Many personal injury cases in Arkansas involve what are called catastrophic injuries. In these incidents the injuries the victim is suffering from are severe enough to be considered life-altering and usually involves some sort of permanent disability. These can include traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, serious burns, scarring, organ damage and injuries that result in amputation. They can arise from motor vehicle crashes, work-related accidents, slip and fall incidents and medical errors.
While there is no single definition that every state will agree on, injuries are usually determined to be catastrophic if they prevent victims from working at the same capacity they previously operated at. In many cases, those with catastrophic injuries can no longer financially support their family.
Whether negotiating with the responsible parties for an out-of-court settlement or suing them, victims will be seeking both economic and non-economic damages. The former are those damages that can be quantified, such as past and future medical expenses, lost income and the cost of repairing vehicles and other property. Non-economic damages cover intangible things like pain and suffering and emotional trauma. The damages in a catastrophic injury case can become very high, but in most cases, the defendant’s insurers or lawyers try to get victims to settle for less than they deserve.
Those who want the assistance of a personal injury lawyer may start by scheduling a case evaluation. In this state, plaintiffs in a personal injury lawsuit can be eligible for damages even when they are partially to blame as long as the degree is not more than the defendant’s. Victims may leave all negotiations to their lawyer while they focus on trying to recover both physically and emotionally.