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Sandy Springs Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
Every day, millions of Americans suffer catastrophic injuries during car accidents, work accidents, surgical procedures, dog attacks, and more due to the negligence of another person. These victims often require ongoing treatment for traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, permanent nerve damage, major lacerations, the list goes on. Naturally, the medical expenses and lost wages associated with such serious injuries can lead to years of financial instability, on top of the physical and emotional strain of being permanently disabled or disfigured. The good news is that victims can seek compensation through a civil lawsuit, and a Sandy Springs catastrophic injury lawyer can help.
If you have suffered a catastrophic injury due to someone else’s negligence, you may have grounds to file a catastrophic injury lawsuit in order to recover a fair settlement. Our legal team understands how physically, emotionally, and financially devastating all personal injuries are, which is why we dedicate our lives to help our clients obtain justice from the at-fault party. Call 770-394-8909 to schedule a free consultation at our law firm today.
What Are Catastrophic Injuries?
Catastrophic injuries are serious injuries that generally result in life-altering harm and chronic pain. In many cases, this type of severe injury is often caused by someone else’s negligence.
Catastrophic injury victims often have to receive medical treatment for their disability and disfigurement injuries for the rest of their lives, which means that many victims rack up thousands of dollars of debt due to the combination of medical expenses and lost wages. Personal injury law allows victims to recover fair compensation from the at-fault party for their severe injuries. Sandy Springs catastrophic injury lawyers at Ashenden & Associates are passionate about helping catastrophically injured clients receive justice and a fair settlement for their suffering.
Common Types of Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries are those that result in permanent disabilities or disfigurements, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries (such as diffuse axonal injuries, subdural hematomas, etc.)
- Skull and facial fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck injuries
- Permanent nerve damage
- Partial or complete paralysis
- 3rd degree burn injuries
- Major skin lacerations
- Organ damage
- Vision or hearing loss
- Multiple broken bones
- Loss of fetus
- Amputations
- Any other type of injury that results in some level of permanent impairment
If you have suffered one of the aforementioned injuries due to someone else’s negligence, you may have grounds to file a catastrophic injury lawsuit.
Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries
Injured parties typically file catastrophic injury lawsuits after major accidents involving negligence. Below, our Sandy Springs catastrophic injury attorneys break down the most common causes of catastrophic injuries.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Auto accidents – such as car accidents, semi-truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents – are possibly the most common causes of catastrophic injuries in the United States. In fact, 4.8 million Americans suffered car accident-related injuries in 2020 alone according to data from the National Safety Council (NSC).
While modern technology has allowed us to construct fairly safe vehicles that save our lives on a daily basis, some accidents are just too catastrophic. It’s not uncommon for an injured party to suffer a traumatic brain injury, a spinal cord injury, or even organ damage due to a major car accident. Severe injuries like this can easily cause a victim to suffer permanent disability and disfigurement for the rest of their lives.
Dog Attacks
Most dog bite cases result in fairly minor lacerations that can be stitched up within a few minutes at the ER. However, there are severe dog bite cases that result in major facial tissue damage and even finger amputations. In fact, some dog attack survivors have to undergo multiple plastic surgeries to reduce the appearance of facial scarring and disfigurement.
Even after all these surgeries, the victims are usually left with noticeable scarring and the emotional distress from the original attack. These victims deserve to be appropriately compensated for their pain and suffering. A Sandy Springs personal injury lawyer at Ashenden & Associates can help these victims recover compensation from the negligent dog owner.
Medical Malpractice
Medical professionals have the power and knowledge to heal us from nearly every ailment. Unfortunately, they also have the power and knowledge to hurt us. Medical errors – such as medication errors, surgical errors, diagnostic errors, chiropractic errors, anesthesia errors, and more – can be the difference between life, death, or permanent disability for the average American.
Common examples of catastrophic injuries caused by medical negligence can include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, permanent nerve damage, and more.
If you suffered a catastrophic injury due to lack of proper medical care, you have grounds to pursue legal action. The legal team at Ashenden & Associates can help you recover financial compensation for your personal injuries.
Birth Injuries
Birth injuries fall under the legal umbrella of medical malpractice. When a medical professional commits a negligent action or inaction during the birthing process, both mother and baby can suffer life-threatening injuries. But newborn babies are the most likely to suffer catastrophic injuries during birth, and these injuries can definitely impair them for life.
Birth injuries that can result in lifelong disfigurement and/or disability include cerebral palsy, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), skull fractures, brachial plexus injuries, and more. Atlanta personal injury lawyers at Ashenden & Associates can review medical records in order to help you determine if medical malpractice caused your baby’s birth injury.
Workplace Accidents
More than 4.2 million Americans suffered injuries on the job in 2021 according to the National Safety Council (NSC). While the majority of these injuries were on the minor side, others fall into the catastrophic injury category.
Blue collar workers are most likely to suffer catastrophic injuries on the job because they work around heavy machinery on a daily basis. Construction accidents, slip and fall accidents, mechanical malfunctions, and harmful substances can all lead to permanent impairment or disfigurement. Georgia worker’s compensation insurance can only cover so much of the medical bills and lost wages. That’s why so many workers end up filing a personal injury or catastrophic injury claim in order to obtain a fair settlement.
If you suffered a catastrophic injury at work and worker’s comp is not enough to cover the damages, you may be eligible to file a catastrophic injury case. A Sandy Springs catastrophic injury lawyer at Ashenden & Associates can analyze the details of your situation and help you determine the best course of action.
Fires and Explosions
Fires and explosions most commonly happen in work or apartment buildings. Fires can happen due to poor wiring, malfunctioning electrical equipment, and even general carelessness. Most buildings have fire alarms and smoke detectors to notify occupants of the danger, but there are times when this safety equipment malfunctions. As a result, occupants can suffer severe burn injuries and smoke inhalation injuries. All of these scenarios are examples of negligence on behalf of the building owner or a careless coworker, for example. You can sue all responsible parties if a fire causes you to suffer physically, emotionally, and financially.
Explosions are less common than fires, but they can also happen due to negligence. For example, many jobs require workers to handle dangerous chemicals and electrical equipment. One careless or reckless move can lead to an explosion. Similarly to the fire scenarios, victims can sue if someone’s negligence led to an explosion and a catastrophic injury.
Violence
Acts of violence such as domestic violence, assault and battery, shootings, and more can lead to both criminal and civil cases. Criminal cases aim to put the violent individual behind bars, or at least punish them with a hefty fine. Meanwhile, civil cases aim to compensate the victim for their physical and emotional trauma.
If you suffered catastrophic injuries due to an act of violence, you may be able to recover appropriate damages through a catastrophic injury lawsuit. Contact an experienced catastrophic injury attorney at our law firm to get started on your case.
Personal Injury Claims vs. Catastrophic Injury Claims
It’s important to remember that while personal injury cases and catastrophic injury cases are similar, they have clear differences. Both types of cases fall under general personal injury law, but they differ in injury severity, case value, and recovery time. Below, our Sandy Springs catastrophic injury attorneys explain more.
Injury Severity
The first and more important distinction between the two types of civil cases is that personal injuries are not as severe as catastrophic injuries. The average personal injury case involves injuries that are definitely physically, emotionally, and financially devastating, but they typically don’t result in lifelong impairment. Meanwhile, catastrophic injuries are those that permanently debilitate the victim in some way. Oftentimes, catastrophic injury victims have to receive constant medical attention for the rest of their lives, while personal injury victims can go back to their normal lives once they’re healed.
Case Value
Another major distinction between catastrophic injury and personal injury lawsuits is that because catastrophic injuries are more severe, there is naturally more financial hardship. The medical care required is often more extreme and long-term. Additionally, many catastrophically injured victims can never return to work due to their level of impairment. Therefore, the average catastrophic injury case value is much higher than the average personal injury case.
Recovery Time
Lastly, physical recovery time is very different in the two types of cases.
In the average personal injury claim, the victim may fully recover from their injuries within a few months to a year. When they recover, they generally return to their normal level of physical, emotional, and cognitive functioning.
Meanwhile, complete recovery may not ever be possible for those who suffer catastrophic injuries. They may suffer physical, emotional, and cognitive disability for the rest of their lives. They may not be able to walk, speak, see, hear, eat, or go to the bathroom, even with the most extreme medical interventions our current technology has to offer.
Damages for Catastrophic Injuries
Our experienced catastrophic injury lawyers can help victims recover maximum compensation for two main types of damages: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are those that have clear monetary value, such as:
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future physical therapy bills
- Mental health counseling bills
- Past and future lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Expenses associated with necessary medical equipment such as wheelchairs, prosthetics, etc.
- Daily caregiving costs
Meanwhile, non-economic damages are those that don’t have clear monetary value, such as:
- Emotional distress (chronic anxiety, PTSD, depression, hopelessness, etc.)
- Physical pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent disability, disfigurement, and/or scarring
Georgia Statute of Limitations for Catastrophic Injuries
Because catastrophic injuries fall under personal injury law, Georgia’s statute of limitations is the same for both types of cases. Victims have two years from the date that the injury occurred to file a catastrophic injury claim. If you wait longer than two years to file a claim, usually it will be dismissed.
That’s why it’s so important to contact a Sandy Springs personal injury attorney as soon as possible after an accident. We can help you explore your legal options and move your claim forward before time runs out.
Call a Sandy Springs Catastrophic Injury Lawyer at Ashenden & Associates Today
If you have suffered a catastrophic injury due to someone else’s negligence, recovering compensation is possible through a civil lawsuit. Our legal team has more than 50 years of combined experience in helping our clients obtain the justice they deserve for their suffering. We recognize that no amount of money can reverse the damage done, but it can at least take the financial burden off your shoulders while you cope with your injuries. Call 770-394-8909 to schedule a free consultation with a Sandy Springs catastrophic injury lawyer today.
