Fort Worth Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

Suffering a catastrophic injury can completely disrupt your life, and often a full recovery is impossible. If you were injured because of negligence or the intentional actions of another party, you might be entitled to compensation. An experienced catastrophic injury lawyer in Fort Worth can help get you the money you need.

At Zinda Law Group, we have been helping our clients recover compensation from those responsible for their damages for over 15 years. In that time, we have served more than 10,000 clients and recovered over $210,000,000 in damages. Contact us today to schedule a free case review with one of our experienced Fort Worth personal injury lawyers.

What a Catastrophic Injury Attorney in Fort Worth Will Do to Help With Your Case

When you hire a catastrophic injury lawyer to help you recover compensation for your damages, they will go to great lengths to get you the money you need. One of the first steps you can expect your attorney to take is to conduct an independent investigation into your accident.

Through this investigation, your lawyer will aim to collect evidence that supports your claim and proves the liability of another party. After they have finished their initial inquiry, your attorney will evaluate your damages and determine the full value of your claim. The next step will be to either file a catastrophic injury lawsuit or submit an injury claim to the liable party’s provider.

Throughout the process of pursuing compensation, your attorney will also be negotiating with opposing counsel, attempting to reach a settlement agreement. After a catastrophic injury, the vast majority of disputes are resolved through out-of-court settlements. However, your lawyer should still be prepared to take your case to court if a deal can not be reached.

The Statute of Limitations for Filing a Catastrophic Injury Lawsuit in Fort Worth

When attempting to recover compensation following a catastrophic accident, it is critical that you pay attention to the filing deadline. In Texas, accident victims have two years to file a lawsuit under the state’s personal injury statute of limitations. Missing the filing deadline will most likely result in the loss of your right to recover damages.

However, you need to be aware of the fact that the standard two-year deadline can be altered in some circumstances. If an exception applies to your case, you may be able to file a lawsuit long after the usual cutoff date. That’s why it is critical that you reach out to an experienced Fort Worth catastrophic injury attorney, even if you believe you have missed your filing window.

Of course, you also need to realize that the window for filing is smaller in some cases. The best way to avoid losing your right to claim damages because of an unexpected deadline is to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. Your attorney can determine the applicable deadline and submit all the necessary paperwork on time.

Modified Comparative Negligence in Texas

When evaluating fault after a catastrophic injury, Texas uses a modified comparative negligence rule. Under this rule, multiple parties can share in the fault for an accident. Furthermore, if you are partially to blame, you will still be able to pursue compensation as long as your level of fault does not exceed 50%.

However, you need to understand that if you share in the liability for an accident, the compensation you can recover will be reduced, in direct proportion to your level of fault. For example, if you are 10% to blame for the accident that resulted in your catastrophic injury, the most you can claim will be 90% of the full value of your damages.

Under this example, if your damages are valued at $1,000,000, the most you would be eligible to recover from the party who held the majority of the liability in your accident would be $900,000.

Damages You Can Recover After Suffering a Catastrophic Injury

Following a catastrophic injury, you will likely qualify to recover a wide array of damages. However, determining the exact damages that apply to your case can be tricky, as all catastrophic injury cases are different. An experienced catastrophic injury lawyer serving Fort Worth can help you figure out the exact damages you are eligible to claim.

All available damages can be sorted into three categories.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are used as a means of replacing the losses that impacted you financially. The economic damages most often recovered in catastrophic injury cases include:

• Lost income
• Diminished ability to earn income
• Medical costs
• Projected future medical expenses
• Property damage

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages cover all of the other losses that result from your accident. These intangible losses tend to be incredibly profound and personal. The non-economic damages most often recovered in catastrophic injury cases include:

• Mental anguish
• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of companionship
• Decreased quality of life
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Permanent disability

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are restricted to extreme cases. Rather than acting as a form of replacement for losses incurred by an accident victim, as with compensatory damages, punitive damages are used as a means of punishing the liable party for their actions or inaction.

Punitive damages are only used in cases where the liable party acted in a criminally negligent manner or with the express intention of harming others.

Reach Out to an Experienced Fort Worth Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Today

Following a catastrophic injury, the best thing you can do for your case is to secure the services of an experienced catastrophic injury attorney in Fort Worth. While you can choose to represent yourself, you are unlikely to recover damages anywhere close to the full value of your claim.

At Zinda Law Group, we have a proven track record of winning big for our clients, both through out-of-court settlements and court judgments. Reach out to us today by giving us a call, using our chat tool, or completing our online contact form and schedule a free consultation with a member of our legal team.