Suffering an injury under any circumstances can be a uniquely frustrating experience if you know you were only harmed because another person was reckless, careless, or malicious. If someone else’s misconduct leads to you sustaining permanent and debilitating harm, though, recovering for short-term losses will not make up for the life-altering trauma you have already experienced and will continue to experience by no fault of your own.
Guidance from an skilled injury attorney experienced with handling personal injury cases as sensitive and serious as this can be vital to protecting your future after a life-changing accident. With a Houston catastrophic injury lawyer by your side, you could have the best chance of securing a favorable case resolution and preserving your best interests.
While Texas state law offers no specific definition for what counts as a “catastrophic injury” in a civil litigation context, legal professionals and court authorities generally use the term to refer to injuries that will last for all of a person’s remaining life and will result in significant physical disability, loss of cognitive function, and/or disfigurement. Examples of injuries that often fall into this category include:
An injury being considered “catastrophic” has no effect on the basic legal procedures that an ensuing lawsuit or settlement demand would need to go through, nor does it loosen the criteria a plaintiff must meet to prove someone else legally negligent and therefore liable for injuring them. However, it does tend to make identifying, valuating, and recovering for compensable losses much more complicated.
In addition to immediately obvious damages like emergency medical bills and missed work income, catastrophic injury claims must also account for the lifelong effects that the accident may have, such as:
Guidance from a seasoned Houston catastrophic injury attorney can be key to estimating the value of future damages like these and proactively demanding fair restitution for them.
Unfortunately, numerous procedural stumbling blocks may impact the claims of catastrophic injury victims. For example, any person found partially responsible for causing or exacerbating their injuries through their own misconduct may have their final damage award proportionately reduced in value, or even be barred completely from any civil recovery if they are more to blame than all defendants put together.
Additionally, Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003 establishes a short two-year statutory filing period for virtually all personal injury claims—including those built around debilitating and permanent injuries. A capable lawyer’s support can be absolutely crucial to overcoming these obstacles and filing the strongest possible catastrophic accident claim in Houston.
Catastrophic injuries are incomparably devastating to go through, and unfortunately can be just as difficult to seek fair financial recovery for. Having help from a legal professional who has gotten positive results in similar past cases can make all the difference when it comes to protecting your own rights and interests.
Contacting a Houston catastrophic injury lawyer at Roberts Markland LLP could be the first step towards achieving your desired case result. Call today to schedule a consultation.
