What Can I Do Legally About My Catastrophic Injury?
After an accident of any kind, from workplace injuries to truck accidents, all types of injuries can be a struggle financially and physically, as well as a massive disruption to living your everyday life. However, in the case of a catastrophic injury, the devastating truth is that your life will never be the same again. Changes in everything from the ability to keep your job up to and including the need for others to care for you physically are the potential impacts of a catastrophic injury.
Anyone who has been a victim of this kind of injury cannot truly be made whole again. However, the legal system provides a way for those who have been deprived of physical abilities and earning potential through no fault of their own to hold the ones who caused the injuries through their negligence to be held financially responsible. This can provide an essential lifeline for injured people to get the medical, financial, and systemic support needed for the most fulfilling and productive life possible. That’s why it’s vital to work with an experienced and compassionate catastrophic injury attorney like the team at William Enoch Andrews Injury Lawyer, PC, who can provide the information you need to get the best possible result you can.
What Counts as a Catastrophic Injury?
Unlike other categories of personal injury, such as motorcycle or car accidents, the phrase “catastrophic injury” doesn’t describe the vehicle or parties involved but rather the type of injuries sustained. Simply put, a catastrophic injury can be defined as any injury in which the individual who was injured suffers severe and long-lasting damage that prevents or impedes them from either working or enjoying their life to the same level as they were able to before the accident took place.
These types of injuries come in three overall categories. The first of those categories is physical injuries. While these types of injuries are common in personal injury cases, the types that are categorized as catastrophic injuries are much more severe and permanent. These could be related to the loss of limbs, severe burns of the second and third degree, severe or multiple bone fractures, the loss of senses such as vision or hearing, or damage to internal organs. All of these can permanently negatively impact productivity and fulfillment for the affected person.
The second category is spinal cord injuries. These are also technically physical injuries, but the impact of the injury is on the spinal cord, and therefore, they have a long-lasting effect on someone’s mobility issues. This can range from frustrating problems like chronic pain to intimacy disruptors like sexual dysfunction to partial or complete body paralyzation.
The third and final category is cognitive injuries. These are injuries most frequently to the head and brain that cause problems in brain function. This can manifest as anything from balance and spatial issues to memory loss, awareness, and language problems. These can devastate a person’s ability to work, communicate, and care for themselves.
What Types of Compensation Can I Receive for a Catastrophic Injury?
One of the reasons it is so vital for people with catastrophic injuries to partner with an attorney to handle their case is because those responsible for the injuries are resistant to fully cover the amount of money that is needed to provide the injured party the opportunities, equipment, and financing required for them to lead a life as close to productive and fulfilling as it had been previously. If you don’t have someone on your side to help you note every single cost, inconvenience, and life-altering detail, they will try to get away with giving you as little as possible.
For instance, most injured people know about some of the more obvious things that need to be paid for in the aftermath of a catastrophic injury, things like the medical bills that came from the injury and any therapy needed in the recovery process. However, not everyone realizes that medical bills will continue to come in the future. Once a case has been settled, if those costs have not been factored in, the injured person will have to cover them with no help from the responsible party.
Injured people often remember to ask for their lost wages due to the injury. However, they don’t always consider the lost earning potential in the future because of the permanent damage caused by the catastrophic injury.
Injury victims sometimes remember that they could have therapy and counseling covered in their suit. Still, they don’t realize that medical devices and alterations to their home and vehicle to accommodate their permanent injuries can also be included. These are just some of the many types of compensation that can and should be included in any catastrophic injury suit to ensure the injured party gets everything they could possibly need for their optimum recovery.
Do I Need an Attorney for My Catastrophic Injury?
As is the case in most kinds of law in the United States, you are not required to have an attorney for a catastrophic injury case. However, it is extremely important to stress that people who try to get a settlement from insurance companies without the help of an attorney risk missing out on full compensation.
The average non-attorney doesn’t know how to request medical tests, find evidence of wrongdoing or negligence, and know how to get the most for their injuries. Many of these things can also be time-consuming and expensive to acquire, issues that are taken care of by a competent and experienced attorney who has handled catastrophic injury cases before.
In the aftermath of a catastrophic injury, your priority should be getting back to as much of your regular life as you can to spend time recovering and enjoying time with friends and family. Don’t sacrifice your time and effort, risking a less-than-ideal outcome in your injury case by handling it alone. If you call the catastrophic injury team of William Enoch Andrews Injury Lawyer, PC, at 385-483-4703, we can get started right away, helping you build a strong, airtight case that finds and holds the parties responsible for your injuries to task and makes them compensate you for the injuries and struggles you’ve been left with after an accident. Don’t wait; give us a call today.
