Typically, the purpose of a personal injury claim is to compensate an injured person fully for the losses they sustain because of someone else’s negligent or wrongful act and, in doing so, restore them completely to their pre-accident condition. However, some injuries are so severe that no amount of money can completely erase their physical, financial, and personal consequences, and civil recovery for these sorts of injuries is much more complicated as a result.
When you sustain a catastrophic injury because of another person’s misconduct, you should make it a priority to seek help from a Chandler catastrophic injury lawyer who has handled similar cases successfully in the past. At the Phillips Law Group, our personal injury attorneys have over 30 years of experience helping injury victims across the Phoenix metro area and could be irreplaceable allies from beginning to end of your case, whether it can be resolved with a private settlement or requires a hearing in court.
Recovering for Long-Term Losses After a Catastrophic Event
While some states establish a formal legal definition for what does and does not qualify as a “catastrophic injury,” this term is purely colloquial in Arizona. Because of this, defining an injury as “catastrophic” based on its likelihood of causing permanent and substantially debilitating harm does not change how a personal injury claim built around that injury would work in procedural terms.
However, labeling a catastrophic injury as such can be very important to recovering fairly for that injury in financial terms since it can be useful for establishing exactly how severe the injury is expected to be and what impacts it will have on the injured person’s life. To name just one example, someone who breaks their arm in an accident may have to miss a few weeks of work while they heal, but someone who suffers a catastrophic amputation of their arm may never be able to return to their old job—or any job, depending on their skillset—ever again.
In addition to the loss of working and earning capacity, a catastrophically injured person may need to recover for losses like:
- Lost consortium
- Physical pain and discomfort
- Lost overall quality/enjoyment of life
- Psychological trauma and emotional anguish
- Expected future medical expenses, including costs of rehabilitative therapy, assistive equipment like wheelchairs, and in-home care
- Disability-related costs for things like home/vehicle modifications
A Chandler catastrophic accident attorney could discuss what damages should be factored into a particular claim during a private consultation.
What Filing Deadlines Apply to Catastrophic Injury Claims?
Unfortunately, an injury being “catastrophic” in nature does not change the filing time limits set by state law for personal injury claims. According to Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-542, the maximum amount of time a typical injury victim has to file suit is two years from the date on which they first suffered their injury, even if that injury will result in a lifelong disability.
That said, there are some notable exceptions to this deadline under specific circumstances—for instance if a person under the age of 18 gets hurt through another person’s negligence. A qualified lawyer could further explain what deadlines may apply to a specific catastrophic injury claim in Chandler and assist with constructing the strongest possible claim within the applicable time limit.
Common Types and Causes of Catastrophic Injuries
Serious injuries can result from a number of different accident scenarios, including car, truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian accidents, slips and falls, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, and more. Some of the most common types of catastrophic injuries our attorneys handle claims for include traumatic brain damage, spinal cord damage, paralysis, and burns.
Work With a Chandler Catastrophic Injury Attorney
No one deserves to suffer permanent disfigurement or disability solely because of another person’s irresponsible actions. Unfortunately, that exact scenario plays out multiple times across Arizona every single day, and financial recovery through civil litigation can sometimes be the only means of mitigating the effects that injury will have on the person’s life.
Retaining a Chandler catastrophic injury lawyer could be a crucial first step towards effectively enforcing your rights and obtaining the restitution you deserve. Call today to schedule a meeting with a trusted legal advocate.
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