Gainesville Catastrophic Injury Lawyers 

There is no set definition of a catastrophic injury. Generally speaking, however, any injury that results in significant and/or permanent disfigurement, disability, or impairment of a bodily function, system, organ, or member is considered catastrophic.

Some examples of injuries that are typically classified as catastrophic include: 

If you or someone you love suffered a life-changing injury that caused significant impairment, disfigurement, or disability, you or your loved one has likely suffered a catastrophic injury. 

Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries 

Catastrophic injuries arise from all types of accidents and traumatic events. 

Some of the most common causes of catastrophic injuries include: 

Sadly, most catastrophic injuries are the result of completely avoidable incidents that occur only because someone else was negligent or acted wrongfully. When this is the case, injured victims or their loved ones have the right to take legal action. By filing a catastrophic injury claim, you can seek financial compensation for your damages, such as past and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning ability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and more. 

How Catastrophic Injury Claims Differ from Standard Personal Injury Cases

Although catastrophic injury claims are similar to standard personal injury claims in many ways, they also have several key differences. Generally speaking, catastrophic injury cases tend to be much more complex than other claims involving less serious injuries. Additionally, liable parties may defend these types of claims more aggressively, often due to the high value of the plaintiff’s damages.

Compared to standard personal injury claims, catastrophic injury cases often involve: 

• More Severe and Complex Injuries: The effect of catastrophic injuries is far greater than other, less serious injuries. Additionally, these types of injuries tend to be more complex, leading to an array of complications and secondary injuries. The recovery time for catastrophic injuries is often much longer than that of less serious injuries, which may affect the statute of limitations, or the amount of time the victim has to file a lawsuit. 
• Higher-Value Damages: The cost of treating catastrophic injuries is often much greater than the cost of treating other types of injuries. In addition to emergency care, victims will often require ongoing or even lifelong treatment. Many will lose weeks, months, or years’ worth of wages and income due to being unable to work, and others will never be able to earn a living for themselves or their families again. 
• Greater Resistance from Defendants: Due to the generally high value of catastrophic injury damages, insurance companies and other liable parties aggressively defend against these types of claims. They are often unwilling to settle for a fair amount, meaning many catastrophic injury claims end up in litigation or even go to trial. This can impact the amount of time and effort it takes to resolve a case. 
• Varying Statutes of Limitations: In most standard cases, a plaintiff has two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, when an injury cannot be discovered right away, the statute of limitations may be deferred from the date on which the injury was discovered or reasonably could have been discovered. Sometimes, this occurs with catastrophic injuries that are not immediately diagnosed. 
• Exceptions to Certain Rules: A catastrophic injury may open the door for the plaintiff to file a lawsuit directly against a liable party when they would otherwise be unable to do so. This is the case with motor vehicle accidents resulting in serious injuries (as defined by the state). Normally, an accident victim would only be able to recover compensation through their own insurance coverage, but a serious injury allows them to step outside the no-fault system.