Catastrophic injuries are almost always disabling and sometimes disfiguring. They occur without any warning and may require extended periods of hospitalization, complicated corrective surgeries, extensive physical and occupational therapy, lengthy stays in a rehabilitation center, and the possibility of needing a full-time caregiver to assist with the activities of daily living. The financial burdens of a catastrophic injury are staggering, long-term, and life-altering. These disastrous injuries can ultimately mean a life of dependency.
But with help from the North Miami Beach catastrophic injury lawyers at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, you can recover enough compensation to regain as much independence as possible—enough, if things go right, to pay for medical treatments, physical and occupational therapy, attendants, accessibility renovations for your home, and devices like wheelchairs and prosthetics. Call Dolman Law Group now and empower yourself to regain control over your life.
The Consequences of a Catastrophic Injury
Catastrophic injuries involve entire family units. At Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, we believe no spouse, child, or parent should have to shoulder the financial burden of someone else's negligence.
If someone else is responsible for your:
- Permanent disability
- Loss of a bodily function
- Inability to hold a full-time job
- Need for specialized assistance
- Need for adaptive equipment
- Need for a lifetime of medications
- Disfigurement
Our lawyers can help you understand your legal rights and build a strong catastrophic injury claim that allows you and your family the prospect of maintaining the standard of living you enjoyed before the accident. Contact us for your no-obligation consultation.
Common Causes of Catastrophic Injury
- Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents - The head and spinal column are at high risk of injury in high-speed impacts. When an accident throws a rider or driver from their vehicle, serious brain and spinal cord injuries can take place.
- Pedestrian accidents - Walkers have absolutely no protection from the vehicles on the roadways. When a vehicle hits a pedestrian, serious and even fatal injuries, such as head, neck, and spinal trauma, can occur.
- Unsafe or dangerous properties - Property owners may be held liable for injuries caused by unsafe property conditions, Slip and fall accidents can cause serious head injuries.
- Defective Products - If a defective product causes catastrophic injury, manufacturers, designers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers might be held liable.
- Medical Malpractice - Surgical errors, anesthesia mistakes, birth injuries, and malpractice during childbirth can have catastrophic results and lifelong complications.
- Sports injury - According to an article published by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons: “pole vaulting, gymnastics, ice hockey, and football have the highest incidence of direct catastrophic injuries for sports in which males participate”, and “cheerleading is associated with the highest number of direct catastrophic injuries for all sports in which females participate.” According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, cheerleading was directly responsible for 65 percent of catastrophic injuries to female high school athletes.
- Boating accidents - Jet Ski riders are subject to a significant risk of serious injury, especially in crowded waterways. Jet skis do not provide their riders with any protection when involved in a collision with another watercraft.
- Bicycle accidents - A cyclist is largely unprotected and highly vulnerable to injuries. Some possible injuries include fractures, facial injuries, cerebral hemorrhage, and back and spinal cord damage.
- Wrongful death - a wrongful death claim is filed on behalf of the deceased's eligible survivors as compensation for their loss. Under Florida law, a personal representative of the deceased's estate may file a claim. This includes the decedent's spouse, children, parents, and possibly any blood relative, or adopted siblings who were totally dependent on the deceased for support.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries
A catastrophic Injury completely alters a person's life.
The legal team at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, has handled hundreds of catastrophic injury cases for individuals in the North Miami Beach area, including:
- Birth Injury
- Traumatic amputation
- Spinal cord injury
- Facial injury
- Nerve damage
- Paralysis
- Neurological damage
- Crush injury
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Organ damage
- Loss of sight (acquired blindness)
- Loss of hearing (acquired deafness)
- Severe burn injuries
Catastrophic injuries may affect any or all of the body's systems. Damage to the major internal organs (heart, lungs, spleen, bowels, kidneys, liver) can cause:
- Malfunction of the central nervous system
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Urinary dysfunction
- Respiratory distress
- Circulatory problems
- Excretory malfunction
- Damage to the reproductive system
- Neurological disorders
Injuries to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine are all considered severe spinal cord injuries and can lead to:
- Weakness or loss of motor functions
- Paraplegia (loss of feeling in the legs and pelvic area)
- Excruciating pain
- Quadriplegia (paralysis of all four limbs)
Blows and injuries to the head (traumatic brain injury) can cause:
- Memory problems
- Speech impairment
- Cognitive impairment
- Communication issues
- Seizures
- Cranial nerve damage
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage
- Coma
- Multiple organ failure
A person with a head injury, however, may appear normal after a short period of recovery but have a concussion that can lead to more serious injuries.
Damages in a Catastrophic Injury Case
Catastrophic injuries are those on the high end of the spectrum.
They cause lasting disabilities such as:
- Personality change
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Memory loss
- Inability to concentrate
- Inability to handle financial affairs
The worst of these injuries are the ones that permanently impact a victim's:
- Mobility
- Cognitive skills
- Ability to communicate
- Physical appearance
- Longevity
The Role of a Dolman Law Group Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
Specifically, the catastrophic injury lawyers from our firm can apply their collective experience, and leverage established relationships with experts in the field of accident reconstruction to thoroughly investigate your case to determine cause and liability.
The process begins with:
- Reviewing and analyzing pictures and video from the scene of the accident
- Obtaining any available eyewitness statements
- A comprehensive review of your medical records
Our lawyers have the resources and dedication to work with physicians, vocational rehabilitation professionals, life care planning experts, and financial advisors. We do this to make sure that your current and future needs are accurately assessed before we determine an appropriate amount of compensation to secure a fair and just future for you and your family. Once we have completed the investigation process we can present compelling evidence to insurance carriers, a judge, and a jury that would help illustrate what it will cost to take care of to meet the needs of your family now, and into the future.
Compensation in Catastrophic Injury Lawsuits
Seek these damages in any catastrophic injury case:
- Medical expenses: The medical expenses associated with severe injuries are likely to be significant. The estimated lifetime cost of a spinal cord injury (excluding losses in wages, fringe benefits, and productivity) ranges from $1,113,990 to $4,724,181.
- Loss of income.
- Emotional distress.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Punitive damages may be possible in cases of egregious neglect or wrongful conduct.
Monetary damages awarded to catastrophic injury victims may include:
- Relevant medical expenses, both past and future
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Required modifications to a home or vehicle
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Loss of consortium
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
In determining monetary amounts of compensation for loss of future earning capacity judges and juries may consider:
- The victim's educational background
- The victim's chosen profession
- The possibility of raises or promotions
- The loss of bonuses or commissions
- The age of the victim at the time of injury
- The potential for job growth
- The severity of the lifelong disability
- The age of the victim at the time of injury
Accident victims without any family support system may find it impossible to maintain a household without domestic assists providing:
- Meal preparation
- Housekeeping duties
- Childcare
- Pet care
- Transportation
- Landscaping
Lifetime Impact of Catastrophic Injuries
Following an unexpected and unfortunate tragedy life can become overwhelming and financially devastating for all household members. Consistent medical treatment can be time-consuming and exhausting. The impact of trauma is insidious and can be outright destructive. The emotional strain and loss of enjoyment of life can lead to failed marriages, difficulty in maintaining meaningful relationships, and challenging. coping mechanisms.
There are normal responses to abnormal situations:
- Confusion
- Grief
- Lethargy
- Anxiety
- Agitation
- Sadness
- Dissociation
- A flattened affect
- Sleep disorders
- Nightmares
- Depression
- Uncontrolled anger
- Avoidance of social interactions
Although some of these symptoms may be self-limiting, some can last a lifetime. Responses to trauma may not present immediately following an accident. It may take some time for these to become evident. Emotional distress plays a significant part in any personal injury claim for non-economic damages. Many catastrophic injury victims fall prey to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD.) An experienced personal injury attorney can determine a fair and reasonable monetary compensation for emotional pain and suffering.
Can You Bring a Lawsuit After Suffering a Catastrophic Injury In North Miami Beach?
If you have suffered a catastrophic injury as the direct result of another person's negligence, working with an experienced lawyer is likely in your best interest. You may have a right to seek justice and pursue financial compensation. Taking legal action against the at-fault party can help you recover financially.
Based on your particular situation, it may be possible to receive compensation for lost wages, all medical bills, loss of future earning potential, disability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Additionally, if the at-fault party acted with “gross negligence or egregious behavior” punitive damages may also be possible.
At the law offices of Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA we represent families whose lives have been changed by catastrophic and fatal accidents. Our goal is to maximize the damages in every last injury case and never settle for less than what we believe the case is worth. People who sustain permanent disfigurement or disabilities may be entitled to exponentially more compensation for their injuries.
Importance of Representation by a Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
Following an accident, the guidance of a personal injury lawyer can be crucial. Our firm has a proven history of success. Our approach is proactive and collaborative, and our lawyers work tirelessly to pursue the best possible outcome for every client. We are a nationally recognized award-winning law firm, and we aggressively represent people whose lives have been changed by catastrophic and fatal accidents.
We believe in open and honest communication, we are a client-centered law firm, and we are committed to personal service and accessibility. At Dolman Law Group, our clients are given the cell phone number of their handling lawyer and the Managing Partner of our firm.
Stanley Gipe is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer and is well versed and recognized in the discipline of trial practice.
Matthew Dolman has served as lead counsel on over one thousand lawsuits in Florida and nationwide (we affiliate with licensed lawyers in other jurisdictions when necessary). He is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for having resolved individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively.
Whether your injury is the result of a motor vehicle accident, medical malpractice, or from using a defective product, our North Miami catastrophic injury attorneys are prepared to guide you through the claims process, all the way to trial if necessary. We may be the aggressive advocates you and your family have been searching for.
We cannot guarantee recovery in any personal injury case, but we strive to set the bar high. We offer a no-recovery, no-fee promise, meaning we will not charge for attorney's fees until we achieve a payout to you. If you or your loved one was catastrophically injured due to the negligent actions of another person, reach out to our North Miami catastrophic injury lawyers. Call us at (305) 676-8154 and put a North Miami Beach catastrophic injury lawyer to work for you.
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
1820 NE 163rd St #306,
North Miami Beach, FL 33162
(305) 676-8154