Call us for a FREE case review 225-647-1700
In a personal injury claim, the specific injuries and damages can vary substantially, from minor injuries to injuries that change someone’s entire life. Catastrophic injuries are a category of personal injury for harm that permanently affects someone and often disables them. The costs of these injuries are significant. If your injury was caused by another’s careless behavior or misconduct, a Livingston Parish catastrophic injury lawyer can help you financially recover.
The costs of a catastrophic injury are much more significant than those of most personal injuries. Surgeries and other medical treatments are often more expensive and time-consuming, and the injury could prevent you from ever working again. Filing a claim can help recover these and other financial losses, as well as the personal and psychological losses caused by a life-changing injury.
At Gauthier Amedee, we want to help you get the financial recovery that you are owed. When another person or entity is responsible for your injury, you should not be responsible for the costs. Our attorneys have over 40 years of combined experience, and we want to use that experience to help you secure compensation. This compensation can provide for your financial stability, helping you move forward with your life.
Catastrophic injuries are like other types of personal injuries, but are more significant and have lasting consequences. These are injuries that affect your life in the long term because of the permanent effect on a part of the body or due to a disability. They may include:
These injuries may require lifelong treatment or rehabilitation. Many define a catastrophic injury as an injury that prevents someone from being employed gainfully.
Catastrophic injuries tend to cause more damage than other personal injuries, so compensation must be higher. The exact damages available in a claim will rely on the specific damages you have suffered because of your injuries, both economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are damages with set financial values and can be more objectively valued. This includes damages like:
Non-economic damages do not have set values and instead are subjective damages that compensate for the emotional and psychological losses of an injury. These damages include:
Economic and non-economic damages are both compensable damages. In specific cases, you may be eligible for punitive damages, which are different from compensatory damages. Punitive damages, also called exemplary damages in Louisiana, are only part of a case when the court determines that the at-fault party acted with extreme negligence and misconduct, such as injuries caused by a drunk driver. These damages exist to punish the at-fault party.
Calculating all of these damages can be difficult, and many individuals underestimate the true cost of their damages. When you work with an attorney, they will have the resources and knowledge to assess your losses more accurately and maximize the compensation you can get. Catastrophic injuries can have significant payouts, and it is crucial that you get the most you can from these claims.
call now 225-647-1700
Some common accidents that cause catastrophic injuries include:
Motor vehicle collisions. Of the 1,061 suspected injury crashes in Livingston Parish in 2024, 94 of them were suspected serious injury crashes. Catastrophic injuries in car accidents can include numerous fractures, burns, traumatic brain injuries, and amputations.
Serious injuries are especially likely when a commercial truck is in an accident. Accidents that involve pedestrians or other vulnerable parties are also more likely to be catastrophic. In most vehicle accidents, the at-fault party is held accountable through a claim with their insurance provider. Accident claims could also be handled in court in some cases.
Medical malpractice. Errors made by medical providers can result in severe and catastrophic injuries. Wrong-site surgery, improper diagnoses, prescribing medication without checking allergens, negligent care, or improperly filling a prescription are examples of errors that can potentially cause serious injuries and disability.
Medical professionals and healthcare facilities can be held liable when they deviate from the professional standard of care without cause, and this leads to a patient being injured.
Workplace injuries. Catastrophic workplace injuries can happen due to slip and falls, falling objects, toxic exposure, explosions, fires, and defective machinery. Catastrophic injuries are much more likely in industrial worksites, although they are possible in nearly any work site.
In 2023, there were 208 severe workplace injury reports in Louisiana. Two of these were injuries in workplaces in Denham Springs and one in Livingston. These injuries were in the utilities and resource processing industries. In most cases, injured employees recover compensation through the workers’ compensation system. Working with an attorney can help employees get the most benefits possible from this system.
There are also cases where employees can recover damages through a civil claim. Maritime workers can hold their employers civilly liable for negligence. Other employees may be able to file a civil claim against a negligent third party or their employer for deliberate harm.
If you are injured in Livingston Parish, getting medical care is essential. Our Lady of the Lake Livingston is located at 5000 O’Donovan Boulevard in Walker, and North Oaks – Livingston Parish Medical Complex is located at 17199 Spring Ranch Road in Livingston.
The party or parties that can be held liable for your injuries depend on the specifics of your accident. It may be an individual such as an employer, driver, doctor, pharmacist, or subcontractor. It may also be an entity like the manufacturer of a defective product or a healthcare facility.
Determining who is liable requires a careful investigation of the incident and the cause of your injuries. Working with an attorney can help identify these parties and hold them accountable.
It can be overwhelming to deal with the aftermath of a catastrophic injury. If you think you have the grounds for a claim, you don’t have to file it alone. Get in contact with Gauthier Amedee today to schedule a consultation with our team and learn how we can help you recover damages.
As your dedicated and trusted Gonzales, LA, personal injury law firm, part of our responsibilities are defending your rights to
fair compensation against the aggressive, strong-arm tactics of insurance companies. We have spent decades fighting against
these tactics. We know how to stand up to them, that’s why we’re your Go2Laywers. The next time insurance adjusters come
calling, don’t talk to them. Direct them to your attorneys at Gauthier Amedee.
Fields Marked With An * Are Required