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Recovering from any injury can cause significant disruption to your finances and day-to-day lifestyle, but severe accidents can sometimes have permanent consequences. Most people involved in catastrophic accidents require extensive medical intervention and may never return to the state of health they were in prior to the injury.
If you suffered life-altering injury in an accident someone else caused, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. An experienced Bellevue catastrophic injury lawyer can look at the details of your accident and determine weather you have a valid claim. A dedicated personal injury attorney from Berry Law can provide you the firepower your catastrophic injury case needs to succeed.
How Are “Catastrophic” Injuries Defined in Bellevue?
There is no established legal definition of a “catastrophic” injury under Nebraska civil law. That being said, an injury is generally considered to be catastrophic if it results in a permanent disability or disfigurement with no expectation of full recovery.
Catastrophic injuries that our attorneys commonly help plaintiffs recover compensation for include:
- Paralysis
- Spinal cord damage
- Severe head trauma
- Loss of limb
- Third-degree burns
- Severe bone fractures
- Any injury that causes widespread or severe scarring
In general, any injury that significantly shortens your natural lifespan or which substantially reduces your quality of life (i.e. a traumatic brain injury that leads to a marked change in personality) may be considered “catastrophic” in nature.
Factors that Could Limit Recovery
When seeking recovery for catastrophic injuries, it is crucial to account for both the short- and long-term consequences. For example, a person who becomes quadriplegic after a serious auto accident should seek recovery not only for the expenses they already paid for emergency medical treatment, but also for the economic and non-economic losses they can expect to sustain in the future, such as:
- Rehabilitative expenses
- At-home medical installations
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of personal and professional opportunities
Even in cases involving life-changing injuries, however, there are numerous legal obstacles that could limit your financial recovery or prevent it altogether. In addition to the comparative negligence rule established in Nebraska Statutes §25-21,185.09, which allows a court to reduce a plaintiff’s compensation by their assigned percentage of fault, Neb. Rev. Stat. §44-2825 limits total recovery in cases involving medical negligence to $2.25 million regardless of the severity of the plaintiff’s injuries.
Furthermore, virtually all personal injury cases have a four-year statutory filing deadline under Neb. Rev. Stat. §25-207, with few exceptions. Failure to file a lawsuit on time could result in the dismissal of your case. Working with an experienced catastrophic accident lawyer in Bellevue is often key to ensuring compliance with various legal requirements and minimizing the risk of missing out on compensation.
Seek Advice from a Bellevue Catastrophic Injury Attorney
When an accident results in a debilitating injury, an attorney at our firm has the knowledge and expertise needed to help you pursue compensation. A seasoned Bellevue catastrophic injury lawyer may be a virtual necessity to recover the full amount for both past damages and future losses
When it comes to catastrophic injury claims, there is no substitute for experience or for a long track record of successful case results. To find out how an accomplished legal professional on our team can help in your case, call Berry Law today and schedule a free consultation.