it usually means a lifelong disability for those whose amputations were a result of an accident.
• Long-term vision or hearing loss clearly creates a significant burden for those that experience these types of injuries. Therefore, vision and hearing loss are categorized as catastrophic. When a person no longer has the ability to hear or see, they face a lifetime of hardship, financial difficulties, pain and suffering, lost income potential, and independence.

If the court rules in your favor or you reach a settlement prior to litigation, you can receive damages for losses you (or your loved one) have sustained as a result of the catastrophic injury.

Examples of types of damages you can recover include:

• Present and future anticipated medical treatment costs, including ambulance service, emergency room visit, hospitalization, surgery, medication, ongoing treatment, and continued nursing care in a long-term care facility
• Lost wages and lost earning capacity to compensate catastrophic injury victims that can not go back to work or pursue future employment
• Home modification costs to make a house more accessible for an individual with a catastrophic injury by adding things like wheelchair ramps, handrails, and constructing a main floor living area for those who can not use stairs
• Expenses for replacement services a household has to use for tasks and labor the accident victim did before their injuries, such as a lawn care service, snow removal service, childcare, and a cleaning service
• Physical pain and suffering
• Psychological pain and suffering
• Diminished quality of life
• Loss of consortium with a partner
• Punitive damages in extreme cases of gross negligence or intentional harm