Catastrophic Injury Law

A catastrophic injury is defined as an injury that permanently prevents a person from performing gainful work; it leaves the victim with long-term disabilities without the possibility of full recovery.

Catastrophic injuries are often caused by car accidents and other types of unexpected accidents including falls, explosions and collisions, such as two football players colliding in a catastrophic sports injury. Injuries to the spine or burns that cover large parts of the body – common in catastrophic injuries – can cause a disruption to the central nervous system which then injuries other parts of the body.

Catastrophic injuries often place the family members of the injured person in serious financial and emotional distress. The cost of “economic damages” such as lost wages, rehabilitation, round-the clock care and other medical bills can be staggering. Not to mention the “non-economic damages” such as the loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional suffering, scarring and disfigurement that may affect the victim.

Common types of catastrophic injuries:

• Amputation
• Head trauma
• Spinal cord disorders
• Neurological disorders
• Organ damage
• Paralysis
• Eye injury
• Neck and back injuries
• Severe burns
• Multiple bone fractures

Catastrophic Injury Law

When a catastrophic injury is caused by the negligence or intentional act of another person or organization or by a defective product, catastrophic injury law is employed by personal injury lawyers to fight for justice and damages on the victim’s behalf. Catastrophic injury settlements seek to compensate victims for their lifelong disabilities.

Many state governments have imposed caps on “non-economic” damages. Learn about catastrophic injury lawsuits in Washington State here.

How do catastrophic injury lawyers determine the value of a catastrophic injury claim?

A catastrophic injury lawyer will assess and account for both economic and non-economic damages when determining the value of a personal injury claim. Every detail will be assessed from the specific losses involved in the person’s life such as playing baseball and raising a child to the loss of future wages. The goals of the settlement are to cover all medical, rehabilitation and care-giving expenses and give the person enough money to find new ways to enjoy their life with the understanding that no amount of money can help a person past emotional and mental anguish or make-up for the loss of a healthy spouse and parent.

Personal injury lawyers evaluate the specific factors in each victim’s case and compare the assessed claim value against the compensation awarded by local juries in other similar cases. The attorney will consider how a jury might react to victim testimony and build a compelling case with expert witnesses and prepared statements to give the best chance of a favorable settlement.

If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury through no fault of your own, you deserve justice. Contact an experienced catastrophic injury lawyer today!

The Seattle personal injury attorneys at Morrow Kidman Tinker Macey-Cushman, PLLC have years of experience representing families harmed by medical malpractice. We seek justice for patients who have been harmed by preventable medical errors including birth injuries, hospital-acquired infections and wrongful death in Seattle and across Washington State. There are no fees or expenses to file a personal injury case as we only receive payment if we recover damages on your behalf. Do not delay; personal injury claims come with a Statute of Limitations, which means they must be filed within a certain time frame of the injury.

Call us now at (206) 752-4366 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our compassionate, experienced attorneys.