What Makes an Injury Catastrophic?
Thousands of Americans are injured each year in all sorts of accidents. Some people, despite an initially devastating injury, heal and get back to living their lives. Others who suffer serious injuries can end up requiring around the clock care. These people are unable to perform the most basic activities of daily living, and they are unable to work to support themselves and their families.
A catastrophic injury is one that leaves an individual with permanent injuries and the need for long-term medical treatment.
A catastrophic injury typically has a major impact on the quality of life of the victim. It leaves the plaintiff with long-term issues such as chronic pain, disfigurement and/or scarring, the inability to sit, stand or walk, and a loss of intimacy. When a person barely survives a devastating injury and they are left with a broken body, unable to pursue the dreams they once had, no longer able to participate in the lives of their friends and family, and often in unrelenting pain – THAT is a catastrophic injury.
How much is a catastrophic injury worth?
Severe injury claims often lead to larger compensation amounts because the victims may require a lot more care and help. So your attorney will calculate your current medical expenses, your lost wages, estimate future earning capacity and how much it will cost to provide the daily care, the ongoing medical treatments, and other expenses such as retro-fitting a house to make it wheel-chair accessible. Then they will come up with an amount for the non-economic losses such as pain and suffering, disfigurement, severe emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. For married people, the spouse may receive compensation for loss of consortium.
The insurance company is also making these calculations. Your attorney will negotiate with the insurance company until they reach an agreement. If an agreement is not reached, your attorney may file a lawsuit, and a jury will decide on how much compensation you deserve.
When you have suffered a catastrophic injury caused by another person’s negligence, you may want to consult an experienced Memphis personal injury attorney at Bailey & Greer, PLLC. We will discuss your case and review your legal options based on your specific circumstances. Please contact us at 901-680-9777 today or fill out our contact form to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case and how we can get on the road to recovery right away.
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As founder of Bailey & Greer, R. Sadler Bailey has battled his fair share of insurance giants and wrongdoers and has achieved numerous multimillion-dollar results for the victims of catastrophic injuries and their families. What’s more, he has been involved in more than 40 appellate court decisions affecting Tennessee personal injury law, including many landmark appearances before the Tennessee Supreme Court.
Read more about R. Sadler Bailey