Why Boohoff Law Can Make a Difference in Your Catastrophic Injury Case
Living and working in Brandon, Florida, is fun for the entire family. However, if you suffer a catastrophic injury on the job, in a car accident, or while visiting an amusement park, you should not pay your medical expenses.
Founding attorney Tatiana Boohoff has been fighting for the rights of injured victims for more than ten years. She is determined to hold responsible parties accountable for their actions, so you and your family do not struggle to pay the bills or put food on the table while out of work.
Call our office in Brandon today if you have suffered a catastrophic injury so we can begin building a case in your favor.
Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries
For an injury to be considered catastrophic, the injury must cause permanent disability and lifelong consequences for the victim. A victim’s ability to function throughout life must suffer permanent alteration in some form or fashion.
A victim who experienced hearing loss after being involved in an explosion at a construction site, for example, will have a catastrophic injury because the victim’s ability to hear is permanently affected. Tragic injuries can happen from any devastating accident; however, specific accidents can create catastrophic injuries for injured victims.
These accidents include:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Physical acts of violence
- Construction accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Pedestrian accidents
- Horseback riding accidents
Motor Vehicle Accidents
One of the reasons motor vehicle accidents are the primary cause of catastrophic injuries is an increased chance of motor vehicle accidents happening consistently. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of motor vehicle accidents increased during the early months of the pandemic when the number of vehicles on the roadway significantly decreased.
One reason for the increase is that drivers felt the need to engage in riskier behaviors due to the decrease of motor vehicles on the highway. Motor vehicle accidents, in general, are prone to happen in certain areas. For example, despite what many drivers believe, many motor vehicle accidents occur at intersections instead of on highways.
Dangerous Intersections in Brandon
Intersections are areas that present the most risks for drivers to cause an accident. Drivers must prepare to execute many actions, from slowing down to yielding the right of way to searching the intersection before making a left turn. All it takes is for a couple of drivers to fail to pay attention before all chaos ensues.
In addition to the lack of awareness from other drivers, other characteristics of an intersection can increase the chances of motor vehicle accidents. Some of these characteristics include store locations and functionality.
Store Locations
Intersections next to multiple storefronts can increase the chances of a motor vehicle accident. Multiple storefronts increase the foot traffic of pedestrians. Motor vehicle drivers can strike other pedestrians attempting to cross the intersection by failing to yield the right of way. Motor vehicle drivers can also strike other vehicles if they fail to obey traffic rules.
Functionality of Intersections
Some intersections are poorly designed and may lack necessary road signs that can help regulate traffic flow. If an intersection is not of recent design, that intersection will experience an increase in motor vehicle accidents.
How Catastrophic Injuries Affect a Victim’s Livelihood
As stated before, a catastrophic injury causes a permanent disability for a victim. The devastating injury will change the victims’ lives and their family’s forever from this type of injury. There are multiple lifelong consequences that catastrophic injury victims will endure.
Physical Consequences
Catastrophic injury victims will have to deal with the loss of specific physical functions. Victims can no longer walk, run, dribble a basketball, or mow the lawn without medical assistance. Catastrophic injury victims will also have to pay for rehabilitative services to teach them how to operate specific medical devices and become accustomed to their new way of life. This transition into another way of living can be overwhelming for many catastrophic injury victims to experience.
Emotional Consequences
Catastrophic injury victims will also experience a range of emotions while adjusting to the new changes in their life. Some victims may experience depression, suicidal ideations, and resentment. Some victims may take their frustrations out on members of their families. Some victims may become overwhelmed by the rehabilitative process. While there is no correct way to react to catastrophic injuries, victims will, without a doubt, experience multiple emotions throughout the transition.
Financial Consequences
Catastrophic injury victims may become overwhelmed by the various changes to their financial situation. Victims may become worried about financially supporting themselves and their injury for the rest of their lives. Because catastrophic injury victims have to come to terms with walking away from their current occupations, their ability to generate income will be affected.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, catastrophic injury victims must discover ways to support themselves financially, their families, and the additional expenses related to their injury. Unlike many personal injury victims, devastating injury victims will need long-term financial assistance for their injuries.
Common Damages For Catastrophic Injuries
One of the most devastating facts about catastrophic injuries is that these injuries can cause lifelong consequences for innocent bystanders. Catastrophic injury victims suffer permanent injuries based on the negligence of other parties. Under Florida law, these negligent parties can be held liable for victims’ damages.
Some of the damages that catastrophic injury victims can pursue from their claim include:
- Medical expenses. Defendants must compensate catastrophic injury victims for the lifelong medical expenses they expect to pay for the rest of their lives. Catastrophic injury victims can pursue damages for past and future medical expenses.
- Lost wages. The ability to work and make a living substantially affected the victim’s catastrophic injury. Similar to medical expenses, catastrophic injury victims can pursue compensation for past and future lost income.
- Loss of enjoyment of life. Catastrophic injury victims can pursue compensation for the loss of enjoyment of life. Victims must deal with the loss of most if not all of the enjoyable activities in their lives. Their way of living is impacted forever because of the injury.
- Property damage. If the accident resulted in property damage to the victim’s motor vehicle or motorcycle, the victim can pursue compensation for the vehicle’s repairs.
- Pain and suffering. Catastrophic injury victims can pursue compensation for the pain and suffering caused by the injury. The amount of compensation can depend on the degree of pain that the victim has experienced, the severity of the injury, and the injury’s effect on the person’s way of life.
Start Working With Our Brandon Catastrophic Injury Lawyers Today
The consequences of catastrophic injuries will last for the rest of the victim’s life. Catastrophic injury victims must come to terms with several emotional and physical changes. Even if victims come to terms with the physical changes that stem from a catastrophic injury, accepting the changes from an emotional aspect may take longer.
At Boohoff Law, we understand how a catastrophic injury can permanently alter the lives of victims and their families. One of the main priorities for yourself or your loved one is healing and moving forward. While it is understandable that you and your family want to focus on healing as much as possible, it is also essential to hold the negligent parties liable for their careless actions towards you. Even if you do not feel prepared to take on the negligent parties and insurance companies, a Brandon catastrophic injury lawyer can take the reins and handle the legal battle on your behalf.
A Brandon catastrophic injury lawyer can assist you with providing the proper documentation and ensure that we file your claim within the statute of limitations. In Florida, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years. While you do have a time of two years from the date of your injury, you do not want to wait until two years to start the legal process. The faster the claim is filed, the greater your chances of seeking the compensation that you deserve.
Another way that a Brandon catastrophic injury lawyer can help is by negotiating on your behalf against the insurance companies. Insurance companies engage in corrupt tactics to prevent injured victims whose injuries are temporary from receiving compensation, and these companies will attempt to use the same tactics on you.
Suppose insurance companies are not attempting to deny your claim and insinuate that you exaggerate your injuries. In that case, they are offering a lowball settlement offer that will not be enough compensation for your injuries. An experienced Brandon catastrophic injury lawyer can help protect you against those tactics.
Call Boohoff Law Brandon Catastrophic Injury Lawyers Now
Catastrophic injuries can be very traumatic and upsetting for you and your family. The team at Boohoff Law understands the change that you or your loved one’s catastrophic injury will cause you and your family members. We’re here to fight for the compensation you are entitled to recover.
If you suffered a catastrophic injury in an accident, protect your rights. Call our office at (813) 321-7878, or complete our contact form for a consultation with a member of our team. We treat all of our clients like family and fight for your right to compensation.
Brandon Office Location:
150 E. Bloomingdale Avenue
Brandon, FL 33511
(813) 536-6172
