CATASTROPHIC INJURY LAWYER
PRACTICE AREAS
Bossier City Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
The unfortunate truth is that a catastrophic injury can happen to anybody at any time, and when it does, it can be emotionally and financially devastating to victims and their families. Recovering from a catastrophic injury is difficult and often requires plenty of time, money, and patience, but it’s possible. Your journey to recovery should begin with a trustworthy catastrophic injury lawyer. Fortunately, Shreveport-Bossier City lawyer Michael J. Vergis has more than twenty-five years of experience representing catastrophic injury victims and helping them receive compensation for their medical bills and pain and suffering.
If you or a loved one suffered the devastating consequences of someone else’s negligent actions, recovery should be your top priority. Experienced personal injury attorney Michael J. Vergis can help no matter the injury, so call today at (318) 698-3724 to set up your free consultation to discuss your personal injury claim and allow him to get straight to work on your case.
What is Considered a Catastrophic Injury?
A catastrophic injury is any type of injury that significantly impacts a victim’s life. Victims of catastrophic injuries often face years of hardship relating to their injury and a substantial amount of hospitalization. Unfortunately, many of them never fully recover and are unable to return to their lifestyle prior to the accident.
Catastrophic Injury Examples
Some of the more common catastrophic injuries our Bossier City personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael J. Vergis work with include:
Head Injury / Brain Damage / TBI
Any injury to the head can be life-altering, as this delicate region is responsible for everything that goes on in our body. Blunt force trauma can lead to things like hematomas, concussions, and contusions, all of which are examples of traumatic brain injuries. These can be caused by anything from sports-related injuries to slip-and-fall accidents. When a traumatic accident results in something penetrating the skull and the brain, such as a gunshot wound or a piece of glass from a motor vehicle accident, these injuries can be life-threatening and cause permanent damage. Personality changes, memory loss, impaired mobility, and a loss of cognitive abilities are all possible repercussions of a traumatic brain injury.
Spinal Cord Injury / Paralysis
Another completely life-altering injury is a spinal cord injury. When a person’s spinal cord is damaged, they risk paralysis–such as paraplegia and quadriplegia–as well as even more serious threats to their health. For many, spinal cord injuries lead to a lifetime spent in a wheelchair and the inability to partake in things they once loved. Vehicular accidents, boating accidents, and workplace injuries are just a few potential causes of these catastrophic accidents.
Severe Burn Injuries
Severe burn injuries typically refer to second and third-degree burns. These burns often leave victims in a heap of medical debt, as most burns recover extensive medical treatment such as skin grafting, pain management, and reconstructive surgery. This is not even to mention the lengthy hospital stays and potential travel costs. Not only that, but even with years spent in the hospital trying to heal these wounds, burn injury victims may still be left with permanent scarring and disfigurement. Such injuries might be caused from mishandling chemicals, electrocution accidents, defective products, explosive car accidents, and more.
Amputations / Loss of Limb
The loss of a limb or extremity is devastating, whether it was removed during surgery or amputated at the scene of a terrible accident. Aside from learning to live without a crucial piece of them, amputation victims must endure extensive physical therapy as well as the physical and financial burdens that come with the costly medical equipment necessary to make their lives more accessible, such as wheelchairs and prosthetics.
Common Causes of Catastrophic Injury
A person might receive catastrophic injuries in any number of ways. For example, these serious injuries can be the result of anything from a car wreck to a misjudged dive into shallow water. Sometimes, it may be due to their own actions, but many times, it is the result of someone else’s negligent behavior that causes them to suffer. Some of the more common causes of catastrophic injuries include motor vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents, workplace accidents, and defective products.
Car Accidents
No matter how safe of a driver you are or what precautions you take, you cannot control everyone else on the road. Unfortunately, auto accidents are inevitable. Reckless driving, distracted driving, and drunk driving are all behaviors that might lead to a car accident. Other factors, such as unsafe road and weather conditions or defective vehicle parts, can also lead to devastating motor vehicle accidents in Louisiana.
Commercial Vehicle Accidents
Commercial vehicles can account for anything from a semi-truck to a bus to a delivery van. According to research conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, commercial driving (specifically truck driving) is one of the most dangerous occupations out there. Commercial vehicle accidents can quickly become catastrophic, if not deadly. Aside from the dangers that come from the size and weight of these vehicles, truck drivers are often affected by things such as sleep deprivation and time constraints due to tight deadlines and long work hours.
Motorcycle Accidents
A majority of motorcycle accidents in Bossier City occur due to poor visibility. When other drivers cannot see the motorcyclist, they may switch lanes and run them off the road or even hit them directly. These accidents are often catastrophic due to the motorcyclists’ lack of protection and the size difference between the average passenger vehicle and a motorcycle.
Pedestrian Injuries
Pedestrian accidents can be horrific. Much like with motorcyclists, pedestrians and bicyclists face a high risk of sustaining catastrophic injuries when struck by a vehicle. Motorists who are not paying attention or otherwise driving recklessly can collide with a pedestrian and leave them with permanent injuries or worse.
Workplace Injuries
Though no workplace is immune to accidents and employees suffering workplace injuries, there are certainly some occupations that are far more dangerous than others. For example, construction, oil field work, and other jobs that require the operation of heavy machinery and exposure to toxic fumes are all more likely to lead to catastrophic injuries in the workplace.
Defective Products & Medical Devices
Whether due to a defect in its design, the manufacturing process, or its advertising and marketing, a dangerous and defective device or product can cause immense harm to those who are exposed to it. When this happens, a product liability lawsuit allows the injured victim to sue the responsible party and recover compensation for the damages they’ve suffered.
Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer for a Catastrophic Injury?
Personal injury cases involving catastrophic injuries are very serious, and those who suffer them due to someone else’s negligence deserve just compensation for the years of recovery that lie ahead. Unfortunately, it’s not always a walk in the park to obtain the financial compensation you’re entitled to. That is what personal injury lawyers are here for. When you work with a skilled Bossier City personal injury lawyer like Michael Vergis, he will handle every complex element of your claim for you so you can focus solely on your own recovery. If he is unable to reach a reasonable agreement through settlement negotiations with the insurance company, he is more than prepared to take your case to court and utilize his extensive litigation skills to fight for justice on your behalf. He is not afraid to go head to head with the insurance company and the negligent party’s legal team to ensure they pay for the damage they caused you and your family.What Damages are Recoverable?
When you work with an experienced personal injury lawyer like Michael J. Vergis, he will work on your behalf to recover financial compensation for both the economic and non-economic damages you and your family have suffered. Economic damages include things like medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and loss of future income. If the victim was fatally injured, their family may also recover wrongful death damages. In these types of cases, Bossier City wrongful death attorney Michael Vergis is prepared to help families fight for proper compensation for all of the aforementioned damages as well as funeral and burial expenses. Non-economic damages are generally harder to prove because they cannot be determined by a receipt or bill. Nevertheless, victims deserve compensation for the pain and suffering, mental duress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other emotional and mental damages that resulted from the accident. If the defendant acted in a grossly negligent manner, meaning they willfully showed an extreme disregard for human life, punitive damages may also be available as a means to punish them for such behavior. When you equip the help of an Bossier City personal injury attorney like Mr. Vergis, he will fight tooth and nail to make sure you are properly compensated for every aspect of your claim.
Louisiana Injury Attorney Michael J. Vergis Can Help You Recover Maximum Compensation for Your Life-Changing Injury
If you or a loved one suffered injuries, especially if those injuries were catastrophic in nature, and someone else is to blame for the accident, you have legal options available. Under Louisiana personal injury law, you have the right to secure compensation for the economic and non-economic – and in some cases, punitive – damages that resulted from another’s negligence. The best way to protect yourself and ensure you are receiving full and fair compensation is with the help of an experienced and dedicated law firm.
At the Law Offices of Michael J. Vergis, we are equipped to handle every element of your personal injury case from start to finish. Our primary goal is to help our clients achieve the compensation they need to return back to their previous lives, or at the very least as close as possible, with no threat to their financial future.
What’s more, our law office operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning when you hire our personal injury attorneys for your legal representation, you won’t have to pay anything unless we successfully recover a settlement or award for you. To get a top Shreveport-Bossier City catastrophic injury attorney like Michael J. Vergis on your side today, call (318) 698-3724 or send us a message online for a free consultation.
Our law firm is qualified to practice in both state and federal courts. In addition to personal injury claims, we also take on criminal and civil law cases, meaning we provide outstanding civil litigation and criminal defense in Bossier City and beyond, as well as comprehensive family law services.
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