Sustaining a catastrophic injury is one of the most traumatic events a person can experience in their lifetime. It is usually life-changing physically and financially, and many people who suffer from a catastrophic injury in Texas wonder if they can receive compensation.
What is a catastrophic injury?
A catastrophic injury is a severe, life-altering injury that often results in permanent bodily harm or disability. For example, traumatic brain injuries, severe burns, injuries to the neck and spine, paralysis, amputation, and many others.
Each of the above injuries share a common trait: they impact a person’s ability to live a normal life, work and care for themselves.
Can I pursue compensation for my catastrophic injury?
It depends. In Texas, for you to ask for compensation, you must first prove that your injury was caused by another person’s intentional action or negligence.
For example, suppose you sustained a catastrophic injury from a car accident that involved another driver. In that case, you may seek compensation from the other driver if the other driver was at fault or negligent.
What type of compensation can I get?
It depends on the severity of your injury and the case’s specific facts. Generally, however, the court can order the other party and/or their insurance company to pay economic, non-economic and punitive damages.
Insurance and catastrophic injuries
It is important to know if there is any insurance that could potentially cover the costs of your accident. For example, in the event of a car accident where the other driver is at fault, their insurance company may compensate you for your medical care, financial losses, pain and suffering and more.
Suffering a catastrophic injury is tragic, and you may experience all sorts of emotions as you process and accept what happened. It is important, however, to remember that the law imposes time limits for people to seek compensation, which is why it is critical to seek proper counsel as soon as possible after the accident.