Is This a Catastrophic Injury Claim?
Being injured in an accident is serious, especially to the person who was injured. Even an injury that may be referred to as a “minor” injury can cause severe pain and cause you to miss work and incur several thousands of dollars in medical bills. It is very important to seek medical care after any accident, regardless of the severity or type of injury sustained. It is also important to seek the advice of an experienced personal injury attorney to ensure that you are treated fairly and receive the compensation you deserve from the party who caused the accident.
Catastrophic Injury Claims vs. Other Personal Injury Claims
Some personal injury cases are treated differently because of the type of injury sustained. Catastrophic injuries can impact the amount of money you receive for your personal injury claim because of the nature of the injury. For cases involving catastrophic injuries, the potential damages can be very high. These types of claims are treated differently because catastrophic injuries tend to cause permanent disabilities. In many cases, the victim may be unable to return to work and have ongoing medical expenses.
Examples of catastrophic injuries include:
- Paralysis
- Amputations
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Loss of vision or hearing
- Severe burn injuries
The above list is not an exhaustive list of catastrophic injuries. There is not a “list” of injuries that the law uses to determine if a claim is catastrophic. The designation mainly refers to the fact that the victim has suffered a life-altering injury that will have a permanent impact on his or her future. In addition, these types of injuries are typically very expensive to treat.
The future damages in a catastrophic injury claim can often reach into the millions of dollars, especially for a young person who will never be able to return to his or her normal routines and may never be able to earn the same amount of money he or she would have been able to earn had it not been for the accident and injury.
Filing a Catastrophic Injury Claim
Catastrophic injury claims must be handled differently from other types of personal injury claims. In many cases, expert witnesses are required to prove the cost of future damages, including medical care and loss of income. In addition, experts may be needed to explain the substantial impact that the injury has on the victim and his or her family. If you cannot establish the injury will result in ongoing and future damages, you may not receive all the compensation you deserve for your injury.
Hiring an experienced catastrophic injury attorney is crucial. Attorneys who handle these types of injury claims understand the evidence required to prove the high level of damages and future damages suffered by the victim. Furthermore, catastrophic injury attorneys understand the need for experts to substantiate damages.
The personal injury attorneys at Torem & Associates have the skills, experience, resources, and knowledge to handle catastrophic injury claims. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, we urge you to contact our office for a free consultation.
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