Catastrophic Injuries

To illustrate the difference between a case with catastrophic injuries and a more run-of-the mill personal injury case, take an automobile accident case for example. In the typical automobile accident case, a motorist or passenger in a vehicle that is rear-ended by another driver may suffer some whiplash or soft tissue injuries. While these are injuries that are both painful and can also be costly for the accident victim as far as the medical treatment required, the medical treatment associated with such injuries often will not be substantial. Proving this type of case at a trial typically will not involve the use of medical expert witnesses either, as most jurors will understand both the mechanics of the accident as well as the nature of the victim’s injuries. However, in a case involving catastrophic injuries, proving both the injuries as well as the mechanism by which those injuries occurred could be more complicated, time-consuming and expensive than in the average personal injury case.

Take as an example another motor vehicle accident, but this time one involving a severed spinal cord. Showing jurors the mechanics of how the accident occurred will require medical and other expert testimony to explain to the jury exactly how the injuries suffered in the accident occurred as well as the future prognosis of someone who has suffered such injuries. Additionally, your lawyer will also need to be comfortable with those same concepts and turning complex medical issues into plain English that a jury will understand. During our more than 150 years of combined legal experience representing personal injury victims, the experienced attorneys of Schwed, Adams & McGinley have developed the skill and expertise necessary to explain the often complicated facts and medicine involved in a catastrophic personal injury case to a jury.