While many injuries that victims sustain in accidents typically heal over a period of weeks or months, there are also accident injuries that leave victims struggling with long-term and even permanent disabilities. These types of injuries are often referred to as catastrophic injuries. Because of the often devastating physical, emotional, and financial losses victims suffer, the financial compensation they receive is often substantial. This is one reason why these cases are usually more complex It is also why insurance companies typically fight much harder to deny the victims’ claims or do all they can to try to reduce any settlement amounts to less than what the victim deserves.
Some of the more common catastrophic injuries that the Hampton, Virginia accident attorneys at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp have seen include:
- Back injuries
- Brain injuries
- Burn injuries
- Disfigurement
- Dismemberment
- Electrocution injuries
- Fractured bones
- Neck injuries
- Paralysis
- Spinal injuries
- Wrongful death
Catastrophic injuries not only include physical injuries but also include emotional and mental injuries, as well. An accident victim who has had their quality of life drastically impacted often suffers from mental health issues that can also require long-term treatments, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Sleep disturbances
Determining the Value of Catastrophic Injury Loss
When a personal injury attorney is determining the value of a victim’s case, there are several factors they will look at. The first factor is how much medical treatment will the victim need in order to be made “whole” again or – in the case of a catastrophic injury – as close as possible. Included in this factor is how much of a physical and emotional toll this will have on the victim.
Another factor examined is how long the victim will be unable to work, if they will be able to return to their prior profession, or if they will be able to work at all. The attorney will also examine just how much of an impact the injuries have had on the victim’s overall quality of life.
While evidence for past and present medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses are readily available, the future medical care, losses, and needs the victim will have are not so readily available. The attorney will need to estimate what these will be, as well as include any unforeseen issues that may arise. This is why it is critical for victims who suffer catastrophic injuries to hire a Hampton, Virginia personal injury attorney who has extensive legal experience in these types of cases.
Call Our Hampton Personal Injury Law firm
If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury as a result of another party’s negligent or reckless actions, contact Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp. Our firm has more than three decades of experience aggressively advocating for victims and their families and will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
It is critical to remember that Virginia has a statute of limitations for how long victims have to file a claim for damages against those responsible for their injuries, so do not delay. Failure to file before that legal deadline could mean you lose any chance of ever filing your claim or getting justice against the person responsible for your or your loved one’s injuries.
Call our office today to schedule a free consultation with one of our Hampton, VA catastrophic injury attorneys. Our firm will work diligently to get you the financial compensation you deserve, just like the $60 million catastrophic injury jury award for one client who suffered traumatic brain injuries when a train derailed and crashed into the building the man was in.
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