Kitchener Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
A catastrophic injury can change your life forever. If you sustained a permanent, severe injury due to another party’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation for damages you’ve incurred as a result.
Sustaining a catastrophic injury can impact the rest of your life, and the lives of your family members. If your injury was caused by another party, a Kitchener catastrophic injury lawyer may be able to help you pursue accountability and restitution. By pursuing civil litigation against a negligent party, in addition to holding them accountable for injuries that have diminished your quality of life, you may help prevent the same negligent actions from harming another innocent victim.
Catastrophic Injury Defined
Catastrophic injuries can seriously impair a victim, and diminish their overall quality of life. These injuries are permanent. Victims of catastrophic injuries may never fully recover from these injuries and may suffer emotional or psychological trauma as a result.
Several factors are considered when determining the severity of an injury. According to Ontario’s Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS), the following types of injuries are considered to be catastrophic:
- Blindness in both eyes
- Severe brain injury
- Amputation resulting in the loss of one arm or one leg.
- Paralysis
- A combination of injuries resulting in the impairment of at least 55% of the victim’s entire person
- Severe impairments resulting from a behavioural or mental disorder
Types of Accidents that May Result in Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries can often be the result of accidents caused by another party’s negligence. Both property owners and motor vehicle operators have a duty of care to rightful visitors and other road users, respectively. If that duty of care was breached, resulting in an accident causing a victim to sustain catastrophic injuries, the responsible party may be considered negligent, and therefore liable to compensate the victim for damages they incurred as a result of their accident.
Types of accidents where negligence may result in a victim sustaining catastrophic injuries include:
- Car accidents: Distracted, impaired, or any other driver that violated traffic laws may be considered negligent
- Slip and fall accidents: When a property owner fails to repair, remove, or adequately warn guests about hazards on their premises, they may be held accountable for serious slip and fall accidents on their property.
- Premises liability: If a negligent property owner’s facilities lack property security measures or other adequate safety precautions, they may be liable for injuries sustained on their premises.
- Defective products: If safety products such as airbags malfunction and cause a victim to sustain catastrophic injuries, the manufacturer may be considered negligent.
- Medical malpractice: If a negligent doctor provides care that falls below a reasonable standard, they could be liable for their patient’s catastrophic injuries.
How a Catastrophic Injury Lawyer May Be Able to Help
If another party’s negligence caused you to sustain permanent, debilitating injuries, a Kitchener catastrophic injury lawyer may be able to assist you by:
- Answering your questions and offering you legal advice
- Communicating with all involved parties, including insurance companies, on your behalf
- Filing paperwork in accordance with legal deadlines
- Determining liability for your injuries
- Compiling and analyzing evidence proving another party’s negligence
- Employing accident reconstruction experts, if needed
- Presenting evidence documenting the full extent of your injuries, and the total amount of damages you incurred as a result of your accident
- Negotiating a settlement with insurance companies
- Representing your case in court, if necessary
Contact Preszler Injury Lawyers Today
The Limitations Act, 2002 prohibits injured parties from filing personal injury claims after two years. When life changes rapidly following an accident in which catastrophic injuries are sustained, those twenty-four months can pass quickly.
If you or a loved one has experienced catastrophic injuries due to the negligence of another party in Kitchener, contact Preszler Injury Lawyers today to learn about the legal options that may be available to you. Call Preszler Injury Lawyers today for a free, initial consultation.
