You’ve often heard that you should speak with an attorney if you’re hurt in an incident or accident.
When your injuries have impacted the course of your life, seeking legal aid is a no-brainer.
But do you need a different type of lawyer?
No worries – I’m here to help!
As you might know, I am a bestselling wellness author with about 2 million books sold globally.
Plus I founded a groundbreaking video course called The Anxiety Cure.
I love sharing tools to help people live their happiest lives.
With this mind, I created this article all about how to choose the best personal injury lawyer – or if you need a catastrophic injury lawyer.
First things first… Personal injury law varies from catastrophic injury law, which is understandable. Our courts protect those who need it most. Wyatt Law Firm catastrophic injury lawyers can help ensure you get the settlement you need to take care of yourself and your family.
Choosing a lawyer is a stressful and confusing process. Evaluating the type of lawyer you need can make it easier, and you’ll know you’ve made the right decision.
Personal injury lawyers handle various claims, but catastrophic injury lawyers take more specific cases. Some of the common types of wounds and harm they investigate include:
The key question is whether your injury will permanently affect your ability to earn a living or care for yourself. If the answer is yes, the courts will likely consider your injury catastrophic.
A catastrophic injury will likely impact the rest of your life. That fact affects the size of the settlement to which you may be entitled. A knowledgeable attorney will be able to navigate around settlement caps and help advise you on what amount to ask for.
By their very nature, recovery from a catastrophic illness takes much longer. Sometimes, you will need medical care for the rest of your life. Some victims slip into comas or need major surgery during the case. A catastrophic injury attorney won’t be caught off-guard.
In addition, your needs likely aren’t just medical. Traumatic injuries also take an enormous toll on your mental and emotional well-being. Catastrophic injury lawyers can get you the holistic help you need and know how to respond to all facets of your recovery.
Regarding timelines, attorneys specializing in catastrophic injuries also understand that these cases are not quick. In personal injury, the goal is often to settle as quickly as possible. But catastrophic cases are complex.
What’s more, you may need to use the settlement to support yourself for the rest of your life. There’s more at stake, and a specialist understands this.
Another crucial difference between catastrophic and personal injury is your ability to participate in legal proceedings.
The inability to perform daily tasks is often an effect of catastrophic illness. That means you might be unable to appear in court or assist in preparing your case. In some cases, the wounded party is still hospitalized or needs frequent medical procedures.
Catastrophic injury attorneys assume more responsibility than personal injury lawyers. They expect the unexpected from their clients. They know how to respond when your circumstances change. After all, recovery is not linear.
The problem with catastrophic injuries is that it takes months or years to understand their full impact. The statute of limitations on personal injury varies by state but tends to have a cap of one or two years. One prominent example is post-9/11 cancer diagnoses that didn’t happen for years after the towers fell.
In some cases, a knowledgeable, experienced catastrophic injury attorney can navigate around a statute of limitations if your doctors didn’t know the scope of your hurt until now. It’s complicated and time-consuming, so you must work with a specialist.
The decision to hire an attorney isn’t easy, let alone choosing a lawyer or law firm to represent you. It’s more stressful when the stakes are so high. Decide which kind of lawyer you need, and go from there.
Explore my therapist recommended relaxation training course called The Anxiety Cure.
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