3 Things To Do After Suffering A Catastrophic Injury In A Car Accident
Posted on: 14 January 2022
Riding in a motor vehicle is among the most dangerous things that a person will do on a day-to-day basis. Each year more than 5 million car accidents take place on public roadways. Many of these accidents cause injuries to the drivers and passengers of each vehicle involved.
While you might be familiar with personal injury lawsuits that can help you recover financial compensation for your injury, the process of pursuing legal action becomes even more vital when your injuries are classified as catastrophic. The help of an experienced car accident lawyer is essential to the overall outcome of any catastrophic injury case.
1. Identify What a Catastrophic Injury Is
There is no definitive legal classification system when it comes to personal injuries sustained in an auto accident. The lack of a written definition can make it difficult for a person to determine if their injuries might be considered catastrophic in a court of law. Any attorney that has experience working with car accident cases will be able to help you better understand the elements that elevate an injury to the catastrophic level.
The best way to differentiate between a standard and catastrophic injury is to evaluate the effect the injury will have on you in the future. Standard injuries may take some time to heal, but you will eventually make a full recovery. Catastrophic injuries (like spinal cord damage or a traumatic brain injury) are those that never fully heal and leave your life altered in permanent ways.
Because a catastrophic injury will have a larger long-term impact, your attorney will want to highlight your injury when asking the court to grant financial compensation.
2. Recognize the Consequences of a Catastrophic Injury
The amount of money that your attorney will seek in a personal injury case is directly related to the effects on your injury. There are fixed expenses that can be fairly easy to calculate. These expenses include medical treatment, lost wages, and physical therapy.
Other prices that you pay for a catastrophic injury are not so easy to assign a value to. You may experience lasting psychological harm. You could have a diminished quality of life as a result of your injury.
Your loved ones can also be affected by your catastrophic injury. Loss of consortium is a type of consequence that refers to a loved one's deprivation of your familial benefits, like the ability to give affection or engage in sexual intercourse.
The attorney handling your personal injury case will be able to help you evaluate changes in your lifestyle caused by a catastrophic injury to determine how much compensation you should be entitled to receive.
3. Identify Potential Future Expenses
Future expenses will play a major role in your catastrophic personal injury case. Your attorney will recognize that a serious injury creates the need for ongoing care, and they should incorporate these costs into your lawsuit.
Many people who sustain catastrophic injuries in a car accident require ongoing medical care and therapy. You may not be able to return to work, or you could have a diminished ability to generate an income after your accident.
It's possible that you will have to remodel your home to accommodate a wheelchair and that you will need to hire a home health nurse to assist in your care. All of these expenses are directly related to the car accident that caused your injury.
An experienced attorney can help you estimate the costs that will be associated with your future care so that you can request compensation for these expenses when filing a personal injury claim in court. Reach out to a car accident lawyer to see if you have a case.
Share