Are you the victim of catastrophic injuries resulting from an accident that wasn’t your fault? At Chaikin Trial Group Personal Injury Lawyers, our attorneys have 50 years of combined experience.
Led by a principal attorney with 20 years of experience, our law firm has recovered $100 million on behalf of our clients. As your Long Island personal injury lawyer, we can investigate what happened and identify the people or parties responsible.
When we serve as your Long Island catastrophic injury lawyer, you can also count on us to handle conversations with insurance companies and pursue compensation on your behalf. Come in as a client, leave as a friend.
What is Considered a Catastrophic Injury in New York?
After suffering a serious accident, many people wonder whether their injury qualifies as catastrophic and whether they have legal options. As a result, there isn’t one specific list of all the injuries that are considered catastrophic.
However, this term generally refers to injuries that permanently or significantly impact a person’s ability to work, care for themselves, or enjoy daily life. Catastrophic injuries often require extensive medical care and may create lifelong challenges.
Unlike injuries that eventually heal, these injuries can affect a person for years or even the rest of their life. These are examples of catastrophic injuries:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Amputations
- Severe burns
- Permanent disabilities
- Serious organ damage
- Permanent loss of vision or hearing
For victims, figuring out how to manage the financial and personal consequences that come with a life-changing injury can be difficult. However, a Long Island catastrophic injury attorney in New York can help by looking at the entire impact of the injury, not just the accident itself.
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How Catastrophic Injury Claims Work in New York
Many catastrophic injury cases are based on negligence. Negligence means that someone failed to act with reasonable care and caused harm to another person.
To pursue verdicts and settlements, an injured person generally must prove that another party had a responsibility to act safely, failed to meet that responsibility, and caused the injury. For example, let’s take a look at examples of negligence that result in catastrophic injuries:
- A driver causing a serious collision through reckless behavior
- A property owner failing to address dangerous conditions
- A contractor ignoring safety requirements at a construction site
- A company allowing unsafe equipment to remain in use
Every case is different, which is why a thorough investigation is important. A catastrophic injury lawyer reviews the details of the accident, identifies all possible responsible parties, and develops a legal strategy based on the evidence.
Why Catastrophic Injury Cases Require More Than a Quick Settlement
After an accident, insurance companies often move quickly in response to all injuries in New York State. They may contact victims shortly after the injury and offer a settlement.
While receiving an offer may seem like a relief during a stressful time, accepting too soon can create serious problems. Catastrophic injuries often involve unknown future costs. At the beginning of recovery, victims might not know the following information:
- How much medical treatment they will need
- Whether they will return to work
- Whether they will require long-term assistance
- How the injury will affect their family
A settlement that seems reasonable at first may not account for years of future expenses. Catastrophic injury lawyers in Long Island can evaluate the true value of a claim before any decisions are made.
Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries in Long Island
Catastrophic injuries can happen in many different situations. The cause of the injury often determines who may be legally responsible and what type of claim should be pursued. Here’s a closer look at common causes of catastrophic injuries:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Construction accidents
- Falls caused by unsafe property conditions
- Defective products
- Workplace accidents involving third parties
Long Island has busy roads, active construction projects, commercial properties, and workplaces where safety failures can have serious consequences.
For example, a vehicle accident may involve a negligent driver, a trucking company, or a manufacturer if a defect contributed to the crash. A construction accident may involve multiple parties, including property owners, contractors, subcontractors, or equipment manufacturers.
Your catastrophic personal injury lawyer in Long Island can investigate every possible source of liability on your behalf to determine who should be held accountable.
How a Long Island Catastrophic Injury Attorney Builds a Strong Case
A strong catastrophic injury claim requires evidence. Insurance companies and defense attorneys often look for ways to reduce the value of a claim.
They may argue that an injury is not as serious as claimed, that the accident happened differently, or that another factor caused the victim’s condition. A lawyer helps counter these arguments by gathering evidence that tells the full story.
Here’s what this often includes:
- Accident reports
- Medical records
- Diagnostic testing
- Photos and videos
- Witness statements
- Surveillance footage
- Employment records
- Safety documentation
Medical professionals are especially important in catastrophic injury cases. Doctors, rehabilitation specialists, and other professionals can explain the severity of the injury, the treatment required, and the long-term effects.
Many people wonder when to hire a personal injury lawyer, but the sooner you call Chaikin Trial Group Personal Injury Lawyers, the more time your attorneys will have to work on your case.
Contact Chaikin Trial Group Personal Injury Lawyers Today for Help From a Long Island Catastrophic Injury Law Firm
At Chaikin Trial Group Personal Injury Lawyers, people come in as clients and leave as friends because our firm believes in building genuine relationships while advocating for injured victims. We recognize that catastrophic injuries impact much more than your health.
That’s why we take an aggressive approach to our legal representation. With direct attorney communication and bilingual legal services, we prepare every case as though it’s going to trial, even if that doesn’t end up happening. The sooner you call, the sooner our firm can help. Contact us today!
