Settlements for a catastrophic injury claim in Las Vegas tend to vary. But the average settlement ranges from $20, 000 to $75, 000. Catastrophic injuries can dramatically change the lives of victims.
They require significant medical assistance that results in considerable expenses. If your catastrophic injury results from the negligence of another person, you can seek compensation for it.
Working with a dependable personal injury attorney increases your chances of getting the biggest compensation award possible.
A great attorney will focus on getting what you deserve for your injury and losses. To find the right attorney to handle your case, click here.
What are Catastrophic Injuries?
Catastrophic injuries are serious personal injuries that lead to deformity and other life-changing consequences. They include serious physical injuries such as burns, amputation, and tissue damage, spinal cord injuries, as well as cognitive injuries.
Because of a catastrophic injury, you may suffer from a permanent disability, cannot go to work, require lifelong medications and assistance, have scarring, lose your vision, or require the use of assistive devices.
A catastrophic injury’s lifetime effects lead to considerable medical bills and pain and suffering. You and your loved ones need to live with the injury’s consequences for a lot of years. To ease your burden, you must obtain full compensation for your injury and losses.
Factors that Can Impact Your Claim
A catastrophic injury can lead to drastic consequences for you and your family. Factors that can impact your catastrophic injury claim include the following:
- The seriousness of the damage. Often, damages in catastrophic injury claims are larger than other injury claims due to the degree of damages you sustain. These damages may include lifetime support and are substantial medical expenses, loss of wages, and emotional damage compensation.
- Your recovery. Because of a catastrophic injury, you may not be able to work again. Thus, you may need compensation for life-long wage loss. Your future lost wages and medical needs can make up a big part of your settlement.
- The level of expertise needed to handle your case. For a judge or jury to decide a settlement amount for you, they need to have access to detailed medical documentation along with expert testimonies. Because catastrophic injury claims often entail huge payouts, parties at fault and their insurers will fight to reduce this amount. This is the reason you can only win your case if you have expert assistance. Although hiring a personal injury lawyer to handle your case is not a legal requirement, it’s highly recommended.
Common Catastrophic Injuries
When not treated properly, any injury can lead to catastrophic consequences. That is why victims must seek immediate medical attention after an accident. But in personal injury cases, here are the main types of catastrophic injuries:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). TBIs are injuries that occur when the head is subjected to a traumatic blow or jolt. A mild TBI can temporarily impact a victim’s way of life, and a serious TBI can cause permanent consequences. After a brain injury, you can experience learning difficulties, movement problems, speech issues, and behavior changes. The majority of serious TBIs require continuous treatment, sometimes for the lifetime of the victim. Aside from medical costs, TBI sufferers are at a higher risk of pneumonia, infections, and stroke.
- Spinal cord injuries. These injuries take place due to spinal cord trauma. This trauma can damage any aspect of your spinal cord or its nerves. Such kinds of injuries will impact each part of your life. It can minimize your ability to talk and walk. Sometimes, it can paralyze you below the neck.
Aside from the loss of movement, you may also experience pain, spasms, loss of bladder or bowel control, or breathing difficulty. If you lose your motor control, your life will be changed forever. Thus, you cannot perform even simple duties such as bathing, household chores, working, and driving.
Regardless of what caused your catastrophic injury, you must have a skilled lawyer on your side. The best attorney will seek the full amount of compensation you deserve for the catastrophic injury you suffered from.
Causes of Catastrophic Injuries
Sadly, accidents always happen, regardless of how careful you are. Catastrophic injuries commonly result from the following incidents:
- Motor vehicle accidents. Car, motorcycle, and truck accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries and deaths. Rollover accidents, high-speed crashes, and accidents that involve commercial vehicles can cause serious injuries like TBIs, amputations, and spinal cord injuries.
- Workplace accidents. Falls from heights, explosions, and machinery accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries. Workplace accidents usually happen in industrial facilities, construction sites, and manufacturing plants.
- Medical malpractice. If a medical expert commits medical errors like surgical mistakes, misdiagnoses, and medication errors, they can have disastrous impacts on patients. Medical malpractice victims may sustain permanent disabilities or require extensive treatment and ongoing care.
- Slip and fall accidents. These accidents can cause severe injuries, especially if a victim falls from several stories or if they hit their head on the ground. Slip and fall injuries can happen in public or private places with hazardous conditions, during sports events, and in amusement places like swimming pools.
Determining Your Damages
In a catastrophic injury claim, you may be able to recover the following damages:
- Economic damages. These are financial losses and expenses you can collect from the party responsible for your accident and catastrophic injury. They include lost wages, medical expenses, and out-of-pocket expenses.
- Non-economic damages. These compensate you for intangible damages like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of life enjoyment.
- Punitive damages. These damages are awarded to punish the at-fault party for their misconduct. They are usually sought if the actions of the negligent party were especially egregious or intentional. However, proving punitive damages can be quite challenging in catastrophic injury cases.
Your attorney can help you maximize your monetary recovery. Contact an attorney as soon as possible, so you can discuss the extent of your possible compensation. Also, this allows your attorney to collect all the necessary evidence to prove your damages.
