A catastrophic injury does not just affect the person who sustained it. It reshapes an entire family’s finances, daily routines, and future plans, often permanently. Whether the injury resulted from a car accident, a workplace incident, or another party’s negligence, the road to recovery is longer and more complicated than most people ever anticipate.
Deering Hedrick, P.C. represents catastrophic injury victims throughout Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads. Call us today at (757) 383-6848 for a free case review.
What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury in Virginia?
A catastrophic injury generally refers to a severe injury that results in permanent disability, long-term impairment, or a fundamental, lasting change to a person’s ability to function physically or cognitively. Unlike a routine injury that heals over time, catastrophic injuries typically require extensive medical treatment, ongoing rehabilitation, and often lifelong care.
Common Examples of Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries can occur in many types of serious accidents. High-speed car, truck, motorcycle, Uber, and Lyft collisions can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, amputations, and internal organ injuries. Severe burns may result from vehicle fires, defective products, workplace accidents, or dangerous property conditions. Falls, medical errors, and other preventable incidents can also leave a person with permanent disfigurement, paralysis, or other life-altering harm.
No matter how the injury occurred, its effects can be permanent. Deering Hedrick, P.C. helps injured people pursue accountability and compensation for the full impact of a catastrophic injury.
Types of Catastrophic Injury Cases We Accept
Deering Hedrick, P.C. represents clients in a wide range of catastrophic injury cases, including:
Causes of Catastrophic Injuries in Virginia Beach
Catastrophic injuries commonly result from serious accidents, including car and truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, workplace accidents, defective products, medical malpractice, and severe falls. Given the force and severity typically involved in these types of incidents, catastrophic injuries are unfortunately common outcomes whenever significant negligence is present.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Catastrophic Injury?
Liability for a catastrophic injury depends on the specific facts of how the injury occurred. Potentially liable parties may include:
- A negligent driver
- An employer, if an employee’s negligence caused the injury within the scope of their job
- A property owner, if a hazardous condition contributed to the incident
- A product manufacturer, if a defective product was involved
- A healthcare provider, if medical negligence caused or worsened the injury.
Identifying every potentially responsible party is essential to pursuing full and fair compensation.
The Process of Filing a Catastrophic Injury Claim
After a catastrophic injury, the legal process can feel like one more burden at a time when you should be focused on your health. Deering Hedrick, P.C. handles the legal work while keeping you informed at every stage.
- We learn what happened. We listen to your account of the accident, investigate the cause, identify who may be responsible, and gather available evidence.
- We document the full impact of your injury. We collect medical records, treatment information, bills, lost-income documentation, and other evidence showing how the injury has affected your life.
- We account for your future needs. Catastrophic injuries can require ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, home modifications, or long-term care. We work to understand the support you may need now and in the years ahead.
- We deal with the insurance company. Our attorneys handle communications and negotiations with insurers so you are not left to navigate their questions or settlement offers alone.
- We take further action when needed. If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, we can file a lawsuit and prepare your case for trial.
Virginia generally gives injured people two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, although exceptions may apply. Contact Deering Hedrick, P.C. at (757) 383-6848 as soon as possible after a catastrophic accident so we can discuss your options and begin protecting your claim.
Compensation Available After a Catastrophic Injury
Victims of catastrophic injuries may be entitled to recover compensation for damages including medical expenses, both current and future, lost wages and diminished earning capacity, the cost of long-term or lifelong care, pain and suffering, and permanent disability or disfigurement.
In cases involving a fatal outcome, surviving family members may also be able to pursue wrongful death damages. Because catastrophic injuries often require decades of ongoing care, accurately valuing a claim typically requires input from medical experts and life care planners who can project future treatment needs and costs.
How Long Does It Take to Settle a Catastrophic Injury Case?
The timeline for settling a catastrophic injury case varies significantly depending on the complexity of the injury, the clarity of liability, and whether the case resolves through negotiation or requires litigation.
Because catastrophic injuries often involve ongoing treatment, it is sometimes necessary to wait until a victim’s condition has stabilized, or until their long-term prognosis is clearer, before pursuing a final settlement, which can extend the overall timeline of a case.
Why Choose The Catastrophic Injury Attorneys at Deering Hedrick P.C.?
A catastrophic injury can change your life in an instant. The physical, emotional, and financial effects can continue for years, affecting your ability to work, live independently, and support the people who depend on you. At Deering Hedrick, P.C., we help injured people and their families pursue compensation that reflects both their immediate losses and their long-term needs.
For more than 30 years, our attorneys have represented clients throughout Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Hampton Roads. We approach every case with the personal attention, preparation, and straightforward guidance clients need during an overwhelming time. You will work with an approachable legal team that listens to your concerns, explains your options clearly, and keeps you informed as your case moves forward.
Catastrophic injury claims often require a detailed understanding of future medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost income, home modifications, and long-term care. We work with appropriate medical professionals and other experts to evaluate the full impact of the injury and build a claim based on the realities you and your family face. If an insurance company will not offer a fair settlement, we are prepared to take the next steps to pursue your case in court.
If you or someone you love suffered a catastrophic injury, contact Deering Hedrick, P.C. at (757) 383-6848 for a free case review.
