Marietta Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
Any type of injury can have a serious impact on a person’s life. Injuries sustained in car crashes, slip and falls, or even in assaults can cause you to need extensive medical care and miss significant time at work and may result in substantial mental anguish. Fortunately, most people are eventually able to make a recovery and return to full health.
However, there is a certain class of injuries that permanently affect the physical or mental functions of the human body. These are known as catastrophic injuries, and after someone suffers one, they are typically never the same again.
When plaintiffs file lawsuits that allege a catastrophic injury, the claim must demand compensation for not just the damages suffered to date, but also for the lifetime impact the incident will have on their lives. A dedicated personal injury attorney may be able to help with this endeavor. A Marietta catastrophic injury lawyer can engage in negotiations with insurance companies on your behalf to pursue maximum compensation.
What Makes an Injury Catastrophic?
Any injury can feel catastrophic. Even relatively minor incidents that involve personal injury can inflict substantial pain and require months to make a full recovery. However, the very fact that the injured individual does make a full recovery means that his injury was not catastrophic in the legal sense. In general, a catastrophic injury is one that permanently affects someone’s future ability to work.
Georgia law has defined catastrophic injury to include:
- Spinal cord injuries involving severe paralysis of a limb or the trunk;
- Amputation of a hand, foot, arm, or leg, or the loss of any effective use of that appendage;
- Brain injuries that result in loss of motor function, the ability to communicate, or consciousness, or episodic neurological disturbances;
- Blindness; or
- 2nd or 3rd degree burns over 25 percent of the body.
The effect that this categorization of an injury as catastrophic has on a personal injury case depends on where and when the injury took place. A Marietta catastrophic injury lawyer could provide further clarification in this regard.
The Special Cases for Workplace Injuries
Georgia’s statutory definition of a catastrophic injury mainly applies to cases involving workplace injuries, claims covered by workers’ compensation insurance. Whether or not an injury is catastrophic has a great impact on the types of benefits that a worker can claim. Even in the event of a workplace injury where workers’ compensation benefits are provided, a worker may still have a separate personal injury lawsuit if the injury was caused by a defective product or caused by a third party (not the employer).
Getting Help from a Marietta Catastrophic Injury Attorney
A catastrophic injury can happen at almost any time. Whenever this injury is another party’s fault, the injured individual has the right to demand compensation. This can be especially important when that injury will have a permanent effect on the injured party’s life. Even when these injuries happen while on the job, there could be a third party liable from whom you could recover in a personal injury lawsuit.
Whether the injury occurs on the street, in a store, or at work, an experienced Marietta catastrophic injury lawyer may be able to help. They understand the immense impact that these injuries have on not just the injured person but their families as well. A dedicated lawyer could work to demand compensation from the at-fault party or parties on your behalf. Call today to schedule a consultation and discuss your case.
