Injuries suffered from someone else’s actions can range from minor to serious. Being in a car crash or slipping and falling on an icy sidewalk may take a long time to heal from, but most people recover fully. However, when you or a loved one experiences a catastrophic injury, you often suffer life-changing pain and disability.
When facing astronomical medical costs, you need the Strong Arm of Georgia, John Foy & Associates, on your side. Rely on a Grayson catastrophic injuries lawyer from our team of legal experts to secure the compensation you need to face an uncertain future. In the past 20+ years, we have helped our clients obtain over $1 billion in settlements and jury awards.
What Is a Catastrophic Injury?
Catastrophic injuries often require multiple surgeries, extensive and specialized treatment, and lifelong medication regimens. They are injuries that cause severe damage and disability for a long time, even permanently. They most often involve the spine, brain, and skull but can also include other parts of the body, including:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Skull fractures
- Amputations
- Severe burns requiring skin grafts
- Loss of vision or hearing
- Organ damage
- Birth injuries
For all these instances, the effects are considered debilitating and often require round-the-clock assistance. Full recovery is often impossible, and the victims suffer a permanent and drastic change in their quality of life. In cases involving a child, the parents may face planning for their child’s care after they die. Economic and non-economic damages can easily add up to millions of dollars to cover the victim’s lifetime.
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Seeking Damages in a Grayson Catastrophic Injury Case
In addition to the economic damages you experience, such as medical bills and lifelong care, you can pursue non-economic damages from the person who hurt you. Non-economic losses are a way to recoup the loss of potential and enjoyment of life taken from you. A skilled catastrophic injuries lawyer in Grayson will ensure you have a full list of past, present, and future expenses that must be covered by your settlement or jury award.
Economic Damages
Common economic damages include:
- Full-time in-home care
- Costs of an assisted living facility
- Hospital bills for the ER, ICU, and surgeries
- Doctor visits
- Medical devices
- Physical therapy bills
- Lost income
- Household services such as lawn care, cooking, cleaning, and maintenance
Non-Economic Damages
Common non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Scarring
- Disfigurement
- Loss of bodily functions
- Loss of consortium with your partner
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety, PTSD, and other mood disorders
Keep careful track of the economic expenses you incur and collect your receipts in a folder. You can also begin a pain journal to record how you are feeling and your progress. Your attorney will help you obtain medical records and develop a full range of costs to include in your claim.
Catastrophic injuries can impact your ability to earn a living, provide for your family, and leave your children an inheritance. The effects and symptoms can increase and be more devastating over time. Having a trusted catastrophic injuries lawyer from John Foy & Associates can remove some of the stress and worry.
Types of Claims for Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries can happen anywhere, influencing how you pursue your claim. If the accident happens at your job, you may file a workers’ compensation claim, and your lawyer can assist you with completing the paperwork correctly and on time. If you are hurt in a car accident, a store, or someplace else due to someone’s actions, your could file a personal injury claim establishing their negligence.
If someone caused you catastrophic injury during the commission of a crime, you could file a personal injury lawsuit against them. This is separate from any criminal trial the person may face. Your lawyer can request evidence from that proceeding to use in your civil lawsuit.
Proving Negligence and Liability
For any negligence case, you must prove that the person to blame owed you a duty of care and that they failed in that duty. This duty is something we take for granted from others, such as expecting other motorists to drive safely. We expect store owners to maintain a safe place of business or employers to protect their employees.
When others breach their duty of care, you need the guidance of a qualified catastrophic injuries attorney in Grayson to prove they are at fault. You must show they had a duty, failed in that duty, that you suffered injuries from their failure, and that you face losses as a result. Gathering evidence of their negligence and proof of your injuries is critical to negotiating a settlement with their insurance company or convincing a jury that you have been harmed.
Evidence to support your case can come from several sources:
- Video from store security cameras or traffic cameras
- Photos of the accident scene
- Cell phone records
- Medical records
- Witness statements
- Police reports
- Expert witness testimony
- Driving records
Collecting evidence is best done right away before it is lost, damaged, or forgotten. Hiring a skilled catastrophic injuries lawyer immediately after your Grayson area accident is crucial so their legal team can get to work preserving details that will support your claim.
Georgia’s Statute of Limitations
In Georgia, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury negligence case is two years. If you wait to pursue your claim, you may lose your chance to seek compensation.
How Can a Grayson Catastrophic Injuries Lawyer Help Me?
When you suffer catastrophic injuries, your main focus is healing and facing your future. As you watch the bills pile up, you may worry about how you will cover all the expenses and get justice from the person who hurt you. Navigating the complex legal system is another burden you do not need.
A catastrophic injury lawyer will remove the stress and confusion about seeking damages and filing your claim. They can negotiate with insurance companies and opposing counsel, recommend doctors for your treatment, and contact medical experts to assess your prognosis. A good attorney takes the burden off your shoulders so you can recover.
When it comes to insurance settlements, the lawyers at John Foy & Associates have years of experience in pushing back against lowball offers to ensure you get what you will need. Catastrophic injuries can worsen over time, and accepting an offer or signing papers too quickly can make a huge difference in how much you receive.
Contact a Grayson Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Today
John Foy & Associates is known across Georgia as the “Strong Arm of the Law” because we fight hard for our clients and put pressure on insurance companies to settle quickly. We protect your rights and keep you from facing a long trial when you need to heal. If your case does go to court, you can rest easy knowing your Grayson catastrophic injuries lawyer will litigate aggressively for the justice you deserve.
Contact us today with our online form for a free consultation to discuss your claim and options.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form