Call Us atThe severity of a catastrophic injury can have life-altering effects on you and your loved ones. These injuries change the very nature of your life in negative ways, making it difficult or impossible to perform daily activities that were previously without issue. Whether permanent or temporary, these significant injuries can lead to high medical costs, lost time at work, and a great deal of pain and suffering. If another party was responsible for this accident, a dedicated personal injury attorney could help you hold them accountable.
Financial compensation may be available to you after an accident, so it is important to retain the services of an Anchorage catastrophic injury lawyer at your earliest opportunity.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries
A catastrophic injury can make it difficult or impossible for a person to continue performing their daily functions or their job. This type of injury may be temporary and substantial, or it may even be permanent. In either case, the potential compensation available is often much higher for catastrophic injuries than in minor injury cases. Catastrophic injuries may include:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Loss of cognitive function
- Loss of hearing or eyesight
- Traumatic burns and skin damage
- Paralysis and spinal cord damage
- Traumatic brain injury and whiplash
- Loss of limbs, appendages, or organs
- Death
These injuries and other serious forms of harm may qualify as a catastrophic injury because they require long-term or permanent care. A catastrophic injury lawyer in Anchorage could help someone not only with their legal challenge but also with helping them coordinate their medical care and follow-up treatments.
Negligence & Catastrophic Injuries
Injury lawsuits hinge on establishing whether or not the defendant was negligent in their actions. Negligence occurs when the defendant breaches their duty of care, which ends up causing the plaintiff’s compensable injuries. When those injuries are catastrophic in nature, the amount of available compensation can be quite high.
Proving negligence requires the due diligence and careful investigation techniques of a catastrophic injury attorney in Anchorage. These cases can be complex but the right evidence might make all the difference in successfully pursuing a claim. An attorney could consult with medical, safety, and accident reconstruction experts, as well as look at medical records, law enforcement reports, recordings of the accident, and much more in determining the cause of the accident and the extent of the applicable damages.
Limitations on Negligence Cases
Alaska Statutes § 09.10.070 sets a time limit on negligence-based cases for personal injury. For most situations, the personal injury claim must be filed within a two-year period of the date the accident and injuries occurred. This timeline is crucial, as failure to file by the proper date will result in the dismissal of the case. A lawyer could help a plaintiff avoid this problem when the case is brought promptly to their attention.
Compensatory Damages
Monetary damages exist to compensate a plaintiff after a successful personal injury claim. These damages may include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Lost income and earning capacity
- Medical costs
- In-home care or lifestyle alterations
- Necessary medical equipment
- Property damage costs
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Wrongful death
These damages, and potentially more, could be available to an injured plaintiff after a successful claim. Legal counsel could play a key role in helping someone determine what losses they could consider.
Schedule a Consultation with an Anchorage Catastrophic Injury Attorney
A catastrophic injury can change a person’s life forever. You and your family have enough to worry about, and you should not have to deal with the stress of paying expenses or finding a job that you can perform. An Anchorage catastrophic injury lawyer is ready to protect your rights and seek compensation for you. We do not charge a fee until you have been properly compensated, so schedule a consultation today.
