If you were injured in an accident that was another person’s fault, you may have the right to compensation. But knowing whether your impairment qualifies as “catastrophic” can help you understand how much the case might be worth. Learn what qualifies as this type of harm, then contact a catastrophic injury lawyer for assistance.
Legal Definition of a Catastrophic Injury
Indiana Code 35-31.5-2-34.5 defines a catastrophic injury as one that is so severe it significantly impairs a person’s ability to live independently for at least one year. The code lists examples as those causing paralysis, blindness, deafness, or intellectual disability.
These injuries generally lead to long-term disability. They often require intense rehabilitation and therapy to recover from. Many times, accident victims never fully recover, experiencing lingering symptoms and limitations for the rest of their lives.
When a life-changing accident is the result of another person’s negligence, it can feel particularly frustrating and devastating. A catastrophic injury lawyer can help you pursue full compensation to attempt to make up for this devastating event.
Examples of Catastrophic Injuries
The legal definition of life-altering injuries is somewhat vague, and you may be unsure whether your wound qualifies. These are a few common examples of injuries often described in this manner that give rise to significant payouts in civil lawsuits:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Amputations
- Organ damage
- Loss of vision or hearing
- Severe burns
- Crush injuries
- Serious soft tissue injuries
- Internal injuries
Even if your condition is not on this list, you may be able to prove that it meets the legal definition.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) affect approximately 2.8 million people in the U.S. annually, leading to over 280,000 hospitalizations and 50,000 deaths.
How Having a Catastrophic Injury Can Impact Your Compensation
Why is it important to understand whether your condition qualifies as life-changing or significantly impairing? These cases often lead to higher compensation awards.
These conditions require more serious medical treatment than the average condition. They also require long-term treatment and other ongoing medical expenses.
Additionally, these injuries may give rise to more non-economic damages than the average accident. They severely disrupt your life, allowing you to claim damages like emotional distress, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life more easily.
Research indicates that the lifetime costs for a person with a spinal cord injury can range from $1.2 million to $5 million, depending on the severity of the condition and age at the time of injury.
If the at-fault party in the accident was acting recklessly, you may also have an easier time proving punitive damages if you can show that their behavior led to a life-altering condition.
Altogether, negligence claims involving devastating injuries tend to be worth more. Proving your impairment is life-changing can help increase your payout.
How To Prove a Catastrophic Injury
If a catastrophic injury lawyer believes your condition qualifies under this umbrella, they can help you file a claim or lawsuit to seek adequate compensation. Proving this type of case generally relies on medical documentation and testimony from medical providers about how your injuries have impacted your life.
Your medical provider can detail the life care plans that will be necessary for your well-being as a way to indicate your future medical expenses. You may need long-term therapy, home health, or other ongoing treatments. Your payout should account for these costs.
Mental health professionals can attest to the emotional impact of experiencing this level of severe impairment. Their testimony can help you claim pain and suffering and other non-economic damages.
Stewart & Stewart Attorneys: Your Catastrophic Injury Lawyers in Carmel, IN
If you want to prove that your condition has significantly impaired your life and claim the maximum compensation, you need experienced catastrophic injury lawyers on your side. At Stewart & Stewart Attorneys, we have helped countless accident victims across the Carmel, IN, area navigate these complex claims and increase their payouts.
Contact us today at (800)-333-3529 to schedule a free case review. If you work with us, you won’t pay any fees unless we win.