Table of Contents
Catastrophic Injury Lawyers, if you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. These damages may include medical costs for therapy or rehabilitation, lost wages, and life-changing consequences.
If your injuries are severe enough, you may also be entitled to compensation for disfigurement. You may also have an increased risk of medical problems after a catastrophic injury. To get the best possible outcome, it is vital to hire an experienced catastrophic injury lawyer.
Damages
A Cleveland catastrophic injury lawyer will help you determine the value of the noneconomic and economic losses you suffer. Noneconomic damages are losses that cannot be measured by money, such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and mental anguish. Economic losses, on the other hand, are the costs you incur because of your injury. These expenses can include lost wages, medical bills, and future earning capacity. Punitive damages can be awarded in extreme cases.
Catastrophic injuries almost always result in long-term effects, including physical, mental, or psychological trauma. As such, you should look for a catastrophic injury lawyer who will fight for your future losses and damages. Catastrophic injuries are serious enough to cause lifelong disability and medical expenses that prevent the victim from earning a living. These types of injuries can also prevent a victim from being able to do the activities they once enjoyed.
Costs
Hiring a catastrophic injury lawyer is expensive. Even a simple medical malpractice case can require dozens of expert witnesses and thousands of pages of medical records. A lawsuit can last years, and expenses can add up quickly. Expert witnesses are expensive, too. Their work can cost up to $5 per page. Ultimately, these costs can add up to tens of thousands of dollars. If you are facing a large injury lawsuit, it is worthwhile to have an attorney.
Legal fees vary greatly, and you should be sure to consider this before hiring a lawyer. These costs are usually reimbursed from the final settlement amount, but some are unavoidable.
You may need to hire an expert in a particular field, and these fees can run from $200 or $300 per hour. Besides the attorney’s contingency fee, your settlement should also include medical liens and reimbursement of your expenses. However, if your case is worth millions, it is well worth the expense.
Inability to work
Workers’ compensation covers injuries to hands, feet, legs, arms, and other body parts that are considered scheduled.
The amount of benefits is calculated based on a standard rate of 55 percent of a person’s average monthly wage for a scheduled injury. This rate may increase to 75 percent in some cases. A catastrophic injury may leave the worker totally unable to work, forcing him or her to choose another career or lose the potential to earn money.
Many forms of work injuries are considered catastrophic injuries. These injuries cause such severe damage to the body that it makes it impossible to work for the rest of their lives. Some may never return to their job or end up in a lower-paying positions.
In addition to physical injuries, traumatic brain injuries are also considered catastrophic. These types of injuries require a person to be completely dependent on others for the rest of their lives, resulting in a diminished quality of life and a diminished sense of self-worth.
Life-changing consequences
Depending on the severity of the injury, a catastrophic injury may have permanent, life-changing effects. A person may require additional medical devices, aids, or care. In addition to the cost of medical care, people may require home care services.
Life-altering consequences can include changes in finances, such as reduced ability to work. In some cases, a person may have to rely on government benefits to pay for these expenses.
A catastrophic injury affects not just the victim, but the entire family as well. Often, a family member has to provide full-time care to the injured person, limiting his or her activities of daily life. In these cases, a family member may be entitled to compensation for their lost income. Unfortunately, most family members must leave work with reduced hours to provide for the injured person. It is a draining and taxing job, not to mention emotionally and physically.
