If you are like many people, you probably consider even a minor injury a serious concern. This is normal because any physical impairment can significantly affect your life. But in terms of personal injury claims for damages, there are certain circumstances that can categorize an injury as catastrophic. If you sustained a catastrophic injury, you need one of the most experienced Philadelphia, PA personal injury attorneys to help you fight against an insurance company that may try to devalue or deny your claim, given the significant amount of compensation you may demand.
What are Catastrophic Personal Injuries?
A personal injury is considered catastrophic when it is serious and long-lasting. Typically, it leads to substantial and permanent disfigurement, permanent disabilities, or death. A catastrophic injury usually happens due to a serious car accident or medical malpractice, leaving a victim permanently disabled. However, there is no standard definition to determine if a personal injury is catastrophic. Often, the main distinguishing characteristic is when you sustain an injury that you cannot get or maintain a long-term job.
Common Kinds of Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries can result from different types of accidents including car accidents, truck accidents, workplace accidents, slip and fall accidents, bicycle accidents, defective products, and medical errors. They are due to another party’s negligence, recklessness, or carelessness. Examples of these injuries include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, serious burn injuries, and limb loss. These injuries require extensive and expensive treatment that could leave you in serious debt. Such debt can be exacerbated when you cannot return to work because of your injury. Similarly, these catastrophic injuries can negatively affect your quality of life and cause you to suffer from emotional problems. Thankfully, a skilled personal injury attorney can help you pursue a compensation claim that can cover all of your injury-related losses.
Impact of Your Catastrophic Injury on Your Personal Injury Claim
Claims for catastrophic injuries involve significant compensable losses. Possible damages in these claims include compensation for medical expenses, medical equipment costs, home healthcare assistance, lost wages, and rehab costs.
Often, medical and economic experts will present their opinions and analyses to help determine your course of care, the expected care costs, your inability to earn a living, and other aspects of economic damages. Also, your injury attorney will establish your non-economic damages through your testimony and the testimony of medical experts. They will determine the best legal strategy to employ to ensure you get maximum compensation for your losses.
