Manassas, Virginia Catastrophic Injury Attorneys

Lawyers Helping Address Severe Injuries in Accidents in Manassas, VA

Some injuries can heal with time when a person receives enough rest and medical treatment. However, other injuries can permanently change a person's life. Catastrophic injuries may require lifelong medical care, and they can place severe limitations on a person. These injuries will require a different level of medical care and a different level of financial planning, and victims will need legal representation to ensure that they can obtain compensation from the person or parties who were responsible.

When a catastrophic injury has been caused by another person's negligence, the attorneys at Locklin & Coleman, PLLC can take steps to obtain financial compensation for the victim. We work to ensure that the compensation our clients receive reflects the full scope of the damages caused by their injuries. We can determine the lifetime impact of an injury, helping our clients address the ongoing costs that will affect them and the personal and emotional concerns they are facing. Our goal is to provide our clients with the resources they need as they work to recover and move forward.

What Makes an Injury Catastrophic?

The harm a person may suffer in the aftermath of a severe injury will go beyond temporary pain or short-term disabilities. The consequences of a catastrophic injury can be long-lasting and life-altering. An injury may permanently affect a person's ability to work, care for themselves, engage in activities they previously enjoyed, or maintain personal relationships. Medical care may be needed for the rest of a person's life, and it may include ongoing treatment, psychological therapy, medications, and support services.

The financial consequences of catastrophic injuries can be massive. The lifetime medical costs required to treat serious injuries can add up to millions of dollars. Lost earning capacity over a person's lifetime may represent another enormous loss. The non-economic consequences of an injury, including pain, loss of independence, and grief over lost opportunities, can be just as serious.

Types of Catastrophic Injuries

Severe injuries can occur in multiple types of accidents, and they can affect the body in different ways. Some injuries that can have long-term or permanent effects include:

Traumatic Brain Injuries

The brain governs every aspect of a person's life, including memory, emotions, communication, and physical movement. A traumatic brain injury can disrupt some or all of those functions, and its effects can reach into every part of a person's life. Concussions may lead to weeks or months of cognitive difficulties, memory loss, headaches, mood disorders, and other symptoms. Moderate and severe brain injuries can be even more serious, leading to permanent impairments to memory, intellectual abilities, bodily coordination, the ability to communicate, emotional regulation, and more. Lifelong medical care and support may be needed.

Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis

Damage to the spinal cord can lead to a loss of function and feeling below the level of injury. In many cases, these consequences can be permanent. Cervical spine injuries can result in tetraplegia affecting all four limbs, while thoracic and lumbar injuries may lead to paraplegia affecting the lower body. Spinal cord injury survivors may experience other medical complications, including pressure sores, respiratory problems, bladder and bowel dysfunction, and chronic pain.

Burn Injuries

Serious burns can destroy tissue, damage nerve endings, and cause complications. Skin grafts may be required in some cases, and victims may be at risk of infections and other health issues. Burns can also lead to serious scarring and disfigurement that can affect a victim's life permanently. Treatments for serious burns can be long, painful, and costly, and it may involve hospitalization in specialized burn units, multiple surgical procedures, intensive wound care, and extended physical and occupational therapy.

Amputation

The loss of a limb can change a person's life forever. Traumatic amputations may occur in accidents, or surgical amputations may be necessary when limbs are damaged beyond repair. Following an amputation, a person may require prosthetic devices and home and vehicle modifications. Ongoing rehabilitation may be needed to help a person adapt to the changes to their life. These injuries can also affect victims emotionally while leading to ongoing pain and other medical issues.

Broken Bones

While some bone fractures may heal completely when the proper treatment is provided, some broken bones may have permanent consequences. Hip fractures can affect a person's mobility. Complex fractures affecting joints in the arms or legs can affect a person's ability to perform work or complete daily tasks, and they could also lead to arthritis and other complications. Fractures may require surgery, extended rehabilitation, and other forms of ongoing medical care.

Organ Damage and Internal Injuries

The forces involved in accidents can damage a person's internal organs, including the heart, intestines, spleen, liver, or kidneys. These injuries can put a person's life at risk, and they may have ongoing effects. In some cases, organ transplants may be required, or a person may experience health issues that could affect their digestion, breathing, circulation, or other bodily systems.

Determining the Full Impact of a Catastrophic Injury

When an injury will affect a person for a long period of time or the rest of their life, the damages that the person receives should address all of the ways they will be affected. A personal injury claim will need to consider the issues that will need to be addressed during a person's entire lifetime in addition to the losses they have already experienced.

Our attorneys work with medical professionals, vocational experts, economists, and life care planners to build a complete picture of the losses our clients have sustained and the damages that will continue to affect them. Future medical expenses can be projected based on the treatment and care that will be needed. Lost earning capacity can be calculated based on a person's prior earnings and their expected career trajectory. Non-economic consequences like pain, loss of independence, disfigurement, and emotional distress may also be documented through medical records, psychological evaluations, and personal accounts by the victim and their family members.

Contact Our Manassas Catastrophic Injury Lawyers

At Locklin & Coleman, PLLC, we fight to obtain full compensation for victims of serious and debilitating injuries. Our attorneys will handle every aspect of these complex cases, making sure our clients can focus on their recovery and their future. Contact our Manassas, VA severe injury attorneys at 703-392-6686 to arrange a free consultation.