When you have been injured in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, it is essential to remember that seeking civil recovery is not just about compensation. It is about restoring you to your pre-accident condition, both financially and personally. If your injury was catastrophic and will never fully heal, holding the at-fault party accountable is crucial. A skilled personal injury attorney could provide the reassurance and confidence you need to navigate the legal process.
While filing suit over a catastrophic injury can still be essential to preserving your future quality of life, it tends to work differently in practice than standard personal injury claims. Therefore, you should strongly consider seeking help from a Lancaster catastrophic injury lawyer, a professional who is not only well-versed in handling the nuances of these cases but also has the expertise to guide you through the complex legal process, giving you the reassurance that you are in good hands.
A catastrophic injury results in severe disability or disfigurement and is expected to last for the rest of the injured person’s life. Common examples of catastrophic injuries include:
Usually, establishing that a particular injury is catastrophic indicates to a civil court or insurance company how severe an injury is, and it does not change how the recovery process works in a practical sense. One key exception to that is if someone with limited tort car insurance gets hurt in a car wreck, they may need to prove they sustained a serious injury to have standing to file suit over the incident. A Lancaster attorney could help a person through this legal process, providing them with the necessary information and guidance to understand their options for their catastrophic injury.
As with any other personal injury claim, a catastrophic injury lawsuit can demand compensation for economic and non-economic harm from the injury. With catastrophic injury cases, it is essential to identify and seek restitution for future losses that will not fully manifest until after the legal process ends, including details like:
A Lancaster catastrophic injury attorney could help build a comprehensive claim that accounts for all applicable damages.
Legal counsel could also help ensure that accusations of comparative fault do not unjustly reduce compensation to a person who has been hurt from a catastrophic injury. Under 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes § 7102, any percentage of fault a person is found accountable for their accident or worsening their injuries can result in a proportional reduction from their final damage award or even in being denied compensation altogether.
In addition, 42 PSA § 5524 generally allows people who have been hurt for two years at most to file suit after initially sustaining their injury. There are rare exceptions to this rule, even for people who have sustained catastrophic injuries in Lancaster, so seeking help from a skilled lawyer quickly after an accident can be vital to getting a good case result.
Being catastrophically injured under any circumstances is invariably a life-altering experience and one that no one ever deserves to go through. When you have been harmed through someone else’s negligence, you still have necessary legal rights that a compassionate attorney could help you enforce.
A conversation with a Lancaster catastrophic injury lawyer could give you confidence about your next steps and provide valuable answers to pressing questions about the civil recovery process. Call today to set up a consultation meeting.