You are cautious and careful when on the road. You put your safety and that of your fellow drivers first. You follow the rules and remain vigilant and alert for possible dangers. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of every person who gets behind the wheel of a car. Some people drive in such a careless fashion that they should not even be on the road.
If you have been badly hurt in a car accident caused by such a reckless and negligent person, you may need to take legal action to pursue a personal injury claim.
Catastrophic Injury Definition
A catastrophic injury is an injury that permanently prevents you from pursuing gainful employment. Amputation, eye injury, facial injury, brain injury, neurological damage, spinal cord injury, loss of hearing or sight—these are just some of the catastrophic injuries that may result from the crash.
They are the kind of injuries that can put you into the hospital for a long time. They may compel you to undergo extensive surgeries and a long rehabilitation period. They are injuries that can force you out of work and make it necessary for you to live a completely different life.
A catastrophic injury can lead to the destruction of your life as you know it. If your job is exceptionally physical and requires special skills and training, you may need to give it up. Indeed, such an injury can rob you of everything you worked for; it can force you to live the rest of your life as an invalid, dependent on others to get around and care for yourself. It will certainly lead to a significant increase in your expenses.
To cope with a catastrophic injury, you will need in-home care, medication, and personal assistance devices. You may even need to adjust your living space to accommodate your injury. For example, if the injury has left you unable to walk, then you may need to change the layout of your home.
This sort of injury cannot be dealt with properly without money. And either the person who hit you or their insurance company should be forced to pay it.
Reasons To Get A Lawyer
A car accident is a sudden and violent event. It will leave you stunned and in a state of mental and physical shock. As you are recovering, you will need to start thinking about the legal implications of the accident. If the accident was clearly the fault of the other driver, representatives from their law firm may try to contact you.
You should not speak to such people without your lawyer present. And you should not accept any offers without the advice and counsel of an attorney. You may not have to sue the person who hit you. If they or their insurance company makes an offer that is fair and adequate, your lawyer may advise you to accept it. However, if the accident resulted in catastrophic injuries and you are offered a small amount of money, then you will need to file suit.
What Your Lawyer Will Do
The Stewart Law Firm is dedicated to helping the people of Austin get justice. The attorney who takes your case will work intelligently, aggressively, and tirelessly to get you the kind of money that will help you cope with the consequences of your injury.
Here are some of the specific actions your attorney will take:
Investigate Your Case
Investigations by police and insurance companies are not always complete and accurate. Your lawyer will make their own inquiry into the accident. They will bring in professional investigators to do the job. Your personal injury case will depend on many things, including the statements of people who saw the accident first-hand or who caught it on a phone camera. One of the first things your attorney and their team will do is re-interview those witnesses.
Some people are skittish about speaking to the police but may have no problem talking to private investigators. Your attorney may also be able to locate and get a copy of cell phone footage of the accident. The driver who caused the accident will also be investigated. If they have a history of speeding, reckless disregard of traffic rules, or other types of violations, this can be brought in as evidence against them.
Reconstruct the Accident
Your lawyer will also hire technical experts who are able to reconstruct the series of events that led to the accident. This can be done by the marks left on the road and the specific points of damage on each car. From this evidence, such professionals can develop a computer-based simulation. The latter can show how the accident took place and may go so far as to confirm your version of events.
Determine Where To Take Your Case
To win, your lawyer will need to prove that the driver who hit you was reckless, that the accident caused a catastrophic injury that has devastated your life, and that the respondent or their insurance company must, therefore, pay you a substantial amount of money. In most instances, the respondent will want to settle out of court.
They will not want to risk a jury trial, which could lead to a settlement that costs them much more money than they are willing to pay. However, you will need an attorney who is an exceptionally skillful and competent negotiator if you are to get the money you need to get through life.
Justice in this situation is monetary. Dealing with the financial impact of a catastrophic accident is impossible if you do not have adequate financial resources. The person who caused the accident must be made to pay. And the Stewart Law Firm will make them.
