If you’ve suffered a catastrophic injury in Phoenix, Arizona, because of someone else’s negligence, you may be facing a lifetime of medical care. You shouldn’t also face financial uncertainty. KRLG Injury Lawyers is ready to fight for the compensation your future requires. Call (623) 303-5754 for a free consultation with a Phoenix catastrophic injury lawyer.
Our attorneys bring more than 100 years of combined experience to catastrophic injury cases and have recovered over $250 million for injured clients. We can help you get the result you need when the stakes are highest.
Why KRLG Injury Lawyers Stand Out in Phoenix Catastrophic Injury Cases
Catastrophic injury cases are among the highest-value claims in personal injury law. They are anything but run-of-the-mill, and they should be treated with the highest level of urgency and care by your personal injury lawyer in Phoenix.
Clients across Phoenix, AZ, turn to KRLG Injury Lawyers for their serious injury cases because:
- We boast over a century of combined legal experience handling serious personal injury and catastrophic injury claims
- Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions for injured clients and their families
- We focus exclusively on personal injury and provide personalized client service to each individual and family we represent
- Our team includes an attorney board-certified in personal injury and wrongful death law
- We have been recognized by top organizations like Martindale-Hubbell and the National Trial Lawyers
- We handle every catastrophic injury case on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you
Call today to speak with a Phoenix catastrophic injury attorney who will treat your case with the seriousness it demands.
What Makes an Injury “Catastrophic”?
There’s no single injury that has come to define the catastrophic category. Rather, a catastrophic injury is a broad term describing any harm severe enough to permanently alter someone’s physical or cognitive abilities. In other words, these injuries are usually disabling.
Injuries that are commonly considered catastrophic include:
- Traumatic brain
- Spinal cord damage
- Loss of a limb or permanent loss of function in an extremity
- Severe burns (especially those requiring skin grafts or reconstructive surgery)
- Damage to internal organs
- Permanent loss of vision or hearing
- Complex fractures
These injuries frequently require ongoing treatment and rehabilitation for months or years, not to mention extensive healthcare costs and lifestyle adjustments. A catastrophic injury claim provides the best opportunity to recover damages for such harm.
Accidents That Commonly Cause Catastrophic Injuries in Phoenix
Catastrophic injuries can result from nearly any type of accident, even seemingly minor ones. But certain accidents tend to have a higher serious injury rate than others.
At KRLG Injury Lawyers, we regularly handle catastrophic injury cases arising from:
- Car accidents
- Commercial truck accidents
- Motorcycle wrecks
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Construction site incidents
- Dangerous property conditions (premises liability incidents)
- Medical negligence
- Defective consumer products
- Dog attacks
If you suffered a disabling injury in one of these accidents, you may have a personal injury claim against the party responsible. Call our team today to learn more about your rights to recover compensation for your injuries.
What Is My Catastrophic Injury Claim Worth in Phoenix?
Catastrophic injury claims don’t have a fixed value, but they are almost always high value. The nature of the medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering involved can drive the value into the hundreds of thousands or millions, depending on the case.
Several factors will ultimately shape what your catastrophic injury claim is worth, including:
- The full scope of medical treatment you’ll need
- Whether your condition is expected to improve
- Whether your injury has reduced your ability to earn a living
- The level of physical pain and emotional trauma post-accident
- Any share of fault you have for the incident
- The insurance policies and coverage limits available to satisfy your claim
These cases often require collaboration from numerous specialists who can help calculate past losses and project future ones. These include medical professionals, economists, vocational rehabilitation experts, and life care planners, among others.
We can help you pinpoint the value of your claim and work with experts across disciplines to account for the full lifetime impact of your injuries.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Catastrophic Injury?
Arizona law allows catastrophic injury victims to pursue damages for their economic losses and non-economic losses (the two types of compensatory damages).
Economic damages address the direct costs tied to your injury, including:
- Emergency care
- Ongoing medical treatment
- Long-term care
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Assistive devices
- Home and vehicle accessibility modifications
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capacity
Non-economic damages account for losses that are more personal in nature and tied to how the injury has disrupted your life and include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Scarring/disfigurement
- Loss of independence
- Loss of consortium
Together, these categories can put you as close as possible to the position you were in before the accident changed your life. An experienced Phoenix personal injury attorney can help you maximize the value of your claim and secure an award that helps you rebuild.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for My Accident in Arizona?
Arizona follows a pure comparative negligence standard (see A.R.S. § 12-2505). Arizona typically allows you to recover damages regardless of your percentage of responsibility. Your award will usually be reduced by whatever share of fault is attributed to you.
For example, if a jury determines your damages total $2 million but assigns you 20% of the fault, your recovery could be reduced to $1.6 million (80%). You won’t generally be barred from compensation unless you are found to be 100% responsible.
Insurance companies routinely exploit this rule by inflating a victim’s share of fault. These accusations aren’t always fair or accurate. An experienced attorney can challenge them when they are illegitimate to protect the value of your claim.
What’s the Deadline for Catastrophic Injury Claims in Arizona?
After most accidents, you will have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (A.R.S. § 12-542). If you allow that deadline to pass, the court will dismiss your case, and your right to pursue compensation will be eliminated.
Certain circumstances can alter this timeline. Claims involving minors may have longer timelines, while cases involving government entities may have a shorter one. But you shouldn’t bank on an exception. Contact an experienced attorney to get started before time runs out.
What Does it Cost to Hire a Catastrophic Injury Attorney?
Catastrophic injury cases usually revolve around contingency fees, which means you don’t pay attorney fees unless your lawyer recovers compensation for you. The fee is contingent upon a successful outcome, with fees coming from a percentage of your final settlement or verdict. If your case fails to produce compensation, you generally owe nothing for representation.
Your attorney also typically advances the costs of building your case, including expenses for expert witnesses, medical records, and accident reconstruction, most of which are essential in catastrophic injury cases.
KRLG Injury Lawyers handles every personal injury case on this basis and provides free consultations to help you understand your options before making any commitment.
How a Catastrophic Injury Attorney Can Help Your Case
The complexity of a catastrophic injury claim requires attorneys who know how to value and prove such cases.
An experienced attorney can:
- Investigate the accident and secure evidence before it disappears or is altered
- Identify every party whose negligence contributed to your injury
- Coordinate with medical professionals to fully document your condition and prognosis
- Work with financial and vocational experts to calculate the lifetime cost of your injury
- Handle all communication with insurance adjusters so you’re not pressured into a premature settlement
- Negotiate for a settlement that reflects the true value of your claim
- File suit and take your case to trial if the insurer refuses to pay what your case is worth
Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help you seek a favorable result.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Phoenix Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
A catastrophic injury can impact every corner of your life. You deserve a legal team capable of telling the full story of how this accident has affected you and demanding that the responsible party pay for every dollar your future requires.
KRLG Injury Lawyers has a track record of success in catastrophic injury cases. Contact us today for a free case evaluation with a Phoenix catastrophic injury attorney.