How to Identify a Catastrophic Injury
Catastrophic injuries can temporarily or permanently transform your ability to meet your everyday needs. There’s a good chance that if you’re contending with a catastrophic injury, you may no longer have the mobility or capacity to take care of yourself. Even if your injury will heal over time, you may need to rely on your community for immediate support. Some of the most common catastrophic injuries to go before Indiana’s civil judges include the following:- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis, temporary or permanent
- Amputations
- Burns
Medical Professionals Can Contribute to Your Return to Normalcy
Medical professionals play a key role in categorizing your injuries as catastrophic. It’s in your best interest to request that both emergency responders and your long-term medical team provide you with a written assessment of your losses. You can refer to that assessment when arguing for support from an insurance provider. You may also have the opportunity to file a written report of your losses alongside a personal injury claim should you wish to pursue one. An experienced catastrophic injury attorney in South Bend may even call on your medical team to testify should you need to take the party liable for your losses to trial.When to Meet With a Personal Injury Lawyer
There are no statutes obligating you to take legal action against the party responsible for your recent accident. It’s up to you to determine whether or not you want to move a civil case forward. That said, if you do want to take action, it’s in your best interest to meet with an attorney ASAP. You’re operating on a tight statute of limitations. Indiana Code section 34-11-2-4 gives you no more than two years to bring catastrophic injuries and related losses forward in civil court. If you miss your filing deadline, you may waive your right to fight for financial support. Vaughan & Vaughan offers parties in your position the opportunity to book a FREE personal injury case evaluation. These case evaluations do not force you to take legal action against the party liable for your accident. You can instead come, ask questions, and determine whether or not you want to move a case forward.We Can Help You Overcome Obstacles in and out of Court
Our team doesn’t want to worsen your financial stress after a catastrophic injury accident. That’s why we work on contingency. We only get paid for the services we offer you if we win your case. Even then, our contingency fee agreements protect your savings so you can focus on your recovery. We make every effort to tailor your legal experience to suit your needs. Do you want to avoid going to trial? We can ask a liable party to meet with you for private, out-of-court settlement negotiations. Would you rather go to trial? We can prepare you for litigation.How to Request Comprehensive Catastrophic Injury Compensation
You deserve comprehensive support for the losses you sustained in a catastrophic injury accident. The economic and non-economic losses we can integrate into a personal injury claim can vary depending on the specifics of your accident, but they can often include the following:- Ambulance fees
- Emergency room care
- Long-term medical treatment
- Pain management
- Mobility aids
- At-home assistance
- Replacements/repairs/rentals
- Lost wages
- Lost opportunities to return to work
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of enjoyment
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
Using Evidence to Assign Liability for Your Losses
If you want to name a particular party liable for your catastrophic injury accident, you need to have evidence proving that:- The party in question owed you a duty of care
- The party in question engaged in avoidable recklessness or negligence
- Said recklessness or negligence violated the duty owed to you
- That violation resulted in your economic losses