No one expects to suffer a catastrophic injury in their lifetime. If you have been involved in an accident that left you or a loved one with a life-changing injury, help is available. Koch & Brim, LLP has Las Vegas personal injury attorneys who can help you rebuild your life. We will explain your legal rights, guide you through a personal injury claim, and help you pursue justice and fair financial compensation for a catastrophic injury. Contact us today for a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.
What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury?
A catastrophic injury is a sudden injury that causes substantial or permanent physical damage to the victim’s body. Catastrophic injuries are extreme, with a considerable impact on the victim. In many cases, catastrophic injuries cause permanent and irreversible damage. They are life-changing injuries that can result in disabilities such as paralysis, brain damage and amputations.
Catastrophic injuries are often caused by preventable accidents. Common examples include car accidents, pedestrian accidents, medical malpractice, birth injuries, dangerous premises, catastrophic falls, construction accidents and defective products. When someone else’s negligence results in a catastrophic disaster, the victim may be able to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party in pursuit of financial compensation.
What Are Common Catastrophic Injuries?
Any injury that has a substantial impact on the victim’s life, requires long-term medical treatment or causes permanent disability could be deemed catastrophic. Catastrophic injuries often involve critical parts of the body, such as the brain or spinal cord. However, any injury that leads to the inability of the victim to live life as he or she did prior to the accident could be considered catastrophic. Examples include:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Permanent paralysis
- Paraplegia or quadriplegia
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neurological damage
- Severe burns
- Amputations
- Nerve damage
- Internal organ damage
- Multiple or compound bone fractures
- Loss of sight or hearing
- Severe facial injuries
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
Sadly, many catastrophic injuries are ultimately fatal for the victim. After the unexpected death of a loved one due to a fatal injury, surviving family members may be eligible for compensation through a wrongful death case. Our attorneys at Koch & Brim, LLP are equipped to handle complicated and challenging catastrophic injury claims as well as provide legal help for wrongful death lawsuits in Las Vegas.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Catastrophic Injuries?
Liability refers to legal and financial responsibility for an accident and the injuries that it caused, including catastrophic damage. If you file a personal injury claim, you or your Las Vegas accident attorney will need to identify the liable party or parties and name them as the defendant(s) in your case. The liable party is the one that caused or significantly contributed to your catastrophic injury. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, this could be a motor vehicle driver, product manufacturer, employer or company, property owner, the government, or other parties. Our attorneys can thoroughly investigate your claim to determine the liable party or parties on your behalf.
What Compensation Is Available for a Catastrophic Injury?
A successful claim brought in Las Vegas for a catastrophic injury could result in payment given to the victim or victim’s family from the liable party’s insurance company. A catastrophic injury claim has the potential to reimburse the plaintiff for various economic and noneconomic damages, including:
- Present and future foreseeable medical expenses
- Disability costs and accommodations
- Necessary home or vehicle modifications
- Losses of wages, earning opportunities and future capacity to earn
- Physical pain, suffering and chronic pain
- Emotional distress, psychological damage and mental anguish
- Reduced quality or enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Wrongful death damages, if applicable
Some catastrophic injury cases also result in punitive damages. This is an amount awarded to punish a defendant for gross negligence, intent to harm, maliciousness or acts that are especially wrongful. To estimate the potential value of your catastrophic injury case, contact us for a free consultation.
Can I File a Claim on Behalf of a Loved One?
Yes, you can file a personal injury claim on behalf of a loved one if a catastrophic injury renders him or her physically or mentally incapable of filing himself or herself. In these cases, the courts may appoint you to act as the victim’s conservator. After establishing a conservatorship, you will act as the victim’s legal guardian, giving you the power to file a personal injury lawsuit on your loved one’s behalf. Any financial compensation obtained with the claim can go to paying off the victim’s medical bills and reimbursing the victim and your family for other losses.
What Is Nevada’s Statute of Limitations for Catastrophic Injury Claims?
You must act quickly if you wish to file a catastrophic injury claim in Nevada. The state has a law known as the statute of limitations that gives you a strict deadline to file a Las Vegas personal injury claim against a defendant. For the most part, if you miss this deadline, you will be barred from seeking a financial recovery. This is why it is important to consult with an attorney in Las Vegas as soon as possible if you believe you have grounds to file a claim.
The statute of limitations in Nevada is two years from the date that the catastrophic injury occurred, with some exceptions. If the catastrophic injury occurred due to medical malpractice, you have three years from the date of the negligent act or omission to file. If you did not discover your catastrophic injury right away, you will have two years from the date of reasonable discovery. A wrongful death claim must be filed within two years of the date of the victim’s death.
Contact a Las Vegas Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Today
If you or someone you love was recently injured in an accident in Las Vegas and the injury could be considered catastrophic, it is critical to contact an attorney without delay. Your family may require financial compensation to help pay for necessary medical care and move forward from a traumatic accident. If someone else is responsible for causing your catastrophic injury, you deserve justice and accountability. We can help.
At Koch & Brim, LLP, we are passionate about representing accident victims who have suffered life-changing catastrophic injuries. Our attorneys will provide individualized attention to your case and will treat your family like our own. Learn more about how we can help you after suffering a catastrophic injury in Las Vegas. Contact us today by calling (702) 410-6034 or sending us a message online anytime.