Austin, TXCatastrophic Injury Attorney

Austin Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

A catastrophic injury can cause short-term or long-term disability and may require lifelong specialized medical care. The term “catastrophic” is often used in insurance policies or by business entities to classify a certain type of injury; and for injury victims to prove they have a catastrophic injury, they must meet all the requirements of applicable policies.

Insurance companies are more profitable when they can avoid paying claims. As such, even when someone obviously suffers a catastrophic injury, an insurer may try to deny the claim, on the basis that the injured party’s condition did not meet every definition of “catastrophic.” So if you’ve been seriously injured – at work, in a car accident, or even playing sports – you need a personal injury attorney, like a car accident attorney in Austin, TX, to help you get the compensation you are due.

The Evans/Reilley Law Firm has years of experience helping personal injury victims in Texas get the settlements they deserve. If you need help with your catastrophic injury claim, call our office today to request your free consultation: 1-855-414-1012.

Types of Catastrophic Injury

There are several types of catastrophic injury, some of which are commonly associated with certain activities. The National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill collects reports of catastrophic sports injuries, which include:

• Injuries causing permanent disability
• An injury causing temporary or transient paralysis
• A serious spine or head injury, even when an athlete recovers fully
• Exercise-induced heat stroke
• Sudden cardiac arrest, and sudden or severe cardiac disruption.

The NCCSIR collects all reports of cardiac events in athletes, regardless of whether those injuries happened during physical activity. Other catastrophic injuries must have occurred during practice, competition, personal fitness, or training to be included in the database of injury events.

In August 2016, it increased benefits for injured athletes, paying $175,000 for disability accommodations within the first 10 years of an injury, and paying $70,000 in the subsequent decade. (The amount of benefits paid changes each decade.)

Workplace Injuries

Catastrophic workplace injuries often occur in industrial, manufacturing, and transportation occupations. They may include:

• Chemical injuries, such as serious burns or eye injuries resulting in blindness
• Amputation
• Traumatic brain injury, resulting from falls or from falling objects, may necessitate the expertise of an Austin traumatic brain injury attorney to navigate the legal complexities that often arise.
• Severe musculoskeletal injuries, including fractures, ligament injuries, and spinal injuries, may necessitate the assistance of a spinal injury lawyer in Austin, TX to address the legal aspects.

Whereas many states require all businesses to pay into a workers’ compensation fund, in Texas, workers’ comp is not mandatory. Some larger companies that can afford their own insurance policies don’t carry workers’ comp – and, as a result, workers may have a harder time getting compensation for their injuries.

The Houston Press reported in February an incident in which a worker received no compensation for his injury. A truck driver was working when he tore the meniscus in his knee, but the company’s insurer denied his injury claim, saying that because he initially said his knee “gave out,” no accident had actually occurred. The man went on to lose his job because he couldn’t walk, and then lost his home. With legal help, he was able to get a back payment from the insurer, but that was 33 months after his injury.

If you’ve suffered a serious injury on the job, any statement you make could interfere with your ability to collect insurance benefits. The Evans/Reilley Law Firm offers free consultation for personal injury cases. And if we determine you have a case, we’ll handle communication with your employer’s insurer.

The Cost of Emotional Recovery

In addition to financial losses that come with a catastrophic injury, emotional costs are often high. Injury victims may experience stress, depression, family conflict, and legal and financial problems that may interfere with their physical rehabilitation. A catastrophic injury may also render a person unable to work, or force them to change careers, due their disability.

An experienced Austin personal injury attorney takes all those factors into account when pursuing settlements on behalf of clients. You may need compensation not only for medical costs, but also for career counseling, stress management, and adaptive equipment to help you with transportation or daily mobility.

If you’re ready to talk to someone about your catastrophic injury, you can contact the Evans/Reilley Law Firm through our online contact form or by calling 1-855-414-1012. Don’t wait to get help. Ask for your free consultation today.