Differences Between Personal Injury Cases and Catastrophic Injury Cases
Personal injury cases and catastrophic injury cases are different in various ways. There are five critical differences between catastrophic injury cases and a personal injury case that can change the outcome of your claim.
Therefore, it’s essential to understand what to expect from each case and how to go about them. Hiring a personal injury lawyer from a catastrophic injury case might not be the best choice either.
Here is everything you need to know about both cases before hiring a lawyer.
What Makes Catastrophic Injury Different From Personal Injury
The difference between both injury cases is the damage sustained and pursued by the plaintiff. Here is a detailed look at the five critical factors that make both injury cases unique.
The Type of Injury Sustained
While a standard personal injury case proceeds through normal processes, catastrophic injury cases are much worse. The amount of damage sustained in a catastrophic injury case might cause the affected party to be permanently disabled or lead to brain damage. The affected person might lose his/her capability of returning to their routine life or become unable to perform their job. This might require a nurse for life, which complicates a catastrophic injury case. The recovery time of the person involved in a personal injury is shorter compared to catastrophic injury.
To file a catastrophic injury, you must prove that the affected party is permanently disabled, suffered brain damage, or cannot re-enter society. These cases are very sensitive and challenging to manage. Therefore, you shouldn’t hire a personal injury lawyer for a catastrophic injury claim.
Compensation in a Catastrophic Injury Case
Common injuries sustained in a catastrophic injury case are traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, amputations, severe burns, and vision or hearing loss. These are damages that the victim can’t recover from. Therefore, the compensation set for catastrophic injury claims is much higher.
Additionally, the at-fault party can face criminal charges if the accident is proved to be intentional. A lawyer is required to pursue this case and demand deserving compensation for the victim. This compensation will aid in medical costs, pain and suffering, and other costs that might incur in the future.
Recovery Time
Standard personal injury claim victims recover within weeks to months. However, catastrophic injuries are more serious. Therefore, the victim takes years to recover. In some cases, the victim goes into a coma and doesn’t recover or wake up.
The time a person takes to recover from a catastrophic injury depends on the severity of the incident and trauma. This also affects the statute of limitation for the case adding more complications.
Trauma Sustained
The significant difference between catastrophic and personal injury is the trauma sustained by the victim. The more severe the accident, the more significant the trauma. As a result, the patient takes more time to recover. Plus, the victim of a catastrophic injury requires psychological care as well. Therefore, the compensation is set much higher.
In addition, therapy counseling and medication accompany the victim of a catastrophic injury claim. The victim might need support for months and even years to recover from injuries. Therefore, the duration of a catastrophic injury case is much more than standard personal injury.
The Requirement of a Lawyer
Lawyers for personal injury and catastrophic injury are different. This isn’t because one claim is more challenging than the other. Instead, catastrophic lawyers have to attend courtroom meetings in place of their clients. Sometimes, people file catastrophic injury claims and fall into a coma. In this situation, the lawyer’s fee is based chiefly on a percentage cut of the compensation.
The lawyer is left to deal with everything and win a deserving compensation for the victim who cannot seek justice. Therefore, catastrophic injury lawyers have unique skills that set them apart from personal injury lawyers.
In rare cases, family members take the place of the victim to represent the case. However, catastrophic injury lawyers remain at the forefront in seeking justice for the victim. This means catastrophic injury lawyers incur more emotions and drama during the trial.
BP Injury Law – Legal Support For Catastrophic Injury Victims
Catastrophic injury cases are more severe than personal injury cases. However, this doesn’t mean you should file a catastrophic injury claim for a slip and fall injury. Unless you fit into the injury criteria mentioned above, you can’t file a catastrophic injury claim.
BR Injury Law has years of experience in seeking and winning justice for catastrophic injury victims. With a team of highly professional, helpful, and experienced attorney’s BP Injury Law wins the compensation you deserve. You can call us at 954-997-9947 and discuss your case. Or you can visit our website for more information.
