Watertown Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
Negligent actions often cause accidents that lead to significant injuries to other people. The law allows negligent parties to be held responsible for paying the damages of anyone affected by their carelessness.
If you suffered a life-changing injury in an accident, you might be entitled to collect compensation from a negligent party. A Watertown catastrophic injury lawyer could help ensure you receive financial recovery to pay for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact a skilled attorney today.
What is a Catastrophic Injury?
State law does not define “catastrophic injury” or change the claims process for filing a lawsuit after a severe injury. However, the injury is catastrophic if an injured person must make permanent changes to their work, lifestyle, or activities after an event.
Catastrophic injuries often result from motor vehicle crashes, sporting incidents, falls, construction accidents, medical errors, and many other circumstances. Common catastrophic injuries include:
- Complex fractures that heal incorrectly and limit mobility
- Damage to internal organs
- Facial injuries that cause disfigurement
- Amputations
- Profound hearing loss or blindness
- Severe traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord damage
These injuries usually require intensive medical intervention, including surgery, rehabilitation, and the need for pain medication. Severe conditions could also impact an individual’s psychological well-being. Many of these injuries permanently impair an individual’s ability to function as they did before a horrific event. In some cases, someone with a catastrophic injury might be unable to live without help from a caregiver.
How to Prove That Negligence Caused a Catastrophic Injury
When an injured person seeks damages after an accident, they must prove that someone else’s negligence led to the event that caused their injury. Typically, legal recklessness is a failure to use reasonable care to keep other individuals safe from harm.
Depending on the circumstances, other definitions of negligence might apply. For example, if an injury results from a medical error, a patient must prove the medical professional deviated from an acceptable standard of care. In other words, a claimant must show that a similarly trained professional would not have used the same measures or treatments in that scenario. If an injury results from an accident involving a commercial vehicle like a taxi, bus, or truck, an injured person must prove the carrier failed to use the utmost care.
According to Connecticut General Statutes §52-572h, if a person’s conduct contributed to their injuries, they can still file a claim for damages as long as they were not primarily responsible for the event. However, a judge will discount their financial recovery based on their percentage of fault. A Watertown injury lawyer could analyze an incident to identify whose negligence caused harm and hold them accountable for damages.
Get Legal Help as Soon as Possible
Although a person typically has two years to file a lawsuit seeking damages for personal injuries, the laws in this state are fact specific. However, acting immediately after an injury is still crucial due to certain filing requirements.
For example, if an individual received a catastrophic injury after a fall inside a state government office, they have one year to notify the state Claims Commissioner of the accident. However, if someone received the same injury in a Watertown public housing unit, they must inform the city of their claim within six months. Similarly, if someone tripped on a broken sidewalk, or defective highway, the law gives them 90 days to notify the appropriate government agency.
An injured person who assumes they have two years to decide whether to sue risks giving up their rights against a potential defendant. Consulting a knowledgeable attorney after a severe injury in Watertown could give a hurt individual the opportunity to seek damages against a defendant.
Trust a Watertown Attorney to Handle Your Injury Claim
You might spend the weeks, months, and even years after a catastrophic injury trying to restore your health to how it was before an accident. However, waiting until you feel healthy to start seeking compensation might hurt your chances of filing a successful lawsuit against the parties responsible for your losses.
Preserve your rights by allowing a Watertown catastrophic injury lawyer to pursue damages on your behalf. Call now to schedule a consultation.
