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Catastrophic Personal Injury Attorneys

“Catastrophic injury” is a term used for injuries that are permanent and/or cause lasting damage to your quality of life. Personal injury lawsuits involving these injuries often cover not only the physical suffering you or a loved one has endured but also the emotional trauma and financial burden that comes with a lifelong injury. Catastrophic injuries can be caused by a myriad of accidents caused by another’s actions.

Common catastrophic injuries include:

If you’ve suffered an irreversible injury after an accident due to someone else’s negligence or malice, please contact our personal injury attorneys in Orlando as soon as possible at (407) 712-7300 for a FREE case evaluation. Colling Gilbert Wright serve clients in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas.

Causes of Catastrophic Injuries

Auto accidents are the most common cause of catastrophic injuries, especially those involving commercial trucks and motorcycles. This is due to the immense size of the trucks and the vulnerability of motorcyclists. In Florida, bikers over the age of 18 aren’t required to wear a helmet, which often leads to severe brain injuries.

Catastrophic injuries can also be caused by:

This list of possible catastrophic injuries is far from all-inclusive, and the parties involved in these lawsuits typically include insurance companies. Insurance representatives are well-known for denying or delaying valid claims, which leaves victims and their families paying the astronomical cost of long-term medical care.

It’s important to file your claim as soon as possible to avoid any issues with Florida statutes of limitations and to ensure all evidence and documentation is gathered immediately.

Recoverable Compensation for Catastrophic Injury

Because these injuries come with a lifelong burden on you and your loved ones, there are many areas of compensation our lawyers can help you recover including:

  • Past, present and future medical expenses
  • Home modifications such as wheelchair ramps
  • Loss of income
  • Permanent disability
  • Chronic pain
  • Loss of quality of life

A Closer Look at Examples of Catastrophic Injury

Our attorneys fight for injury victims in a wide range of cases. Give us a call to see if we can help you. In addition to injuries to the brain, head, spine, organs and elsewhere, we handle cases involving less common injuries, such as burns and electrocution.

Severe Burns

Burns can easily become catastrophic. Their severity is rated in part by how deep the burn penetrates past the surface layer of skin. Serious burns cause scarring and disfigurement, which can be painful physically and emotionally, acting as a constant reminder of the trauma. Injuries of this nature typically require hospitalization – possibly lengthy hospitalization. Treating severe burns usually involves painful skin grafts. Psychological counseling should also be pursued to help the victim live with the mental and emotional trauma of the injury.

As injury attorneys, we handle cases in which the burns are linked to someone else’s negligence. These cases may arise from:

  • A defective product that causes a burn directly when the person attempts to use the product
  • Defective technology, devices, equipment or appliances in your home that ultimately start a home fire
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Defective electrical work or electrical equipment
  • Accidents, explosions or fires at the workplace
  • Unsafe construction site equipment or practices
  • Aviation accidents
  • Chemical spills
  • Explosions

Burns in these cases tend to fall into one of three categories:

  • Thermal burns, which are caused by extreme heat, i.e. fire, flame, scalding liquids or steam
  • Electrical burns, which are caused by electricity. This may occur when contact is made with defective or exposed electrical wiring
  • Chemical burns, which are caused by caustic substances that come in contact with the skin. Examples include ammonia, hydrofluoric acid and lye

Burns in the cases we handle are most often rated as second-degree or third-degree. In the former, the first and second layer of skin is burned (the epidermis and dermis).  In the latter, the burn extends to the layer of fat beneath the skin. Burns may also damage internal organs and bone.

Burns are very painful. They may require skin grafts, IV hydration to replace lost fluids, and antibiotics to prevent infection.

Electrocution

Electric shock is another type of injury sometimes linked to someone else’s negligence. In claims handled by our law firm, electrocution may have been caused by:

  • Defective products
  • Dangerous construction sites or other work sites
  • A car accident or construction accident that leads to contact with a high-voltage power line
  • Water pooled on a floor – perhaps in a commercial kitchen or industrial plant – while using an electrical outlet
  • Contact between metal and electricity, such as a metal ladder contacting an exposed electrical current
  • Contact with exposed electrical sources, i.e. wiring

With years of experience and an established network of resources, the experienced injury lawyers at Colling Gilbert Wright can determine if you have a case. We will review the details of the incident that injured you to discover if someone else is at-fault and, if so, if they can be held accountable by our attorneys.

Electric shock injuries can be catastrophic. The level of harm depends not only on the voltage of the current, but also the path it takes through the body. It’s possible for electrocution to injure skin, nerves, muscle, deep tissue, the heart and other internal organs. It can cause cardiac arrest under certain circumstances. Anything above 500 volts can certainly cause devastating injuries.

Electrocution may lead to:

  • Severe, painful burns
  • Seizures
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Deformity or disfigurement
  • Respiratory failure
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Permanent numbness and/or tingling
  • Muscle damage
  • Permanent hearing loss
  • Heart arrhythmia
  • Spinal injuries
  • Internal organ injuries

Medical care should be sought immediately after a high-voltage shock. Call 9-1-1 if the person has lost consciousness or is not breathing. Burns caused by electrocution should be treated as well.

Why Choose Our Orlando Personal Injury Attorneys?

In the event of a serious personal injury, it is crucial to retain legal representation from an experienced attorney who can protect you and your loved ones from further suffering. The Law Offices of Colling Gilbert Wright is known for our tenacity, and we are prepared to fight for you and the restitution you deserve for the injuries you’ve sustained due to the actions of someone else.

If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury, call our attorneys in Orlando today at (407) 712-7300 for a FREE consultation. Our Florida firm serves clients in Orlando, Florida and across the nation. 

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