Catastrophic injuries lead to permanent damage and change the victim’s way of life for the foreseeable future. Catastrophic injuries can be caused by various events, including slips and falls at work, car or truck accidents, bicycle accidents, medical malpractice, and more. If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury, contact a qualified Seattle catastrophic injury lawyer today.
Enlisting the help of a skilled attorney as soon as possible can help you with the various legal challenges you may face in the aftermath of your accident. Besides filing claim paperwork, your lawyer can also negotiate on your behalf with insurance companies, advise you about settlement amounts, and be there for you during this challenging time.
Examples of Catastrophic Injuries You Can Sue for
Several types of injuries can be temporary when mild but catastrophic when severe. Some examples of catastrophic injuries include:
- Paralysis
- Limb amputation
- Facial disfiguration
- Nerve damage
- Loss of sight or hearing
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord damage
Being involved in an accident that leads to catastrophic injuries is a traumatic experience, and many victims struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder in addition to their physical injuries. Victims and their families suffer as they have to adjust their way of life to accommodate catastrophic injuries during recovery and afterward when the victim cannot return to life as before the accident.
Filing a Catastrophic Injury Claim
Although the last thing you or your family members want to do after a catastrophic accident is to fill out paperwork, it’s best to start working on filing a claim as soon as possible. According to Washington’s statute of limitations, victims have two years from their accident to file a personal injury claim. Filing a claim can be lengthy and confusing, so it’s essential to begin the process as soon as possible.
Contacting a catastrophic injury lawyer in Seattle shortly after your accident can also ensure that you have another pair of eyes on your paperwork and deadlines, so you don’t have to worry about your claim being thrown out due to missed information or due dates.
Seeking Compensation for Catastrophic Injuries
No amount of money can completely return a catastrophic injury victim to life before the accident. Obtaining the appropriate compensation not only allows you to pay for the expenses you have accrued since, but it also holds the guilty party accountable for their irresponsible actions. There are numerous types of possible compensation you can seek after a catastrophic injury, including:
Loss of Earning Capacity
If your injury made you unable to work, temporarily or permanently, you may be able to collect lost wages or loss of earning capacity damages. These can include both lost wages in the past and wages that you will not be able to earn in the future from work. In most cases, your lawyer can ask for lost wages that equal your standard hourly wage multiplied by the number of hours you have missed from your injuries.
Freelancers and self-employed people can also collect lost wages damages.
Past and Future Medical Expenses
Catastrophic injuries always require medical attention, which means medical costs accrue rapidly. You can receive medical expense compensation that covers both the past medical costs you were billed and those that come in the future. Catastrophic injury victims often need hospital stays, surgery, physical therapy, prescription medication, and in-home caretaking, and all of these can be covered by medical expense compensation.
Your lawyer can help you gather your medical bills to ensure you receive enough compensation to avoid paying out of pocket.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Loss of enjoyment of life damages is less concrete than lost wages or medical expenses, as it’s hard to put a dollar amount on your lower quality of life after the accident. If your catastrophic injuries prevent you from doing activities that used to bring you joy, such as walking your dog or playing with your kids, you may be able to collect sizable compensation for the loss of enjoyment of life.
Disfigurement
Many catastrophic injuries come with disfigurement, which can be just as painful emotionally as it is physically. If your catastrophic injury includes any type of disfigurement, your lawyer will fight to get additional disfigurement compensation.
Unfortunately, collecting damages isn’t as simple as your lawyer demanding money from the guilty party. You and your lawyer must first prove that the other person or people involved hold most of the blame for causing the accident.
Seattle Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Near Me
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If You Suffered a Catastrophic Injury, Contact Pacific West Injury Law Today
Suffering from a catastrophic injury can be one of the most stressful events in a person’s life, but you don’t have to face the legal process alone. If you’d like a free case review with a team of experienced and knowledgeable Seattle catastrophic injury attorneys, please contact us today!You need reliable, comprehensive legal representation if you sustained injuries and damaged your property in a fuel truck accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Contact us, and we’ll review your case at no cost.
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For a free legal consultation with a catastrophic injury lawyer serving Seattle, call:
