Bradenton Catastrophic Injury Attorney 

Some injuries heal quickly and result in only minor pain and inconvenience. Catastrophic injuries, however, profoundly impact the lives of victims and may inflict hardships that last a lifetime. 

If you or someone close to you has suffered a catastrophic injury at the hands of a negligent person or business, you have strong legal rights and the attorneys at Kogan & DiSalvo are here to protect them. 

Our Bradenton catastrophic injury attorneys are prepared to handle any claim arising from a car accident, truck accident, slip and fall, work accident or negligence of any kind. No injury is too serious or case too complex for our accomplished legal team. 

“Serious Injuries” and the Law 

Under Florida personal injury statutes, only people who have suffered “serious injuries” are entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, emotional trauma and other non-economic damages. What constitutes a serious injury? 

Under Florida law, a serious injury is defined as one that: 

• Results in significant and permanent loss of a vital bodily function 
• Is permanent, within a reasonable degree of medical probability 
• Results in permanent scarring or disfigurement 
• Results in death 

Please note that an injury does not have to be serious to entitle you to economic damages such as medical bills, wage loss and property damage.  

If your injuries are serious and catastrophic, your financial future depends on obtaining all of the compensation to which you are entitled under the law. An experienced Bradenton catastrophic injury attorney knows how to compile the types of evidence that demonstrate you meet one or more of the four requirements listed above. 

Car Accidents, PIP Coverage and Serious Injuries 

Florida’s serious injury threshold is especially relevant in the context of motor vehicle accidents. People who suffer only minor injuries in car accidents, truck accidents or other motor vehicle crashes must draw upon their own personal injury protection (PIP) coverage to pay for the economic damages they have suffered. Only when an injury is serious may the victim pursue a lawsuit against the at-fault party for non-economic damages. 

The Effects of Catastrophic Injuries 

Once it is established that your injury is catastrophic and meets the threshold of a serious injury, a Bradenton personal injury attorney can begin documenting the many ways this injury has affected your life and will continue to affect you for the rest of your life. A few of the catastrophic injuries that warrant the services of an experienced personal injury lawyer are: 

Brain Injuries 

A serious brain injury can leave a person with severe headaches, permanent memory loss, confusion, irritability, impaired cognition and other painful and disabling conditions. Oftentimes, the person who suffered the injury is the last to notice its effects. For this reason, loved ones should take note of changes in behavior by someone who has recently been injured in a motorcycle accident, a bus accident or due to some other hazard or type of negligence. 

Spinal Cord Injuries 

Mobility issues, back and neck pain, and loss of sensation are only a few of the effects that can afflict someone who has suffered a serious injury to the spinal column. The symptoms of these injuries can be wide-ranging and unpredictable. Some people suffer disruptions in the regulation of bodily functions such as body temperature and bowel and bladder function. Some can no longer bend, stoop, or even sit, making it impossible to perform certain job functions. 

Fractures 

Broken bones can have long-lasting effects, especially later in life when bone density drops. A fracture can result in nerve damage, impaired mobility, decreased strength and psychological problems like depression and anxiety. These conditions can be permanent. The risks associated with broken bones only increase as we get older. Studies have shown that older people who suffer broken bones are at higher risk of developing other life-threatening health problems such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. 

Who Is at Fault for this Life-Changing Injury? 

A catastrophic injury becomes a legal concern when someone else’s negligence is to blame. In handling serious injury claims, our attorneys work tenaciously to uncover acts of negligence and to hold all responsible parties accountable for their actions. 

Some of the most common causes of catastrophic injuries include: 

• Motor vehicle accidents: Dangers abound on Bradenton roads, including drunk, reckless and distracted drivers. Despite safety improvements in modern automobiles, fatal crashes in Florida have only increased in recent years. People injured in pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents are especially vulnerable due to their lack of protection. 
• Dangerous property conditions: When property owners fail to implement commonsense safety protocols, innocent visitors are left vulnerable to slip & fall accidents, swimming pool accidents and other hazards. Negligent security is also a source of serious injuries, as victims of robberies, assaults and other violent attacks are placed at risk due to a lack of lighting, functional locks and other security features. 
• Workplace accidents: Equipment accidents, fires, falls from heights and other hazards are a persistent threat to Florida workers. If you have suffered a catastrophic injury in a workplace accident, you are likely entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. If your injury was the result of negligence on the part of a third party (not your employer), then you may also be entitled to additional compensation through a personal injury claim. 

No matter where and how you were injured, if negligence was to blame, you deserve compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other hardships. Obtaining fair compensation is far from given. The insurance company, large corporation or other party you are up against will not pay unless they have no other choice. A skilled and aggressive Bradenton catastrophic injury lawyer can level the playing field for you, applying maximum pressure to obtain the full amount of compensation you need and deserve. 

Documenting Your Catastrophic Injury 

It is not enough to know you suffer from a catastrophic injury. In order to prevail in a personal injury claim, you must be able to produce concrete evidence that demonstrates the severity of your injury and how it affects your day-to-day life. 

A knowledgeable Bradenton catastrophic injury lawyer can seek compelling evidence in the form of doctor’s notes, hospitalization records, medication lists, diagnostic test results and other sources that begin to paint a picture of your injury and the suffering it has inflicted. 

In a complex personal injury claim, your lawyer may bring in expert witnesses who can testify to not only the severity of your injury, but its likely prognosis, timelines of recovery and the degree to which it will hold you back from working and engaging in other activities. 

Diligent preparation of such evidence can make all the difference in your catastrophic injury claim. 

Hope Through Legal Action 

We understand the physical, emotional and financial toll a catastrophic injury can inflict. While no one can turn back the clock and prevent this from happening to you, a personal injury claim can give you hope for a brighter tomorrow. The Bradenton catastrophic injury attorneys at Kogan & DiSalvo are here to help you achieve that goal. 

We have a proven record of success handling catastrophic injury claims for people in Bradenton, throughout Manatee County and across the state of Florida.  

Contact us today to arrange a free initial consultation with an experienced member of our legal team.