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A catastrophic injury can leave you in emotional distress and unsure of what to do. Your best chance to recover damages from the responsible party will come from working with an experienced personal injury attorney. Your lawyer will help you file a compensation claim in a timely fashion, negotiate a settlement, and, if necessary, build your case for trial. This can save you time and added stress while you work on your recovery to get back to your normal life.
If you have suffered a catastrophic injury and are considering taking legal action contact a personal injury lawyer at Ktenas Injury Lawyers. We have the experience you will need to file your personal injury claim, negotiate with insurance companies, or prepare for a lawsuit. Our Chicago catastrophic injury lawyers have a proven track record in getting fair compensation for clients, so contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation.
What is a Catastrophic Injury?
The state of Illinois does not have a particular definition for the term "catastrophic injury". It is generally used to cover serious damage to the brain, spinal cord, or internal organs. These injuries are most often major enough to require rehabilitation treatments, surgery, and in some cases lifelong medical treatment. Catastrophic injuries will often describe something that results in permanent disfigurement or disability. Common injuries that can be labeled "catastrophic" include:
- Traumatic brain injury: typically the result of forceful contact between the head and another object, leading to damage to the brain tissue
- Spinal cord injury: resulting from pinched or severed nerve bundles in the spine, leaving the victim with reduced or no control over their motions
- Soft tissue damage: injury to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments leading to swelling, bruising, pain, and, in severe cases, impairment
- Organ damage: forceful impacts can cause swelling of the internal organs and result in internal bleeding
- Hypoxia: resulting from insufficient oxygen reaching the brain, which can lead to permanent brain damage or death
- Burns: may be caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, or radiation. The most common causes are hot liquids, flammable liquids, steam, and heated gases
- Amputation: typically the result of severe lacerations through the skin, muscle, connective tissue, and bone; or massive crushing forces
Medical treatment for catastrophic injuries can often be difficult, painful, and very expensive. Many victims will require months or possible years of therapy and rehabilitation, and may still not be able to reach their previous level of mobility or function. Costs for long-term medical care can be extremely high, and without the proper compensation for your injury it will fall on you to cover them. At Ktenas Injury Lawyers we have the knowledge of catastrophic injury cases and the drive you will need to get fair compensation for your recovery process.
Costs Associated With Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries result in severe damage to the victim, and as a result, require intensive medical care. Injuries that result in internal damage will often require surgery, or multiple surgeries, to fully repair. The surgeries themselves can lead to further complications that will need to be treated.
Many victims of catastrophic injuries will face long-term or permanent disability and face continual medical care, rehabilitation work, physical therapy, and prescription medications. Due to the nature of the injuries, they may also be unable to work during their treatment or even after. This can lead to even greater financial distress, as they face mounting medical debt in addition to lost income.
This makes it especially important for you to work with an experienced lawyer who knows how to seek maximum compensation in personal injury settlements. Not only should you be compensated for your medical treatment, but also for the lost wages, the ongoing and future medical expenses, and more.
Catastrophic Injuries From an Accident
Everyday accidents happen just that, every day. Simple accidents usually result in little more that a bruise or scrape and are no big deal. In some cases, however, the results can be far more severe. A workplace injury can easily come from an innocuous seeming oversight from a manager. Driver negligence leads to car accidents every day across the country. A slip on the stairs could become much worse if the railing was installed incorrectly.
Most of us get away with minor fumbles or slips just about every day with the biggest injury being a bruised ego. But the truth is that many of those same incidents could easily have turned out much worse with a slight change in one or two of the factors. If that were to happen you could suddenly be looking at economic losses, pain, or even disability for the rest of your life.
When you suffer injuries due to someone else's fault, they should be financially responsible for your damages. In reality, it is rarely that simple, and getting an individual or entity to open their wallet may take some work. This is where retaining the services of a talented personal injury attorney in Chicago, IL, comes in. The right lawyer will know the process and have the experience you need to get compensation for damages caused by your accident. Contact our legal team at Ktenas Injury Lawyers to find out how we can help you.
Examples of Everyday Situations
Every day people are injured doing commonplace activities. They can have an accident in traffic, at work, or even out with friends. These injuries can often be due to a person or company failing to provide and maintain a safe area.
Catastrophic injuries can come from something as simple as a slip and fall to a car accident to a construction site accident. Because of the wide range of situations, these types of injuries can take place anywhere you can find people. Some common locations for accidents include:
- Parking garages
- Stores
- Nursing homes
- Private homes, apartments, or condos
- Hotels or motels
- Sports stadiums or concert venues
- Amusement parks
- Commercial office buildings
- Factories or similar industrial complexes
- Construction sites
Similarly, there are any number of situations that can result in catastrophic injury. They are often the result of negligence or a property owner's failure to maintain or repair their property. This can include:
- Unattended spills
- Floors or steps left in poor condition
- Inadequate lighting
- Heavily worn, buckling, or torn carpeting
- Poorly maintained surfaces
- Failure to remove or contain hazards
- Inadequate warning for known hazards
- Other types of construction accidents
Car Accidents and Catastrophic Injury
Car crashes are one of the most common causes of injury. In fact, according to the CDC 8 people are hospitalized for every 1 killed in an accident. Vehicle accidents can easily cause catastrophic injuries that lead to a severe loss in quality of life for the victim. The truth is that the vast majority of car accidents are preventable, and if you are involved in one that leaves you injured, the negligent driver should be responsible for both your economic and non-economic damages. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers have experience working on hundreds of car accident trials and know how to build an aggressive case to get fair compensation from the at-fault driver.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Catastrophic Injury Case?
Most people have no idea what to do after suffering a life-altering injury. Being guided through the process by a personal injury attorney can make all the difference in whether or not you get the compensation you deserve. An experienced attorney at Ktenas Injury Lawyers will help you build an aggressive case and clearly lay out your options while you focus on your recovery.
Our lawyers will investigate your case to determine the at fault party. This can include:
- Reviewing pictures and video from the accident
- Gathering and reviewing eyewitness statements to reconstruct the accident
- Analyzing your medical records
- Working with accident reconstructionists to analyze the accident and determine the at fault party
- Consulting medical experts to determine treatment and rehabilitation plans to determine fair compensation for future medical costs
After the investigation has been concluded our attorneys will help you formulate a plan to pursue a settlement or take the case to trial if necessary.
Work With a Chicago Catastrophic Injury Attorney
A catastrophic injury can leave you with loss of consortium and loss of enjoyment of life, in addition to the financial losses and medical issues you may face for the rest of your life. You may need legal representation to file a personal injury lawsuit to recoup fair compensation for your financial losses.
At Ktenas Injury Attorneys, we have helped Illinois catastrophic injury victims and their families recover compensation for their damages in hundreds of cases. Our personal injury attorneys have a track record of success in winning financial compensation for accident victims. We will work diligently on your behalf to hold the negligent party responsible for your injuries. Call us today or schedule an appointment online for a free case consultation.