When you or your loved one suffers a life-altering injury, you must adjust your expectations and adapt to new routines. You will need support from family, friends, and numerous professionals to be able to enjoy life.
Contact the dedicated personal injury attorneys at Colling Gilbert Wright for help. When other lawyers face the tragedy of permanent injuries within their own families and seek guidance from a compassionate DeLand catastrophic injury lawyer, they turn to us because they know we have unmatched expertise to ensure they receive the justice and compensation they deserve.
What Is a Catastrophic Injury?
In general, a catastrophic injury permanently changes a significant bodily function and prevents you from engaging in life in the same way you did before the damage occurred. Catastrophic injuries are usually physical, but a severe psychological injury may qualify in some circumstances.
Federal law defines a catastrophic injury as one that permanently prevents you from maintaining gainful employment. However, state law defines it as a permanent impairment caused by one of the following traumas:
- A spinal cord injury leading to paralysis of one or more limbs or your trunk
- A closed head or brain injury causing permanent changes in your cognitive function, sensory perception, motor abilities, or mood regulation
- The amputation of your limb, hand, or foot
- Severe burns affecting 25 percent of your body or five percent of your face and hands
- Complete blindness
- The loss of your reproductive organs
In some cases, an injury that does not fit precisely within the definition could still be classed as catastrophic for a specific person.
The definitions are important in medical malpractice and workers’ compensation cases, and when applying for federal disability benefits. However, our DeLand attorneys always focus on how a severe injury impacts your quality of life, regardless of whether the injury fits within the legal definitions. We strive to ensure that the compensation you receive adequately reflects the injury’s impact on your lifestyle.
Common Causes of Permanently Disabling Injuries
Life-changing injuries can occur in almost any context, and in most cases, harm could have been prevented if other parties had used reasonable caution. Common causes of catastrophic physical trauma include:
- Motor vehicle collisions, including car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian crashes
- Workplace incidents
- Medical malpractice
- Defective products
- Building collapses
- Falls
- Fires
When another person, company, organization, or government agency was primarily responsible for the incident, you could hold them liable for your injuries. Our DeLand catastrophic injury attorneys may investigate the occurrence and bring claims against any party whose conduct contributed to your physical trauma.
Damages Available in Catastrophic Injury Cases
People with catastrophic injuries often cannot work. Even when you could work despite your injury, your earning capacity is likely to be diminished. The injury may also have other significant impacts on your daily activities and overall quality of life. You deserve compensation for these losses.
Our catastrophic injury lawyers in DeLand could seek full reimbursement of all your past and future injury-related medical and rehabilitation expenses. You could claim damages for your diminished income and lost earning opportunities. You are also entitled to damages for the intangible impacts of your injury, such as emotional suffering, physical pain, and the lost ability to participate in activities you once enjoyed.
At The Florida Firm, we have an extensive record of obtaining significant compensation for people with catastrophic injuries. For example, we reached a settlement of more than $4 million for a worker who became paraplegic after an aerial lift failed and obtained a verdict of more than $12 million for another paralyzed survivor of a workplace accident. Additionally, we have obtained verdicts exceeding $1 million for a child who sustained a head injury in a car accident and for babies who suffered brain damage.
Get Help From Our DeLand Catastrophic Injury Attorneys
Catastrophic injuries radically change your life. A skilled DeLand catastrophic injury lawyer could ensure you receive compensation that reflects the seriousness of your impairment. Work with The Florida Firm to get compassionate and professional legal support throughout your recovery and beyond.
We offer free consultations and never accept money from you until we have won your case. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.