The term catastrophic injury is broad. This legal category refers to injuries that are severe and life-altering. Victims of a catastrophic injury are often left with long-term disabilities and exorbitant medical bills.
As a catastrophic injury victim, you could qualify for compensation. Settlement money can allow you to pay your bills and support your family. A Germantown catastrophic injury attorney could help you pursue a fair settlement.
Contact a Catastrophic Injury Attorney from Brown & Barron
We care deeply about our local communities. Our lawyers want to protect the residents of Germantown from low or unfair settlements.
Get in touch with a catastrophic injury lawyer serving Germantown, 410-547-0202 for a free case evaluation.
What Is the Value of a Catastrophic Injury Case?
Catastrophic injury cases can involve a range of different conditions. These conditions vary in severity and differ in terms of medical expenses. This makes estimating the value of a case difficult.
The types of damages in a catastrophic injury case are consistent, though. Claimants usually qualify for both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
This category of damages accounts for the financial losses associated with your injury, including:
- Surgery
- Physical therapy
- Disability support devices, like a wheelchair or a stairlift
- Reduced earning capacity
- Lost income
Non-Economic Damages
Catastrophic injuries often have an emotional toll, as well. Via non-economic damages, you could receive compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of consortium if your catastrophic injury case involves the passing of a loved one
There are legal limits on compensation that can vary from case to case. A Germantown catastrophic injury attorney can provide legal counsel and help you understand how these limits may apply to your situation.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Catastrophic Injury Lawyer?
The U.S. court system allows some claimants to pursue compensation without the support of a lawyer. However, we caution against this approach.
Catastrophic injury cases are complex. To succeed, you’ll need to build an intimate familiarity with Maryland lawsuit codes. Without a multi-year law education, this task may feel impossible.
A catastrophic injury lawyer can shoulder the burden of your case. Without this weight on your back, you can focus on healing and providing for your family. Your potential lawyer could use their legal knowledge to provide these services:
- Pursue compensation: Receiving compensation may involve an insurance settlement or lawsuit. Your lawyer can handle these avenues and assist you in your fight for justice.
- Manage communications: Many legal cases are settled outside of court. To reach such a settlement, both parties will need to spend considerable time negotiating their terms of agreement. A lawyer will act as your representative and protect your best interests during these meetings.
- Examine evidence: A strong legal case will always rely on evidence. Collecting this evidence will be the duty of the lawyer assigned to your case.
Can a Lawyer Tell Me Who’s Liable?
Liability is the linchpin of any catastrophic injury case. This legal term refers to the party responsible for your injuries. Without a responsible party, you can’t seek compensation.
A lawyer can sift through the facts of your case and identify who’s responsible for your accident.Then, they can work to connect the four elements of a catastrophic injury case:
- Duty of care: The responsible party owed you a duty of care, meaning they were in a position that could cause you harm should they behave negligently.
- Breach of duty: The responsible party shirked this duty.
- Causation: This element is crucial. Through causation, you can link the responsible party’s breach of duty directly to your injury.
- Damages: Evidence must demonstrate that you suffered a catastrophic injury because of the accident.
There’s a range of possible liable parties in catastrophic injury cases. We typically represent clients whose liable parties include:
- Doctors
- Nursing homes
- Other medical care providers
- Manufacturers of medical equipment
- And more
There’s no mold to a catastrophic injury case, meaning that this is not an exhaustive list of possible liable parties. Another type of responsible party may be involved in your case.
The Clock Is Ticking on Your Catastrophic Injury Case
Catastrophic injury cases can have a range of causes. Some may end in a wrongful death. This variance means that there are a few possible deadlines that might apply to your case:
- Medical malpractice: In a medical malpractice case, you either have five years from the date of the injury or three years after the discovery of the injury to file, per MD Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5-109.
- Wrongful death: In a wrongful death case, you have three years after the passing of your loved one to file, per MD Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-904.
- Personal injury: After a personal injury, you have three years to file your case, per MD Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5-101.
If you don’t file a lawsuit or insurance claim within these deadlines, you might be left without any way to fight for compensation. We advise you to start on your case as soon as you can. Waiting isn’t worth losing your case before it starts.
Contact Brown & Barron onlinetoday to schedule a free case review with a with a catastrophic injury lawyer serving Germantown.
What Should I Look for in a Catastrophic Injury Attorney?
Picking an attorney presents a range of challenges. You must examine their record. Have they won considerable sums for their clients? What level of experience do they have? Similarly, the perspective of their previous clients is important. Testimonials can tell you how compassionate and communicative a firm is.
This information provides a sample of what a firm’s services look like. Some firms have secured more money for their clients than others. Others provide a more seamless client experience.
Our Track Record at Brown & Barron
These are a few reasons that we’re proud of what we do at Brown & Barron:
- We support the local communities surrounding Baltimore.
- We offer free case evaluations, and you won’t have to pay our lawyers anything up front.
- Our lawyers have won several prestigious awards.
- We’ve won millions of dollars in compensation for our clients.
- Our lawyers are dedicated to every client they support.
- Our team has over 145 years of combined legal experience.
And this is what our previous clients have to say about our services:
- “Everyone that I came in contact with at Brown & Barron was extremely helpful and courteous. I felt very confident in my case after meeting the legal team. I would recommend them to anyone.” – A.O.
- “They are a very consistent company and make sure you know the process and the stages you’re going through. Also, they let you know all the information they receive about your case and keep you updated on everything they do.” – J.J.
Let us help you win. Call our offices to get started.