Columbus Catastrophic Injury Lawyers

Catastrophic Injuries: Severe and Complex

Defining “Catastrophic”

A catastrophic injury is one caused by sudden trauma that substantially results in severe disability and physical limitation. Examples of catastrophic injuries include:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), coma, multiple broken bones or compound fractures, spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis (temporary or permanent), limb amputation, internal organ damage, loss of vision, hearing, or other sensory loss and more.

Causes

Any violent trauma can cause a catastrophic injury. Catastrophic injuries can result from high-speed or violent vehicle crashes, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, defective products, slips/trips and falls, falls from heights while at work, or medical malpractice, to name a few examples.

Extended Recovery Times Means Extensive Medical Bills

The massive trauma that causes a catastrophic injury often results in near-death for the victim. Therefore, the primary responsibility of first responders and emergency room physicians is to perform life-saving functions and, in many cases, surgery. Medical personnel will turn their attention to the victim’s recovery after they stabilized the victim and immediate death is no longer a critical threat.

Catastrophic injuries generally require an extended recovery and rehabilitation period, especially if surgical procedures are involved. Many people are hospitalized for weeks or months after they emerge from intensive care and most who suffer a catastrophic injury are admitted to long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes or rehabilitation hospitals. The care at these medical facilities focuses on helping the victim build up strength and adapt to their injury, as in the case of an amputation or paralysis. Sometimes, the victim is comatose, and the victim’s family helplessly waits, hoping that the victim will regain consciousness. Some victims might experience long-term reduced cognitive or physical functioning.

Families also need to deal with the financial reality of the situation and try to heal emotionally as they grapple with an extremely difficult situation.

The Money You Need

In Georgia, victims of another’s negligence can collect economic (monetary) damages, including past and future medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, costs associated with medical treatment, such as expenses for medical equipment, transportation to doctors’ visits, construction or reconfiguration of the victim’s home, lost wages, loss of future economic opportunity, and more.

The victim can also normally recover general damages, including pain and suffering. Punitive damages are also a possibility if the defendant’s conduct rose to the level of gross negligence.

The exact amount of compensation you receive will depend on the unique facts and circumstances of your case, but rest assured that Montlick has 40 years of experience pursuing every avenue to get you the maximum amount of money possible. Find out today what your case is worth.