Most people who are injured in an accident will eventually recover from their injuries. However, some injuries may prove to be so catastrophic that a victim’s life will be changed forever. These cases are usually very complex and are best handled by an experienced team of legal professionals.
At the law firm of Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman, our catastrophic injury lawyers understand how overwhelming and stressful suffering a serious or catastrophic injury can be. In addition to worrying about recovering, victims often worry about whether they will be able to afford medical care, how long they will be out of work, and if they will be able to support their families when it’s all said and done.
Let us shoulder the burden of recovering fair compensation for your injuries. You have enough to worry about. Contact our Southaven catastrophic injury attorneys at 662-222-0597. We also serve Olive Branch, Horn Lake, and all of North Mississippi.
Skilled Representation Equipped to Handle Any Catastrophic Injury Case
For more than 100 combined years, the partners at Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman have helped victims and families in Mississippi obtain the compensation they need to pay off medical bills, subsidize income, and focus on recovering from a serious or catastrophic injury.
We have experience handling all types of accident cases and complex injury claims, including those involving:
- Brain and spinal cord injuries that can severely impact a person’s mobility and functionality
- Loss of limbs, which can interfere with a person’s ability to maintain employment in their intended field
- Scarring and disfigurement that may require extensive and expensive reconstructive surgery over time
What Is Classed as a Life-changing Injury?
The underlying concept of a catastrophic injury is that it is an injury that is life-changing. What exactly does “life-changing” mean, though? The terminology is a bit broad, and that is intentional.
In medical and insurance contexts, life-changing means any symptom that will alter how the patient goes about their day-to-day life. Symptoms can vary from speech impediments that make conversing more difficult to amputations that make the patient require a wheelchair to get around. Essentially, if life will not be able to return to how it was before an accident, then the injury can be considered catastrophic.
Catastrophic Injury From a Car Accident
Traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of catastrophic injuries in the country. In a violent collision, a driver or passenger can be injured in several ways, depending on the force of the crash, the design of the vehicle, and more.
Some of the most common catastrophic injuries caused by car accidents are:
- Brain injuries
- Spine injuries
- Multiple broken bones
- Internal organ damage
There is one potentially catastrophic injury that is fairly unique to car accidents: whiplash. When a car accident victim’s neck is whipped back and forth in a rear-end collision, it can tear tendons, muscles, and nerves in the neck. Severe cases of whiplash can cause chronic pain and a loss of neck mobility, which can qualify the whiplash as a catastrophic injury.
Is a Broken Arm Considered a Catastrophic Injury?
A broken arm is also a common injury reported after a bad car accident. However, most broken arms are not considered to be catastrophic injuries because the consequences of that wound are not expected to be permanent. Even if you need to keep your arm in a brace for months while it heals, it is not technically life-changing as long as it eventually heals correctly.
Why You Need Help From a Lawyer
Serious and catastrophic injury cases often require ongoing and intensive medical treatment, as well as assistance from life care specialists, and rehabilitation specialists. Most states now limit noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering and loss of use. As a result, an attorney is needed to make sure that all economic damages are made apparent to the insurance company or jury.
In addition, it can be much more difficult to establish how much at fault the other party is and to what extent he or she may be held liable for the serious injuries resulting from a car, truck, or other type of accident. You may need to file extensive amounts of legal and medical documents associated with your case, including a claim for workers’ compensation benefits or disability benefits, in some cases.
At Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman, we take into account the full scope of your injuries and how they will impact your life when we seek compensation for you and your family. We are here for you in your hour of need, making sure you’re being taken care of now and in the future.
If you or a loved one has been seriously harmed in any type of accident, you may be entitled to financial consultation. Let us handle your legal matters while you focus on recovering and moving forward with your life. Contact us today for a consultation.
Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman helps those who have suffered a catastrophic injury throughout Northern Mississippi including the cities of Southaven and Hernando as well as the counties of DeSoto, Marshall, Tate, and Tunica.
