Decatur Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

A catastrophic injury can change your life forever and weigh a heavy burden on your family and loved ones. Catastrophic injuries may involve a traumatic brain injury, spinal injuries, or amputation of a body part, and they likely involve long-term loss of earning ability, permanent physical disability, and long-term medical care.

If you or a loved one has sustained a catastrophic injury at work or after an auto accident, you don’t have to go through this alone. An experienced Decatur catastrophic injury lawyer at Marks Law Group can review your case and help you and your family recover the compensation you’re entitled to.

Unfortunately, in Georgia’s workers’ compensation systems, catastrophic injury claims take many years to resolve because of the complicated nature of medical treatment involved. 

We are an injury law firm that treats clients like family. We understand the trauma you’re going through and we want to do our part to help you and your family through this difficult time. Call our Decatur office today at (678) 251-9309 for a free initial consultation.

What Is a Catastrophic Injury in Georgia?

According to Georgia’s law, catastrophic injuries include:

• Spinal cord injuries that involve serious paralysis of the leg, arm, or trunk;
• Traumatic brain injuries or closed-head injuries that cause severe sensory or motor disturbances, severe communication disturbances, severe disturbances of consciousness, severe complex integrated disturbance of cerebral function, or severe episodic neurological disorders;
• Amputation of an arm, foot, hand, or leg that causes loss of use of that appendage;
• Second-or third-degree burns over 25% of the entire body;
• Third-degree burns to 5% or more of the face or hands, or
• Total or industrial blindness.

Apart from the specific injuries listed above, the law also has a “catch-all” provision that defines catastrophic injuries to include injuries that are of nature and severity that prevents a person from performing their prior work and any work available in significant numbers within the national economy for which such a person is otherwise qualified.

Why Should I Hire a Decatur Catastrophic Injury Lawyer?

Catastrophic injuries are often caused by the negligence of another party, including a reckless driver, a negligent entity, or even a negligent medical professional. When you file a personal injury claim against the responsible party and their insurance company, they’ll hire a legal team that will try to minimize the value of your catastrophic injury claim. Thus, you should hire a personal injury lawyer in Decatur as soon as possible to protect your rights and interests and to avoid being taken advantage of by the other legal team.

To have a successful catastrophic injury claim, you must have the necessary evidence to prove negligence and fault. However, accessing certain evidence and experts on your own can be a challenging task. Having a catastrophic injury attorney by your side means you have the legal resources needed to gather the documents and expert witnesses for your claim.

Our attorneys have extensive experience and resources that they can use to your advantage, including expert witnesses, medical professionals, medical records, accident reports, police reports, statements made by the defendant, and accident recreationists. All these resources will help your case because courts typically determine fault based on the evidence at hand.

For most people, a catastrophic injury means dealing with the complicated issues and hardships that come along with it. As a victim of a catastrophic injury, you will have to deal with the physical damage resulting from the injury, along with the financial burden of medical bills and lost wages.

Further, catastrophic injuries are also associated with emotional distress that can cause you to endure anxiety, depression, and other feelings that constantly remind you of the accident and your injuries. By hiring an Atlanta catastrophic injury lawyer, you can focus solely on your recovery. Legal matters can become complex, so having a legal professional who can guide you through the legal process can give you peace of mind.

In any type of personal injury claim, there are options for the injured party to seek the compensation they need and deserve. Part of this involves knowing when to accept a settlement offer or when it’s time to go to trial. A settlement offer is often the insurance company’s attempt to reduce the claim of the injured party by offering a lower amount to make the lawsuit go away.

Related: Should I accept the insurance company's settlement offer?

The insurance company hopes that the injured person will accept the settlement and won’t go ahead with the claim. An experienced catastrophic injury lawyer can negotiate with an insurance company to get you the compensation you deserve, and they can take your case to trial if necessary to make sure the insurance company gives you a low-ball settlement offer.

How Is Compensation Calculated in Catastrophic Injury Claims?

If you have sustained a catastrophic injury from an accident, you might have legal recourse. If you can prove that the accident that caused your catastrophic injuries was caused by another person or entity’s negligence, then you can recover compensation from the at-fault party.

In Georgia, catastrophic injury victims may recover the following damages:

• Medical expenses. You may recover compensation to cover current and future medical costs, including physical therapy, prescriptions, ongoing treatment for your injuries, surgeries, or rehabilitation. 
• Lost wages. You can recoup the hours of work you missed during your recovery. Also, you can receive compensation to cover the losses you may experience in the future if your injuries, for instance, require you to take a job that pays less or leave the workforce.
• Pain and suffering. Your emotional and physical suffering caused by another person’s negligence are valid damages for which the person responsible may be held liable. These damages might be difficult to quantify, but with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney, you can recover them.
• Punitive damages. If the negligent party is found to have acted negligently or unlawfully before the accident that caused your catastrophic injuries, punitive damages might be possible. For instance, if the at-fault driver was driving under the influence of alcohol and caused the accident, punitive damages might be added to the damages listed above.

Contact Marks Law Group for a Free Case Review!

If you or a loved one has sustained catastrophic injuries because of another person’s negligence, you may face a lifetime of undeserved and unwanted handicaps. Before you accept any settlement offer, it’s wise to discuss it with a skilled personal injury lawyer.

Contact our experienced Georgia catastrophic injury attorneys at Marks Law Group today at (678) 251-9309 to schedule a free initial consultation. We will discuss your legal options and help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Don’t wait. Contact us today!