Ohio’s capital city is large and bustling, and thousands of auto accident injuries occur every year on Columbus’s busy roads. If you find yourself among the great number of individuals who suffer a sudden, severe injury in Columbus, you need an experienced Columbus catastrophic injury lawyer right away.
Slater & Zurz have decades of experience standing beside injured Ohioans in and around Columbus, helping them hold negligent and reckless individuals accountable for their harmful actions. A catastrophic injury can be financially and personally devastating, but one of the Personal injury lawyers in Columbus, Ohio, can offer you hope for the future.
If you or a loved one has suffered severe harm in an injury accident, do not waste any time wondering what to do. Contact Slater & Zurz immediately to discuss your case and learn about the next steps you should take.
Take Action Following a Catastrophic Injury Accident
After victims sustain a catastrophic injury, it is all too common for them to enter into a state of mental paralysis. They do not know what to do next or where to turn for assistance.
Yet for catastrophic injury victims, failing to take prompt and informed actions in the days and weeks after their accident can prove to be detrimental to their legal rights and financial future.
Protect yourself by taking the following actions after an accident. These basic steps can help your catastrophic injury attorney in Columbus secure a positive outcome in your case as quickly as possible.
Get Medical Help and Follow Your Doctor’s Orders
Catastrophic injuries include brain and head injuries, spinal cord and back injuries, and other serious wounds that can be disabling or fatal if not treated quickly. For this reason, if you hit your head, are knocked unconscious, or have any doubt about the severity of your injuries, you should visit the nearest hospital’s emergency room as soon as you can.
Once you are discharged, you should continue to follow your doctor’s orders and keep follow-up appointments as scheduled. Failing to do so gives the other party room to argue that your injuries are not as severe as they actually are.
Enlist the Help of a Columbus Catastrophic Injury Attorney
Cases involving catastrophic injuries often include complicated, technical facts and a voluminous amount of evidence that needs to be gathered and analyzed. The sooner this occurs, the sooner your claim is in a good position to litigate or settle out of court.
Unfortunately, the time it would take you to accomplish these tasks yourself would be too great, especially while recovering from your injuries.
Therefore, speaking to a catastrophic injury lawyer as quickly as possible is crucial so they can start investigating your case and preparing your claim. At Slater & Zurz, our personal injury lawyers will do the heavy lifting needed to push your case forward while you devote your time and energy to recovering and tending to your loved ones.
Do Not Be in a Rush to Settle
When the stakes are high and negligent parties face large monetary judgments, they commonly pressure injury victims into a quick settlement. These rushed agreements are appealing to you because they promise quick compensation when you need it most.
But quick and easy settlements can leave you in a precarious financial position if they do not fully and fairly compensate you. If you accept such a settlement, you will not have any ability to seek additional compensation when the settlement runs out.
Instead of settling at the first opportunity, ask your Columbus catastrophic injury attorney for help negotiating a favorable settlement. Doing so ensures that any agreement you reach will fairly consider both your immediate and long-term expenses, helping you provide for yourself and your family.
How Much Your Columbus Catastrophic Injury Case Could Be Worth
It is impossible to give a one-size-fits-all answer to the question, “How much can I get from my claim?” Many factors go into determining how much your case could settle for or how much of a compensation value you might expect. Some of the factors that have the most bearing on the size of your recovery include:
Your Age
Because catastrophic injury lawsuits compensate you for past and future harm, you can generally expect to receive a greater amount of compensation if you are a younger individual.
This is not a rule set in stone, though, and in certain cases, other factors can make it so a younger person receives less compensation than an older person.
The Severity of Your Injuries
The severity of the injuries you suffer will determine the extent of your immediate medical bills and treatment costs and the repercussions of your emotional and mental suffering.
The more traumatic and violent your injury accident and resulting injuries, the greater your need will be for a larger compensation award to be made whole.
The Permanency of Your Injuries or Disabilities
Your compensation award will reflect the length of time you are expected to need follow-up care and treatment. Naturally, if you require care for the remainder of your life, that will result in a larger award than if you are expected to recover quickly from your injuries.
Your Income and Earning Potential
Many catastrophic injury awards will include compensation for lost wages and reduced earning potential.
Suppose that you had a higher-paying career before your accident occurred, and now you cannot return to your previous job but must take a less demanding job at a lower wage. Your compensation award should be greater than that of someone who can quickly recover and return to their previous employment.
Trust the Columbus personal injury lawyers at Slater & Zurz to fight aggressively at the negotiation table and in the courtroom to pursue all the compensation you deserve for your catastrophic injuries. Contact Slater & Zurz today to get started.
Connect with a Knowledgeable Catastrophic Injury Lawyer in Columbus Today
Time is not on your side if you or a loved one has been seriously hurt by another person’s careless acts in Columbus, Ohio. Safeguard your right to compensation and financial recovery by calling the Columbus personal injury lawyers at Slater & Zurz. Our firm will spring into action, taking prompt steps toward a successful resolution of your case.
You can trust that our firm’s experienced attorneys and support staff will use their knowledge, skills, and resources to hold accountable those who are responsible for causing you harm. Call us today at (614) 756-2714.
Ohio’s statute of limitations gives you and your Columbus catastrophic injury attorney, two years from the date of your injury accident, to file your compensation claim.
There are a few exceptions to this general rule, but they are limited in scope and application. If you fail to file your claim in time, you are prohibited from seeking any compensation from the negligent party through the courts.