The catastrophic injury lawyers in Norwich, CT, want to give you the tools you need to recover from a life-changing accident. The team with Claggett, Sykes & Garza has decades of experience that it’s ready to put to use on your behalf should you want to bring your losses to a judge’s attention.
Is it worth it to take legal action after a catastrophic injury accident, though? More often than not, yet. While you can’t make a liable party face criminal consequences for their misconduct, you can demand that they recognize your losses and compensate you accordingly. Our Norwich personal injury lawyers can help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve today.
Contact us to learn more about the services our Norwich personal injury lawyers offer.
What Is a Catastrophic Injury?
How can you distinguish between a catastrophic injury and a severe but recoverable injury? Look at the impact an injury has on your overall quality of life. Severe injuries may require you to undergo physical therapy and surgery, but you can usually get your life back on track after treatment.
Catastrophic injuries, for comparison’s sake, can permanently upend your ability to meet your daily needs. These injuries can range from broken bones to traumatic head injuries to severe burns.
Note that long-term illnesses stemming from preventable and dangerous conditions can also constitute catastrophic injuries in the eyes of Connecticut’s civil courts. Asbestos exposure and some cancers stemming from manufacturer negligence may entitle you or a loved one to legal action.
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Outlining Your Right to Legal Action After a Catastrophic Injury
If you want to take action after an accident resulting in a catastrophic injury, you need to:
- Prove that your accident stemmed from avoidable negligence
- Bring forward evidence proving that a specific party contributed to your losses
- Provide the court with evidence establishing the value of your losses
What’s more, you have to do all of this on a tight timeline. Connecticut’s personal injury statute of limitations, General Statutes of Connecticut section 52-584, only gives you two years to act on your losses. If you don’t bring a civil claim forward within those two years, you may waive your right to compensation.
Criminal Versus Civil Action
Neither you nor your family has the right to initiate criminal action against the party responsible for your catastrophic injury accident. Only the state can. That said, the state may call on you and ask you to contribute testimony to a criminal case brought against the party liable for your losses.
It’s worth it to keep an ear out for developments in a criminal case related to your injury. If a criminal court convicts your liable party, you can submit that conviction as proof of negligence in civil court.
Calculating Your Possible Compensation
Most parties opt to pursue catastrophic injury cases because these cases give them a chance to win compensation for their losses. While there’s no overarching “average settlement amount” that our team can apply to your case, we can independently calculate the possible value of your damages when you first bring your losses to our attention.
When calculating your possible compensation, our team can take the following losses into account:
- Catastrophic injury emergency care
- Long-term medical care
- Mobility and pain management aids
- In-house assistance
- Property damage and restoration
- Property rentals, as applicable
- Lost wages
- Lost opportunities to return to work
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Stress
- Wrongful death, if applicable
- Funeral expenses, if applicable
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Going to Civil Court
Once you’ve estimated the value of your case and brought forward the evidence you need to prove liability, you can submit your case to a civil judge. That judge and court can then take what time they need to assess your circumstances.
Should your case move forward, you can work with a lawyer to prepare for a civil trial. The trial process usually involves the following steps:
- Discovery
- Opening statements
- Examination
- Cross-examination
- Closing statements
- Deliberation
- Verdict
You may play a part in both examination and cross-examination, depending on whether or not an attorney wants to put you on the stand. Be aware that this process can take a considerable amount of time, with some cases resolving months or years after a survivor like you file a claim. Our attorneys can keep you on top of a court’s timeline as your case develops.
You Can Negotiate for the Financial Support You Deserve
You do not have to take a catastrophic injury case to trial if you want to secure compensation for your losses. You can alternatively request that your Norwich, CT, catastrophic injury attorney mediate negotiations between you and a liable party. These negotiations can take place out of court and, under the best of cases, resolve more quickly than a trial.
That said, catastrophic injury settlement negotiations tend to work best when a liable party recognizes the wrongs they’ve done to you. Belligerent or uncooperative parties may use negotiations to belittle you or otherwise undermine your losses. You can discuss whether or not you want to proceed with negotiations when you first meet with our attorneys.
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Get in Touch With Norwich’s Experienced Catastrophic Injury Lawyers Today
Catastrophic injury accidents often feel like they come out of nowhere, but their aftermath can stay with you forever. What’s more, recovering from these accidents can take time and resources that you don’t have. How can you get the care you need without breaking the bank?
When in doubt, exercise your right to go to civil court. You can collaborate with a Norwich catastrophic injury lawyer in an effort to demand fair compensation for your losses. Claggett, Sykes & Garza stands with you in an effort to help you win the settlement you need to get your life back on track again.
Ready to learn more about our legal services? You can contact us today to book a FREE catastrophic injury case evaluation.
