Denver Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

Catastrophic injuries have serious, long-term effects. They often cause permanent disability and can change everything about a victim’s life. They can cause real financial and emotional strain on victims and their families. A Denver catastrophic injury lawyer at Ogborn Mihm LLP can help you recover the compensation you need to ease some of that strain.

What types of injuries are catastrophic?

Any of the following can constitute a catastrophic injury:

• Spinal injury, e.g., spinal fractures, severed spinal cord, paralysis
• Organ damage
• Burn injuries, e.g., third-degree burns, burns covering large parts of the body
• Head injuries, e.g., skull fractures, traumatic brain injuries

How can a catastrophic injury change your life?

After a catastrophic injury, a person’s life is seldom the same as before. Catastrophic injuries often include the following:

• Physical impairments, including paralysis and loss of various bodily functions
• Cognitive impairments, which can be a lifelong burden to the injured person
• Psychological, emotional, and personality changes
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering
• Disfigurement and loss of limbs

To mitigate the effects of a catastrophic injury, the person might need:

• Ongoing medical treatments and therapy, including physical and occupational therapy
• Daily assistance with self-care

The costs of these can be massive over the years. Adaptive vehicles and home modifications may be necessary, as well as specialized medical devices and equipment.

Compounding these financial consequences are lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and disability. It may not be possible for a person to work again after a catastrophic injury. If the person can go back to work, it is less likely that she will enjoy the same career and financial success she would have had, but for the catastrophic injury.

Experienced Denver Catastrophic Injury Attorney

Who is liable for my catastrophic injury?

Short answer: Whoever was at fault. This may be multiple people or companies. Often more than one person or party is at fault in an incident significant enough to result in catastrophic injuries.

For example, catastrophic injuries are common in truck accidents. While the truck driver might have been 100 percent responsible for the accident, he likely will not be your liable party. Instead, due to the doctrine of vicarious liability, the trucking company will be your liable party instead. In cases where poor maintenance contributed to the accident, you might hold the trucking company and the maintenance company liable.

How can I prove my entitlement to damages after a catastrophic injury?

First, you must prove fault. Depending on the cause of the injury, you can establish fault through the use of the police report, eyewitness testimony, and accident reconstruction expert testimony.

Second, you must gather evidence to prove injuries. You can establish the immediate costs of medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage through the standard documentation for those types of losses. It is important to remember, however, that the ramifications of these injuries will not end after the initial recuperation period.

Third, work with experts to prove long-term damages. Catastrophic injuries, by their very nature, usually result in disability, disfigurement, decreased earning capacity, social-psychological ramifications, cognitive impairment, and long-term medical treatment. Reports and records will help prove these damages. Expert witness testimony is often necessary to present evidence of the long-term life changes caused by catastrophic injuries.

Trusted Denver Catastrophic Injury Law Firm

All of this is difficult to do, even if you are not suffering from a life-changing injury. If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury, you need to be in the hands of a Denver catastrophic injury lawyer at Ogborn Mihm LLP.