Southlake Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
While all types of physical harm are serious, catastrophic injuries are, by definition, debilitating, causing immense pain and leading to permanent disabilities. Catastrophic injuries are often more complex than others, requiring lifelong medical care and accommodations.
Therefore, you will likely face significant medical expenses when you sustain an injury like this. When another person is responsible for your injury, you should be expected to face these expenses alone. Fortunately, a hardworking personal injury attorney could help you pursue these costs through a lawsuit. Contact a Southlake catastrophic injury lawyer to learn about your legal options.
What Are Catastrophic Injuries?
Texas law does not specify what qualifies as a catastrophic injury; however, it is typically any extreme long-term injury or illness that requires significant medical treatment. Often, these injuries involve the following:
- Permanent disabilities
- Loss in quality of life
- Loss of bodily function
- Need for a caretaker
- Inability to work
Examples of severe injuries include blindness, hearing loss, traumatic brain damage, disfigurement, organ damage, and burns. A Southlake attorney who focuses on catastrophic injuries could provide insight into whether an injury justifies a legal claim.
What Expenses Can a Person Recover for a Severe Injury?
In Texas, people with catastrophic injuries can recover economic and non-economic compensation. Economic damages refer to easily measured financial losses, such as medical expenses or lost wages, whereas non-economic damages include pain and suffering, loss of consortium, or emotional damages.
Injured people can recover both types of damages for catastrophic injuries. Courts also refer to damages as compensatory and non-compensatory. Compensatory damages repay the injured person for money they expend to make themselves whole, and non-compensatory damages punish the wrongdoer for their negligence. Plaintiffs can recover both in Texas.
That said, Texas is a tort reform state, meaning the court caps the amount of compensation a plaintiff can collect. While economic damages have no cap, punitive damages cannot be more than twice the amount of the compensatory damages.
Depending on the cause of the injury, the court could limit the plaintiff’s recovery. For example, medical malpractice cases have limits. A hardworking lawyer in Southlake could explain how caps could limit the plaintiff’s recovery following a devastating injury.
Comparative Fault
Texas is a fault state, meaning the plaintiff’s recovery could be impacted when they contributed to their own injuries. Fortunately, Texas follows modified comparative law, so anyone who is 50% or less responsible for their injuries can still recover compensation. Consulting with a legal representative after a serious injury is crucial, regardless of who might be at fault for the incident.
Schedule a Consultation with a Talented Catastrophic Injury Attorney in Southlake
Severe injuries are complex: In addition to current expenses, you will have costs for ongoing care. Furthermore, you need to demonstrate your losses, comply with statutes of limitations, and understand recovery limits. Without that information, it can be challenging to determine whether a settlement offer is appropriate.
A Southlake catastrophic injury attorney can give you the information you need to proceed with any potential claims; they can help you determine whether the other party was at fault, discuss recovery limits with you, and evaluate the potential dollar value of your claim. Meeting with a legal team member gives you the knowledge you need to make the best decision possible. Call our attorneys today to schedule a consultation.