If you were in a terrible personal injury accident and are trying to recover, you may be wondering if you have the necessary components of a personal injury case. It may surprise you to find out that you were actually in what is called a “catastrophic accident.” This is still a type of personal injury but it is much more severe. When you work with a lawyer, they will want to go over everything that happened to you and look at what you are suffering from after you have been in the accident. Your injuries will be a very good indication of how catastrophic the accident was. When this is the case, you may be looking at more compensation if your claim is successful. 

What qualifies as a catastrophic injury? 

Are you wondering if you have been in a catastrophic accident? Often, when a person is in an accident with a truck, they will face catastrophic injuries. As lawyers understand, catastrophic injuries cause people to need serious medical treatment to recover, or partially recover, from their injuries. Some catastrophic injuries could be: 

  • Burns
  • Loss of limb
  • Brain or spinal injuries
  • Reproductive injuries 
  • Serious physical and emotional injuries

If your lawyer believes that you have a case for a catastrophic injury claim, they will want you to get examined by a doctor to determine the extent of the damage and how much recovery is possible. For example, if you were in an accident and damaged your brain so severely that you never fully recovered, you may not be able to care for your family the way you used to, whether it is emotional care or being able to go back to work. On the other hand, if you are suffering from physical injuries, you may have lost a limb or may have ended up in a wheelchair and this can cause you to be unable to return to your previous job. 

Would I get more compensation in a catastrophic personal injury claim than a typical personal injury claim? 

Absolutely. If you are successful in your catastrophic injury claim, you may be able to get more damages for things like lost wages, lost future income, medical bills, and future additional care. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident, a judge may also choose to award punitive damages if the liable party’s actions were especially egregious. 

For more help with your catastrophic personal injury claim, reach out to a local law office to set up your consultation.