When You Have Been Injured,Your Attorney's Experience Matters

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Experienced Counsel For Victims Of Catastrophic Injuries

The accidents that produce catastrophic injuries can happen without any notice, leaving victims’ lives forever changed. Sadly, serious injuries are some of the toughest injuries to deal with because victims are often left to live a lifetime with pain and disabilities. It becomes even tougher to swallow when someone else’s negligence is the root cause of such an injury.

When victims suffer catastrophic injuries, they often feel hopeless and fearful for the road that lies ahead. They aren’t sure if they will ever be able to work again or enjoy the hobbies and activities they once loved. Because their minds are consumed with the harsh new reality of their physical injuries and recovery, it is important they have someone trustworthy in their corner to help them recover financially and let them know what to do after an accident.

By filing a personal injury claim and working with the Fairfax catastrophic injury attorneys at Shevlin Smith, P.C., victims with debilitating injuries can rest assured knowing they will get the maximum compensation possible in their case – all while holding the wrongdoers accountable for such negligent actions. We represent victims of catastrophic injuries across Virginia and Washington, D.C., using a collective total of more than 70 years of legal experience to protect our clients’ rights and interests.

Types Of Catastrophic Injuries

A catastrophic injury may be described as an injury that causes lasting or permanent disability. These injuries typically require emergency medical treatment, ongoing care, and physical therapy. They may impact all areas of a victim’s life and may also impact his or her family.

Our Fairfax catastrophic injury lawyers help those who have suffered any type of catastrophic injury, including:

  • Brain injuries. Brain injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents can include concussions, contusions, coup-contrecoup injuries, hematomas, and traumatic brain injuries.
  • Spinal cord injuries. Personal injury accidents can cause incomplete spinal cord injuries, such as anterior cord syndrome, posterior cord syndrome, central cord syndrome, Brown-Séquard syndrome, and cauda equine syndrome. Additionally, complete spinal cord injuries may result in paraplegia and tetraplegia.
  • Broken bones. Traumatic accidents often leave victims with broken skulls, facial bones, arms, collarbones, backs, necks, ribs, hips, pelvises, and legs.
  • Serious burn injuries. Car crashes or other accidents can result in fires, causing traumatic burns that can cause a lifetime of pain and require ongoing treatment.
  • Limb amputations. When forceful collisions occur, or doctors operate on wrong limbs, the outcome can result in the loss of a leg, foot, arm, or hand.
  • Wrongful death. When serious vehicle accidents or medical malpractice incidents result in death, negligent parties needs to be held accountable.

Any of these catastrophic injuries can cause a lifetime of adverse consequences for victims and their families. At Shevlin Smith, P.C., our goal is to help you put the pieces of your life back together so you and your family can face a brighter and more stable future.

Common Effects Of Serious Personal Injuries

Because serious injuries are generally devastating and permanent in nature, they often result in the following effects:

  • Economic difficulties. Serious injuries, like the ones listed above, can render victims unable to work or to hold the same type of job, all while medical bills are piling up. This is why it is important that victims of serious injuries collect compensation for their lost income and lost future wages.
  • Physical problems. Any time serious injuries occur, victims may require extensive medical treatment as well as ongoing medical care for their physical injuries. Additionally, they may even need in-home care or full-time care in a skilled nursing facility. When victims suffer physically, it is essential that they receive compensation for their physical pain as well as medical bills and future medical care.
  • Emotional issues. Serious injuries often cause deformities and disabilities that can cause victims to suffer emotionally. As a result, victims may never be the same again; they may need counseling and medication for life, which is why they need to recover financially for their emotional suffering.
  • Cognitive and communication problems. When accidents lead to traumatic brain injuries, victims will likely experience problems concentrating, learning new information, organizing thoughts, and finding the right words to communicate. Because of this, it is essential victims recover compensation for ongoing rehabilitation, medications, and new treatment methods.
  • Mental health issues. When victims suffer catastrophic injuries, it is likely for them to develop anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Consequently, they will need money for medications and psychotherapy in order to deal with these adverse changes.

Because dealing with the effects of serious injuries can be overwhelming, victims and their families will likely have many concerns and questions about making financial recoveries and seeking justice from wrongdoers. Our Fairfax catastrophic injury lawyers are here to answer your questions, address your concerns, and offer insight that will help you make the right choices about your case. We help victims of medical malpractice, traffic accidents, and all types of catastrophic injuries in Washington, D.C., and throughout Virginia.

Our Lawyers Have Over 70 Years Of Combined Experience

At Shevlin Smith, P.C., our Fairfax catastrophic injury lawyers have successfully handled cases involving catastrophic injuries and know what it takes to get you the compensation you need in order to deal with your long-term changes. Our lawyers have more than 70 years of combined experience. We understand that serious personal injuries can leave you and your family in a financial crisis, and we want to make sure you aren’t burdened financially.

To find out how we can help you get the maximum possible compensation in your case, or to learn about some of our past case results, please call 703-634-7350 for a free consultation.

Types Of Accidents That Lead To Serious Injuries

In Fairfax and across Virginia, as well as throughout D.C., there are many different types of accidents that can cause catastrophic injuries. It is important to understand what has caused a serious injury in order to file a personal injury claim to pursue compensation, and our lawyers at Shevlin Smith, P.C. can help you with this very issue.

The following incidents can cause serious, life-changing injuries:

  • Car accidents. When motorists drive at high speeds or disobey traffic laws in the Commonwealth of Virginia, innocent people are likely to be involved in rear-end crashes, head-on collisions, rollovers, or side-impact accidents.
  • Truck accidents. Many truck drivers disobey federal rules and drive too many hours before resting. Consequently, they end up driving drowsy or medicated, which can alter their judgment and affect their reactions, leading to severe and often fatal truck wrecks.
  • Motorcycle accidents. Because motorcycles are small, many drivers have a difficult time seeing them or judging their speed. As a result, many motorcycle crashes occur at intersections when other drivers are turning or when cars are changing lanes.
  • Bicycle accidents. Many bicycle accidents happen at intersections, driveways, or when cars attempt to pass bicycles. When motorists fail to treat bicycles as legal vehicles and fail to respect bicyclists’ rights to the road, serious injuries can result.
  • Pedestrian accidents. Many drivers are distracted at the wheel and fail to look out for pedestrians. As a result, pedestrian accidents typically occur in school zones, intersections, and parking lots.
  • Medical malpractice. When someone is injured as a result of a surgical error, medication mishap, or other medical mistake, whether the injury occurred at a pharmacy, doctor’s office, or hospital, such as Inova Fairfax Hospital, the injured patient has a right to hold the negligent healthcare worker accountable through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

What Should I Do Immediately After An Accident?

The following links can offer helpful guidance if you’ve been injured, pertaining to your rights and filing a personal injury claim in Virginia or D.C.:

  • How to tell if you have a valid personal injury claim. Not every injury case has legal merit, which is why it is essential to find out what elements are required for you to have a sound case under Virginia or D.C. personal injury laws. Because every injury case has different variables, it is important to not miss an area that you may be entitled to receive compensation for.
  • What to do (and not to do) after an injury. It is possible to make the wrong moves and make critical mistakes that can hurt your personal injury claim. An attorney can help you find out what steps you should and shouldn’t take in order to protect your financial recovery.
  • How to deal with an insurance adjuster. What you say to an insurance adjuster can harm your case, so it is important that you know what to say and what not to say to representatives of an insurance company. Ideally, your injury lawyer can handle all of this communication on your behalf while you focus your time and energy on healing.
  • How to choose an attorney to represent you. Not all attorneys are equal. For example, some lawyers have never tried cases in court and some have never handled catastrophic injury cases. Thus, it is important to find a Fairfax catastrophic injury lawyer who is truly right for your case.