Catastrophic Injury Attorneys in Chatom

Catastrophic injuries are a devastating outcome for victims and their loved ones. Families are often completely unequipped to handle the massive demands that come with a loved one’s catastrophic injury, and victims themselves often struggle to handle the mental stress of their injury. For these reasons and more, catastrophic injuries are often extremely expensive.

If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence, they may be liable for covering the costs that come with a severe and life-changing injury. The team at Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough, Howell, Huggins & Bradley is here to help you with your personal injury claim and fight for the compensation you’re owed. Call us at 251-847-2237 to schedule a consultation today.

Physical Demands on the Family

Catastrophic injuries place an enormous amount of physical stress on the victim and their family members. First, the victim often experiences a sudden change in their physical capabilities. They may be unable to walk unassisted, control their bowel and bladder, or help with household tasks. Suddenly, the rest of the family has to step in and take care of the chores and household obligations that the victim once took care of.

Additionally, family members often must step into the role of caregiver. This may include helping the victim get adjusted for sleep at night, using mechanical lifts to get the victim into a wheelchair each day, assisting them in the restroom, and taking care of their daily hygiene needs.

This type of work is very physically demanding, and family members often struggle to keep up. It puts a lot of wear and tear on the body and may lead to back injuries and chronic pain.

The Psychological Cost of a Catastrophic Injury

The psychological costs of a catastrophic injury cannot be ignored, but many people don’t stop to think about this aspect of an injury. First, consider the victim. They likely went from being a working and engaged family member to a family member who can no longer financially contribute and relies on others for their basic physical needs.

That sudden switch can easily cause depression, rage, and hopelessness in a victim. As time goes on and the reality of their situation sets in, it may get harder and harder to pull them from depressive spells. Ongoing therapy and mental health care will probably be necessary.

Additionally, the mental strain on family members can be enormous. Children of the accident victim often struggle with how to view their parent, since they may no longer provide financial or physical support. Children thrust into a caregiving role may struggle to understand their own role in their family and where they fit in.

The same is true for a spouse or other family member. Suddenly, they may lose half of the family’s financial support and half of the household help, not to mention the emotional support of a partner.

Financial Aspects of Catastrophic Injuries

In addition to the intangible costs, catastrophic injuries are also incredibly expensive. The affected victim may suddenly lose their source of income, putting their family into crisis mode. The medical care they need to reach their maximum level of improvement could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that’s before you consider the cost of ongoing treatment and therapy.

On top of that, catastrophic injuries often leave victims immobilized. Families may need to have entire sections of their home remodeled to accommodate their loved one’s wheelchair, mechanical lift, and other adaptive devices. This often includes building a ramp up to the front door, adding additional living space to the first floor, and widening hallways to fit a wheelchair.

This is why it is so important to discuss your catastrophic injury case with a personal injury attorney. It’s not just about money; it’s about how money can improve the victim’s quality of life and that of their family members. Victims deserve the chance to live as full a life as possible, which usually means extensive medical treatment, financial support for their lost income, and compensation for their pain and suffering.

Compensation for Your Financial Losses

The losses you sustain after a permanent injury are traumatic. There are clear financial losses associated with permanent injuries. They make up one category of compensation. This category includes medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. If you have a permanent injury, you’ve likely accrued some significant medical bills.

A full and fair settlement should pay for all of those. Additionally, you may have missed work while recovering from your car accident. Your settlement should repay you for the income you have already lost. Don’t forget property damage—if your car was damaged or totaled, you must be compensated for that as well.

Beyond that, though, you deserve additional compensation for what your injuries will cost you in the future. The medical expenses aren’t going to stop just because you have reached the point of maximum medical improvement (MMI).

It’s likely that you’ll need ongoing care because of your permanent injuries, whether you require surgery, physical therapy, pain management, or diagnostic work to track the progress of your injury. You should not bear those costs alone, and a settlement should give you what you need to cover those expenses.

Your future income will also likely be permanently impacted by your injury. If you have to give up your line of work completely, work reduced hours, or shift duties to lower-paying work, those losses compound over time. Your settlement should compensate you for the income you won’t be able to earn due to your injury.

Common Types of Permanent Injuries

The amount and types of damages you receive depend on the specific details of your crash and injuries. Some permanent injuries that may result from a car crash include:

• Traumatic brain injury. Depending on how well the brain heals, a TBI can be permanent.
• Spinal cord damage. Injuries that seriously damage the spinal cord could affect your health and wellbeing for the rest of your life.
• Whether an extremity is removed from the body during the crash or during a surgical procedure, amputation is a traumatizing injury that is likely to impact accident victims in many different ways.
• Serious bone fractures. Fractures that shatter or splinter the bone could leave victims with permanent limitations in their mobility.
• Disfiguring injuries. Even if a disfiguring injury does not cause a loss of skill, it can be very mentally and emotionally traumatic for an accident victim. This may lead to a loss of quality of life.
• Internal injuries. Damage to your organs can significantly affect your quality of life, lifespan, and overall health.

Discuss Your Legal Options with Our Team Today

If you or someone you love has suffered a catastrophic injury, don’t wait any longer to discuss your options with our team. We are here to help. Give us a call at 251-847-2237 or get in touch online to schedule a meeting.