Catastrophic injuries are extreme physical injuries that usually cause long-term disability. The associated costs of a catastrophic injury, from medical equipment to lost income, may be extensive, in addition to the personal and emotional trauma of suffering bodily harm.
A Palm harbor catastrophic injury lawyer may be able to help you pursue the compensation you deserve in the wake of a serious injury. A personal injury attorney could collect the evidence needed to measure your losses accurately, identify the responsible party, and demand fair compensation for the associated damages.
What Makes an Injury Catastrophic?
A catastrophic injury is a malady that irrevocably damages a person’s functionality. These can include injuries affecting a person’s mobility, internal organs, or even mental processes. For a catastrophic injury, no amount of treatment will ever see a complete remission from symptoms.
Common examples of catastrophic injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries such as loss of brain function
- Third-degree burns covering a significant part of someone’s body
- Spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis of limbs or stoppage of internal bodily functions
The resulting claims for compensation must accurately measure the impact of the injury, and demand appropriate compensation. A personal injury attorney in Palm Harbor might be able to help prove that an injury was catastrophic.
Demanding Fair Payments from At-Fault Defendants
In order to collect compensation, a plaintiff must establish that the defendant’s actions caused their injury. The most common way to accomplish this is to prove that a defendant was negligent. Negligence may apply when catastrophic injuries are the result of:
- Car, truck, or motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian or bicycle accidents
- Slips and falls or other incidents that occur on another’s property
- Medical malpractice
- Defective product claims
In these examples a plaintiff must prove a defendant’s actions violated their duty of protection, resulting in injuries. All drivers have a duty to drive safely and reasonably on the road, for example. If a defendant was driving recklessly and caused a collision that paralyzed a plaintiff, a jury may find them to be negligent.
Catastrophic injuries may also be the result of criminal activity. In a criminal situation, a defendant intentionally causes harm to the plaintiff, leading to a permanent injury. In these cases, the criminal charges and any civil claim for damages are separate. However, a conviction in criminal court may be powerful evidence of fault in a civil claim. A Palm Harbor catastrophic injury lawyer could help plaintiffs build cases against defendants for negligence or intentional harm.
A Palm Harbor Catastrophic Injury Lawyer May be Able to Help
Catastrophic injuries can affect your overall quality of life and leave you with a permanent physical or mental disability. Fortunately, there may be a pathway to financial compensation.
A Palm Harbor catastrophic injury lawyer could help you collect the payments you need to compensate you for your pain and suffering as well as offset the cost of medical care. Contact a Palm Harbor catastrophic injury lawyer today to explore your legal options.
