Personal injury is the term used for any harm suffered due to another person’s negligence or wrongdoing. Some personal injury claims involve small fender-bender car accidents where everyone walks away without major damage. However, some personal injury claims involve devastating injuries that can be life-altering for the injury victim and their family. These types of injuries are known as serious personal injury or catastrophic personal injury.
At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our Lafayette personal injury attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience representing serious personal injury victims and helping them secure maximum compensation for their current and future economic and non-economic damages.
The Differences Between a Minor and a Serious Personal Injury
A minor injury is generally one that heals, such as a broken finger, a bruised rib, or a mild concussion. These are injuries that cause real pain and disrupt your life, but with proper medical care, most people recover and return to their normal lives within a few weeks or months.
However, a serious personal injury is a different matter entirely. These are injuries that significantly alter a person’s life and often require multiple surgeries, extended rehabilitation, or permanent medical care.
Serious personal injuries can take away a person’s ability to work in the same capacity as before, to move through the world independently, or to participate in the activities and relationships of their daily lives.
The severity of the initial impact does not always determine whether an injury is minor or serious. For example, a back injury from a car accident may seem like routine soreness in the days after the crash, but may develop into a chronic condition requiring surgery months later. This is one of many reasons why it is important not to rush into a settlement before you fully understand the scope of what you have suffered.
Common Types of Serious Personal Injuries
There are many types of serious or catastrophic injuries. Some of the most common serious personal injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Severe burn injuries
- Loss of limb
- Loss of vision or hearing
These types of injuries often severely impact the injury victim’s quality of life as well as the lives of their loved ones.
Compensation in Serious Personal Injury Claims
In a successful serious personal injury claim, you can recover economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include current and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, costs of home and vehicle modifications, long-term care expenses, and other financial costs.
Non-economic damages include current and future pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, scarring and disfigurement, and other intangible losses.
In some serious personal injury claims, such as if a drunk driver caused your injuries, you could be awarded punitive damages in addition to economic and non-economic damages.
At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our serious personal injury lawyers will aggressively pursue all available damages and help you recover maximum compensation for your claim.
Why You Need an Experienced Serious Injury Lawyer
Not all personal injury law firms are equipped to handle serious personal injury claims. These cases are often expensive to litigate and require top expert witnesses to build your strongest claim.
You need a serious injury lawyer with the experience, skills, and resources to investigate your accident to identify all possible causes and all potentially liable parties, take action to preserve and gather vital evidence, and work with top experts to establish and accurately value all your current and future damages.
A serious personal injury lawyer will work to negotiate a fair settlement of your claim as quickly as possible. And if a fair settlement is not reached, they can take your case to trial and demand the full compensation you are entitled to.
Contact Anderson Blanda & Saltzman Today
At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our serious personal injury attorneys have the experience, resources, and skills to help you secure maximum compensation for your injuries. Contact us today at (337) 233-3366 or complete the short form on our contact page and schedule a free consultation to discuss your serious injury claim.