Catastrophic Injury Lawyer in Peachtree Corners

Even a minor accident can cause you to suffer a catastrophic injury that will change your life forever. For example, a slip and fall at work or a car accident could leave you with severe trauma and years on the road to recovery.

A catastrophic injury in Peachtree Corners, Georgia could result in mounting expenses and reduced quality of life, and you may not have the time or clarity to deal with insurance companies that are reluctant to pay you what you’re rightfully owed. If your injury is the result of another party’s gross negligence, you deserve justice and your voice should be heard.

Peachtree Corners Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

You may need help estimating your future expenses and calculating the immeasurable losses you’ve experienced. A catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners can help you to explore the strength of your legal claim, battle against insurance giants that don’t want to pay, and will tirelessly navigate through the complexities of your case.

You don’t have to walk this path alone. The Scott Pryor Law Group cares about your unique circumstances and will diligently fight for your justice — your story and your experience matter.

Contact The Scott Pryor Law Group for a free consultation today.

What is a catastrophic injury?
What to expect in a Peachtree Corners catastrophic injury claim
Liability in a catastrophic injury case
- How to prove gross negligence in a catastrophic injury claim
Compensation in a catastrophic injury case
Georgia Laws that could impact your claim
- Comparative Fault
- Statute of Limitations
How The Scott Pryor Law Group can help
Catastrophic Injury FAQ

What is a catastrophic injury?

Legally, a catastrophic injury refers to any severe injury that results in long-lasting or permanent effects. If your ability to perform routine activities is adversely impacted, you require expensive and intensive medical care, or have a life-altering prognosis, this is considered catastrophic injury.

Most catastrophic injuries have one or more of the following factors in common:

Impact on major internal organs or body systems: For example, if you suffer brain or spinal cord trauma, your resulting injuries might be considered catastrophic.
Permanent disability: If you’re in an accident that results in cognitive impairment, paralysis, or other disabilities, your injuries are legally defined as catastrophic.
Sudden trauma: Most catastrophic injuries occur as the result of sudden, traumatic experiences such as a car accident, slip and fall, or a violent act.

A catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners can advise you on how to find justice for your pain and suffering, and can help guide you through the complexities of a catastrophic injury claim.

Catastrophic injury in the U.S.

According to the CDC, 25.8 million people visited ERs in 2022 for significant or catastrophic injuries. These injuries often lead to significant expenses and intensive, long-term or ongoing medical care. Annually, significant injuries cost the U.S. $448 billion.

If a negligent party causes the circumstances that lead to your catastrophic injury, you may have a valid legal path to compensation. Nevertheless, insurance giants may be reluctant to pay you what you’re owed or may try to offer you a quick, paltry settlement.

It may seem tempting to accept any settlement offer to help cover your unexpected financial burden, but once you’ve agreed to a settlement, you will not be able to pursue further compensation.

Insurance companies are notorious for dragging their heels, lowballing a claim to settle quickly, or even outright denying catastrophic injury claims. If you accept an offer, you may no longer have a valid claim to legal recourse.

A catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners can help you to calculate your damages and negotiate with the insurance companies to help you receive just compensation.

Common causes of catastrophic injury

Although a catastrophic injury could occur in many circumstances that are largely out of your control, the personal injury lawyers at The Scott Pryor Law Group see many clients who were injured in the following situations:

Acts of Violence
Car Accident
Construction Accident
Defective Products
Explosion
Fires
Hit and Run Accident
Medical Malpractice
Motorcycle Accident
Pedestrian Accident
Premises Liability
Recalled Products
Slip and Fall Accident
Sports Injuries
Truck Accident
Workplace Accident

A catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners can advise you on how to find justice for your pain and suffering

Examples of catastrophic injury that may lead to a legal claim

Although injuries such as broken bones and whiplash may lead to a general personal injury lawsuit, catastrophic injury cases require more significant, life-altering or chronic injuries.

At The Scott Pryor Law Group, our lawyers have seen many of the following injuries lead to a successful catastrophic injury claim:

Amputation
Anoxic Brain Injury (when your brain is deprived of oxygen for an extended period of time)
Back Injuries
Birth-Related Injuries
Blindness
Chronic Pain
Cognitive Impairment
Disfigurement
Facial Scarring
Head Injury
Hypoxic-Ischemic Injury (blood and oxygen to the brain are reduced or stopped)
Internal Bleeding
Internal Organ Damage
Loss of Hearing
Neck Injuries
Occupational Illness
Paralysis
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Spinal Cord Injuries
Third-Degree Burns
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Differences between general personal injury and catastrophic injury cases

Catastrophic injury falls under the broad category of personal injury law. However, catastrophic injury cases are unique in the types of injury they cover and legal nuances of every unique catastrophic injury claim.

A Peachtree Corners personal injury lawyer from The Scott Pryor Law Group can help you to determine whether or not you should pursue a catastrophic injury lawsuit.

Here are some of the main differences between a general personal injury and a catastrophic injury case to help you discern your next legal steps:

Case Duration: A basic personal injury case is often resolved within several days or weeks. However, a catastrophic injury case has a higher chance of going to trial and as the evidence and testimony presented could be more exhaustive, it could take longer to resolve.
Complexity: There’s a higher burden of proof in catastrophic injury cases than general personal injury claims. This means that your attorney may spend more time conducting a thorough investigation, seeking testimony from experts, and collecting evidence to support your claim.
High Compensatory Stakes: A catastrophic injury case in Peachtree Corners often involves a higher compensatory amount than a basic personal injury case. Catastrophic injury cases might involve multi-million dollar outcomes.
Punitive Damages: Punitive damages (also referred to as vindictive damages in Georgia) are often warranted in catastrophic injury cases. Your catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners may advise you to seek punitive damages if the defendant (s) in your case have exhibited gross negligence. A judge or jury could also choose to add punitive damages to your compensation to punish the defendant (s) for their careless or malicious actions.
Trial Probability: Although most personal injury cases are resolved before going to trial, a catastrophic injury case often includes a significant compensatory claim that may prove more difficult to settle before your case is heard.

What to expect in a Peachtree Corners catastrophic injury claim

The complexities of a catastrophic injury case could mean that the unique circumstances of your claim will involve specific steps and the duration of your case may vary from other catastrophic injury cases.

However, there are specifics that you can expect to occur during your claim, including the following:

1. Medical evaluation and diagnosis:

Seeking medical attention for your injuries is crucial to the foundation of your case. In catastrophic injury cases, upfront medical costs can be extremely high and you may be owed compensation for these expenses.

You’ll need documentation of all doctor’s appointments, hospital stays, prescriptions, surgeries, and other treatments so that your catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners can prove that you’ve incurred economic losses.

2. Collected evidence of anticipated future medical treatment:

Expert opinions, future care and treatment plans, and all other anticipated costs of the medical care you’ll need in the future can impact your compensation.

3. Proof of gross negligence and established liability:

Your lawyer will attempt to gather proof that the defendant (s) in your case exhibited gross negligence and work to establish their liability for your accident.

This may include entering police reports, video and photographic documentation of your accident, and statements from forensic experts and eyewitnesses into evidence.

4. Negotiations:

Insurance companies will try to avoid a payout by any possible means. They may try to establish that you hold partial fault for causing your injuries or poke holes in your claim to attempt to offer you a low settlement.

A catastrophic injury lawyer from The Scott Pryor Law Group can help to ensure that your case is strong and attempt to find irrefutable evidence that the defendant (s) is responsible for your injuries.

Before your case goes to trial, your lawyer will act as your advocate in all negotiation meetings with insurance companies and fight to secure the compensation you deserve.

5. Trial:

If a settlement agreement cannot be reached, the courts will schedule a trial date for your case. Your Peachtree Corners catastrophic injury lawyer will then present your case before a judge and/or jury.

6. Verdict:

The judge and/or jury will review the evidence presented in your case, and weigh factors such as the severity of your injuries, present and future expenses related to your catastrophic injuries, the pain and suffering you’ve endured, and any expert witness testimony to reach a verdict in your case.

Liability in a catastrophic injury case

In order to prove liability in your case, a catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners may investigate the scene of your accident, interview eyewitnesses, and look for evidence that establishes the defendant (s) has displayed a pattern of negligent behavior.

For example, the following parties might be liable in a catastrophic injury case:

Drivers: If your severe injuries are the result of a car accident, motorcycle accident, or truck accident. The driver who caused the accident might be liable.
Medical Staff: If you suffered catastrophic injury as a result of medical malpractice, the doctors and nurses who were responsible for your care, along with the hospital where you received treatment, might be held liable. For example, if a medical instrument is left in your body during a surgery and causes internal organ damage, the surgical team who worked on you may become defendants in your case.
Product Manufacturers: If a defective product causes catastrophic injury, the manufacturer might be liable. For example, if a defective airbag causes you to suffer severe burns in a car accident, the manufacturer might owe you compensation.
Property Owners: If you slip and fall in dangerous conditions caused by a property owner’s negligence, the property owner may have premises liability for your catastrophic injury.

How to prove gross negligence in a catastrophic injury claim

Many catastrophic injury cases include defendants who are found to have exhibited gross negligence. In order to establish gross negligence, a catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners will collect evidence that proves the following:

Duty of Care: The defendant (s) have a mandate to follow a universal standard of duty of care. This means that they must take steps to avoid directly or indirectly harming another person.
Breach of Duty: The defendant violated the duty of care through action or inaction in the circumstances that caused your catastrophic injuries.
Causation: The defendant’s breach of duty of care directly or indirectly caused your catastrophic injuries.
Damages: Your injuries caused you to suffer both monetary and immeasurable losses, and the defendant is responsible for these damages.

Schedule a free consultation with The Scott Pryor Law Group today!

Compensation in a catastrophic injury case

The monetary award you might receive in a Peachtree Corners catastrophic injury case falls under three different types of compensation known as damages: Economic, Non-Economic, and Punitive.

Your attorney will advise you on what damages you should claim and help you to calculate their monetary value.

Economic Damages

Economic, or special, damages cover the losses you’ve experienced with a set monetary value. For example, medical bills fall under economic damages. Examples of economic damages include:

Accommodations for your injuries (for example, if you need to add wheelchair ramps and other implementations to your home)
Assisted living costs
Lost wages (including bonuses, paid time off, and tips)
Home healthcare or hospice care costs
Medical expenses ( all doctor’s appointments, ER visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, surgeries, and treatment needed as a result of your accident)

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic, or general, damages cover the losses you’ve experienced that cannot be quantified but still significantly alter your life. Although no amount of money can heal these damages, compensation may help to alleviate your financial burdens and allow you to concentrate on your recovery.

Examples of non-economic damages might include:

Chronic Pain
Diminished Earning Capacity
Disfigurement or Scarring
Emotional Distress
Loss of Consortium (the ability to enjoy intimacy and companionship)
Loss of Quality of Life
Mental Anguish
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Wrongful Death

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are rarely included in a general personal injury case, but often included in a catastrophic injury case. Your lawyer might advise you to include these damages in your claim, or a judge and/or jury could choose to add them to any compensation you’re awarded.

These damages are considered punishment for a grossly negligent defendant and are meant to deter anyone else from action or inaction that leads to catastrophic injury. Georgia state code § 51-12-5.1 even defines punitive damages as “vindictive damages.”

For example, if a repeat offender drunk driver caused a car accident that resulted in your disfigurement or paralysis, gross negligence might be established and the courts could choose to award punitive damages.

The plaintiff receives 25% of a punitive damages award, and the remaining 75% is directly allocated to the Georgia state treasury.

Georgia Laws that could impact your claim

Your catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners will communicate with you about the state laws that could impact your claim. It’s important to understand these laws as you determine your next legal steps.

Comparative Fault

Georgia is one of a dozen states with comparative fault (or modified comparative negligence) laws in place that could impact the compensation in your catastrophic injury case. Comparative fault mandates the following:

If you hold 50% or more of the responsibility for your accident, you do not have legal recourse for compensation.

If you’re 0%-50% liable for your accident, you can still file a claim, but the amount of your compensation will decrease based on your percentage of fault.

For example, if you are intoxicated and fall on a broken staircase in a restaurant, you may hold partial fault for the injuries you suffer as the result of your fall.

Statute of Limitations

Georgia has a statute of limitations in place to protect both plaintiffs and defendants in a personal injury case. § 9-3-33 sets a two-year time limit to file a personal injury claim. This gives a plaintiff ample time to choose to file and protects defendants from old and frivolous claims.

You must file your legal claim within two years of the date of the accident that caused your injuries — missing this deadline means you no longer have a valid case. The statute is extended to four years if you include a damages claim of loss of consortium.

How The Scott Pryor Law Group can help

A catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners from The Scott Pryor Law Group cares about your personal, unique experience, and understands the life-changing impact of your injuries. We’ll advocate for your voice and your pain and suffering to be heard.

At The Scott Pryor Law Group, every client matters and we won’t stop fighting until your case results in the best possible outcome. We stand ready to fight for just compensation for the underdog in the battle against giant insurance companies that care more about numbers than about lives.

We’ll help guide you through the legal process and stand beside you every step of the way. Your first step on the road to justice is a free consultation.

A successful verdict is never a guarantee, but we’ve recovered 7-figure settlements for many clients — including $14 million in a product liability case.

Schedule your free consultation today.

Catastrophic Injury FAQ

What is an indirect catastrophic injury?

An indirect catastrophic injury is an injury that develops or worsens over time due to a complication from a previous trauma. For example, if you suffer a heart attack during strenuous activity that was exacerbated or caused by injuries you suffered in a car accident, this is considered an indirect catastrophic injury.

If you experience this type of injury and have not yet filed a claim, you might have a valid legal case.

Do personal injury lawyers take catastrophic injury cases?

Yes, personal injury lawyers often take on catastrophic injury cases. However, it’s important to find a lawyer who has successful experience with this type of personal injury case.

The attorneys of The Scott Pryor Law Group understand the laws surrounding catastrophic injury claims, and have recovered just compensation for clients who file these claims.

Why do I need a catastrophic injury lawyer?

Although you can file a catastrophic injury claim or even a lawsuit on your own, a catastrophic injury lawyer in Peachtree Corners has access to legal knowledge and resources that you may not.

Navigating the complexities of catastrophic injury and proving gross negligence may be extremely difficult without a lawyer.