Finding a catastrophic injury lawyer in Clayton

If you’ve been injured because of another person, their insurance company will often offer you an insultingly low settlement — or they might try to deny your claim entirely. An attorney can help you recover the compensation you deserve. Contrary to what some people say, seeking a settlement isn’t a money grab. A settlement helps victims like you cover medical bills and other costs as they work toward returning to a normal life. At Pendergrass Law, we believe that if your injury was caused by someone else, that party should be held accountable. We’re ready to fight for justice and a fair settlement for injured people like you.

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What is a catastrophic injury?

A catastrophic injury is an extremely serious injury that has a far-reaching impact on the rest of your life. For example, if you get in a car accident and have a spinal injury that makes it impossible to use one leg, that would count as a catastrophic injury. On the other hand, if you get in a car accident and break your leg, that probably wouldn’t count as a catastrophic injury. Broken legs can be painful, but they usually heal relatively fast and don’t cause lasting issues. Catastrophic injuries can be permanent, but they don’t have to be. Some will heal completely, but they usually require months or even years of treatment.

What causes catastrophic injuries?

Unfortunately, many catastrophic injuries happen when you least expect them. Here are some of the most common causes of catastrophic injuries:

  • Car accidents
  • Sports-related accidents
  • Medical malpractice
  • Intentional acts like assault
  • Falls
  • Defective products
  • Work-related accidents

Catastrophic injuries are fairly rare, but they can have far-reaching effects on your life. If you’ve suffered a catastrophic injury, make sure you consult with a catastrophic injury lawyer in Clayton before you speak with the other party’s insurance company.

What do you need to prove for a catastrophic injury claim?

Simply suffering a catastrophic injury isn’t enough to warrant filing a claim or lawsuit. For example, if you are speeding on a highway, lose control of your car, and get in an accident that causes a brain injury, you wouldn’t have a case against anyone. If you caused an injury yourself, you likely wouldn’t have a catastrophic injury claim. If you want your claim to be successful, there are three main things you and your legal team have to be able to prove the other party:

  • Had a duty of care
  • Breached that duty
  • Caused your injury by breaching their duty
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Duty of Care

The first point means that the person who caused your injury had some kind of obligation to act in your best interests. In many cases, that duty is just to act like a reasonable person would (and not expose other people to undue danger or risk). However, the other party might have a greater duty of care. For example, your employer has a duty of care in that they are obligated to maintain a safe workplace to protect employees from injury. Usually, when someone breaches their duty of care, it means that they didn’t act like a reasonable person would. For example, if you were hit by a car because the driver was texting and driving, you might have a case. A reasonable person has a duty to pay attention to the road while driving. By texting and driving, the other person breached a duty of care.

Proof of Harm

If you want to hold the other person responsible and collect a settlement from them, you also need to prove they caused your injury. For example, if you get a bad case of whiplash from the car accident mentioned above, you must be able to prove that the impact caused your whiplash. That’s part of why it’s so important to seek medical care at the scene of an accident or immediately afterward.

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Have you suffered a catastrophic injury in Clayton?

A catastrophic injury is more than just a routine sprained ankle (or even a broken bone). Between sky-high medical bills, intense physical pain, limited mobility, and the stress of lost wages, returning to your pre-injury life can feel next to impossible. At Pendergrass Law, we understand that we can’t go back in time and stop your injury from happening. However, we can work with you to increase your chances of receiving a fair settlement. Money doesn’t make everything better, but it at least gives you peace of mind while you recover. If you’ve been injured because of someone else’s negligence, you might be able to recover compensation with a lawyer’s help. If you need a catastrophic injury attorney in Clayton, contact us or schedule an appointment at our Clayton office at 41 S Main St for a free consultation today.

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