Catastrophic injuries can entail paralysis, brain injury and amputation resulting in significant and lifelong hardship, medical expenses and caregiving costs. Each has its own set of consequences which must be analyzed and presented skillfully to any jury in order to maximize the appropriate damage compensation warranted.
While it is obvious in the case of paralysis or amputation what the nature and effect of the injury will cause, the costs and long-term effect will vary in each individual case. Numerous experts must be consulted such as vocational rehabilitation experts, lifetime care medical expense specialist, consequences of long-term medical illness specialist and economists who project the actual costs over the injuries lifetime.
Brain injuries, on the other hand, are more difficult to assess. In many cases, the injured person may not show any outward sign of diminishment. They will look healthy and may even talk with a certain amount of rationality. Yet they may be severely impaired because their brain does not function the way it should. It is only through the use of highly skilled neurologist, modern medical diagnostic techniques, neuropsychological evaluations, vocational rehabilitation and vocational evaluation that a true picture of the persons long-term situation can be assessed. Brain injuries also may require accommodation and or long-term care because of the person’s inability to truly care for themselves without danger. Brain injuries are probably the most complex and difficult cases to present to a jury because they usually do not represent visible injuries. Yet, the real injury may be far more catastrophic because of what once was and now will never be again.
