Catastrophic Injury Lawyers in Chesterfield, MO

Providing Aggressive Legal Representation for Injured Clients

Being a victim of a catastrophic injury often means your entire life is turned upside down, and future plans are suddenly replaced with uncertainty as you figure out whether you’ll be able to return to living a normal life after your injury. But what happens when your catastrophic injury is a result of someone else’s negligent actions? The attorneys at Mid-America Law Practice LLC explain what catastrophic injury victims may do to hold the negligent party financially liable for their losses and the key role an attorney can play in helping them secure fair compensation. If you would like to discuss your catastrophic injury case with an attorney, call Mid-America Law Practice LLC at 314-866-9556.

What Is a Catastrophic Injury?

A catastrophic injury is a type of injury that has a major and permanent effect on an individual’s physical condition and also deeply affects their emotional and financial well-being. Catastrophic injuries often require extensive medical treatment and long-term care. In some cases, they can even lead to permanent disability.

Victims of catastrophic injuries often experience drastic changes to their entire lives in a matter of moments. An accident of this magnitude typically results in physical, emotional, and financial hardships, leading to astronomical medical bills, unbearable physical pain, and psychological distress. Most catastrophic injury victims are unable to reach a point of full recovery and often live with some type of lifelong disability that affects them financially and emotionally.

What Are Some Examples of Catastrophic Injuries?

Common examples of catastrophic injuries include a variety of serious and life-threatening injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries, amputations, and severe burns. One of the most common types of catastrophic injuries is traumatic brain injury (TBI).

A traumatic brain injury happens when the normal function of the brain is affected by a sudden blow or trauma to the head. Symptoms of a TBI can include headaches, dizziness, seizures, confusion, impaired coordination, and difficulty with speech, memory, and cognition. The most severe types of TBI can be life-altering injuries that often lead to long-term impairments and can eventually lead to death.

Spinal cord injuries are another common example of catastrophic injuries, often leading to complete or partial paralysis of the body or arms and legs. Spinal cord injuries can be caused by falls, car accidents, sports injuries, or other types of trauma. Symptoms of a spinal cord injury can include loss of sensation, paralysis, difficulty breathing, and difficulty controlling bladder and bowel movements. Those who suffer a severe spinal cord injury may end up paralyzed and require long-term care. Many spinal cord injury victims need to undergo rehabilitation and need assistance to complete basic daily tasks.

Are Catastrophic Injury Cases Worth More Than Standard Personal Injury Claims?

A personal injury is an injury caused by another person’s negligence or intentional behavior. This could include a slip and fall accident, a car accident, or medical malpractice. Most personal injury victims are able to recover from their injury and return to living a normal life. In contrast, A catastrophic injury is a more severe type of personal injury that can have a permanent effect on an individual’s physical, emotional, and financial well-being. In other words, the effects of a catastrophic injury are almost always permanent in some capacity, and victims rarely make a full recovery, meaning they are not able to return to living the same way they did before their accident.

For these reasons, catastrophic injury cases may typically be worth more than other personal injury cases because the effects of the injury are more severe and long-lasting. Because catastrophic injury victims will likely be dealing with a lifetime of medical bills and emotional trauma stemming from their accident, there is a lot more on the line, and the damages they sustained are significantly greater than those of a person who sprained their ankle in a slip-and-fall accident, for example. Working with a skilled catastrophic injury attorney is critical for victims to protect their rights to maximum compensation.

How Much Time Do I Have to File a Catastrophic Injury Claim in Missouri?

A statute of limitations is a legal deadline that defines how long someone has to file a lawsuit or an insurance claim after an injury has occurred. This time limit varies from state to state. In Missouri, the statute of limitations for catastrophic injury cases is five years. In other words, victims of catastrophic injuries have five years from the date of the injury to file a claim. This time limit may be extended in some cases, such as if the victim was a minor at the time of the injury. However, in most cases, allowing the statute of limitations to expire on your claim almost always means you may be barred from seeking compensation, even if you have a legitimate claim.

Five years may seem like a long time, but in reality, it is almost never a good idea to wait for so long to take action. The longer you wait, the more difficult it may be to recover the evidence you need to prove that your catastrophic injury and resulting damages were caused by someone else’s negligent actions. If you were hurt in an accident that led to a catastrophic injury, take action as soon as possible and contact a personal injury attorney right away. The attorneys at Mid-America Law Practice LLC have represented many catastrophic injury victims in Chesterfield, MO, and surrounding areas and helped them secure fair compensation and hold the at-fault party responsible for their injuries. Contact us at 314-866-9556 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.