Practice Areas Serious & Catastrophic Injuries

A Boca Raton Catastrophic Injury Attorney Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions

What makes cases involving catastrophic injuries unique?

Catastrophic injuries often involve long-term or permanent disabilities. As a result, the victim may be unable to work, unable to take care of their family, or simply unable to manage their daily lives. As a result, they have acute needs that other accident victims do not face – they may need lifelong income, ongoing medical care, and daily assistance. The costs they face are often astronomical, so it is vital that they get fair compensation for their injuries to ensure that they are able to enjoy some quality of life in the future.

Many of the long-term costs associated with catastrophic injuries are often overlooked. In addition, you may be entitled to compensation for other non-economic losses. An experienced Boca Raton catastrophic injury lawyer can make sure you are fully compensated for your injuries in order to protect your future and that of your family.

What types of damages can you seek in a catastrophic injury case?

In any personal injury case, you are entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering if your claim is successful. You are also entitled to these damages in a catastrophic injury claim, but you can also seek compensation for the following:

• Future medical expenses
• Lost future wages and lost earning capacity, including lost benefits from pensions, 401k plans, and other benefits that you are no longer enable to contribute to
• Disfigurement
• Loss of quality of life
• Shortened life span
• Loss of support
• Loss of consortium

Some of these damages can be difficult to prove and may require an expert opinion. For example, you may need an economist to testify to your lost future income. A Boca Raton catastrophic injury lawyer will know how to build a strong case so that you can get the compensation you deserve.

How would an injury claim affect my disability benefits?

Many people who suffer catastrophic injuries may qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), two types of public disability benefits managed by the Social Security Administration. You may also have private disability insurance that you have purchased. How a personal injury claim could affect your benefits is a complex question that you should discuss with a Boca Raton, catastrophic injury attorney. Regardless, the fact that you are receiving disability benefits does not bar you from pursuing a personal injury claim.

What are my options if my child has suffered a catastrophic injury?

Catastrophic injury cases involving children are especially complex because they could be facing a lifetime of medical care and disability, the costs of which can be staggering. It can also be difficult to determine whether they may be entitled to lost income and other opportunities. For example, a teenager may have to give up athletic scholarships due to their injury or may be unable to attend school. A Boca Raton catastrophic injury lawyer will be able to assess all of the potential losses your child faces so that you can get the compensation they need for a secure future.

Will you take my case if my injuries are not “serious” or “catastrophic?”

When personal injury lawyers reference serious or catastrophic injury claims, they are generally referring to injuries of blindness, amputation, burns, amputation, paralysis, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, permanent deformation, or death. If you or a loved one has any of the injuries listed above, you should consult with an attorney, but if your injuries are minor – like broken bones, for example, you may still have a claim. There is no risk or harm in calling our personal injury law firm to find out if we can help you. If we can, we will, and if we can’t, we will point you toward someone who can.

Serious Injuries Impacting Children in Boca Raton

You often hear about how common it is for the elderly to injure themselves but it is just as common for another age group – children. Children often don’t understand basic logic that would imply when danger might be near. Thus, child accidents and common. And while certain accidents may be “part of growing up,” accidents caused or contributed to by a negligent party may leave you with legal options to explore with a Boca Raton, catastrophic injury lawyer.

Some of the most common catastrophic child injuries include:

• Car accidents – Even a fender bender can become dangerous if car seats are defective or not properly installed.
• Suffocation – At a certain point in a child’s life, nearly anything can be a choking hazard, including toys and blankets.
• Falls – Lacking the concept of fear, children often fall down staircases, outside of windows, or even fall from balconies.
• Drownings – Children are most at risk for drowning in our South Florida swimming pools and active beaches.
• Fires/burns – Burns can be from an actual fire but also the cause of products like ovens, styling tools or even heating pads working effectively.
• Poisoning – Children can be poisoned by household goods like detergents and cleaners, as well as prescription pills that are not properly stored.
• Firearm injuries – Though not as common, injuries from firearms are often catastrophic.
• Crush injuries – Crush injuries include furniture falling on a child or a child becoming stuck under something that was not properly secured.
• Animal bites – We love our pets, but not all animals – especially dogs – are friendly toward little humans. Animal bites from household pets can leave permanent disfigurement on children.