Life-altering injuries come with lifetime costs that are often far beyond what victims and families can imagine. After the initial costs, there may be lifetime care and equipment, home modifications, and much more. Your quality of life, ability to participate in activities you used to enjoy and your relationships with your loved ones may be affected. You deserve full and fair compensation for all of it, and you’ll need the help of an experienced injury attorney to get it.
Examples of Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries are life-altering injuries. It is not uncommon to suffer more than one type of catastrophic injury in a serious accident, leading to more extensive complications and recovery time. Examples of catastrophic injuries include:
- Brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Amputation
- Multiple broken bones and fractures
- Organ damage or loss
- Respiratory damage
- Loss of use of a body part
- Neurological damage
- Paraplegia
- Tetraplegia
- Paralysis
- Vision loss
- Hearing loss
- Burn injury
- Crush injuries
- Severe scarring
- Terminal or debilitating illness
The Costs of Catastrophic Injuries
The initial coasts of catastrophic injuries are overwhelming, and families often make the mistake of accepting settlement offers from insurance companies in a panic long before they have any idea of the long-term costs and expenses they will face. Insurance companies pay as little as they can get away with. What may look like a great offer today, could leave you trying to figure out how you will pay for ongoing care and needs in the years or decades to come. An experienced injury attorney works with medical experts, financial experts and others to create a realistic estimate of how much you will need to pay for the life-time costs of your injuries.
In the beginning you face the costs of emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries and other treatments and initiating any physical therapy and other therapy. Over the course of your life you may also face ongoing expenses, as a result of your injury, such as:
- Medical equipment and supplies
- Additional procedures and treatments to treat the injury itself
- Medical care for secondary conditions and complications
- Ongoing rehabilitation and therapy
- Home health care
- Custodial care
- Home modifications to accommodate disability
- Transportation costs, which may include purchase and maintenance of a wheelchair van and lift
- Help with household needs and services you can no longer perform
- Long-term care in a nursing home or other facility
If you or someone you love has suffered catastrophic injuries in New York or Florida, McPhillips Fitzgerald & Cullum, LLP, can help. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.