What is Considered a Catastrophic Injury in a St. Louis Truck Accident?

While there is no clear-cut definition of catastrophic injuries in terms of personal injury law, the following types, unfortunately seen by several of our attorneys in St. Louis truck accidents, would likely be categorized as such:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and other severe head injuries
• Spinal cord injuries, particularly those resulting in partial or total paralysis
• Severe burns
• Injuries that result in the loss of a limb
• Internal injuries from powerful blunt force trauma, causing internal bleeding and damage to organs
• Injuries that result in disfigurement and significant scarring
• Any injury that results in long-term or permanent disability that significantly disrupts your life, especially the ability to earn a living, and especially those requiring intensive medical treatment and/or long-term care

These types of injuries are typically considered catastrophic due to their sudden nature, without warning, and leaving behind life-changing impacts and long-term consequences. Catastrophic injuries often require emergency trauma care, surgery, extensive rehabilitative therapy and possibly long-term assistance with day-to-day activities. Home renovations, wheelchair accessible vehicles and home care providers may become everyday necessities. Our catastrophic injury attorneys in St. Louis hold negligent parties accountable and obtain maximum compensation for our clients.

What Do I Do After I Have Sustained a Catastrophic Injury in a St. Louis Truck Accident?

Immediately after a truck accident in the St. Louis area, you need to take several actions to ensure your health and future are protected. Here are the steps our St. Louis catastrophic injury lawyers advise you take following an accident:

• Get to safety
  

  If you can, stay at the scene of the accident so it can be properly documented, but do what you can to keep yourself, your passengers, and other roadway users safe.

• Call 911
  

  Get first responders to the scene of the accident as quickly as possible. Stay in a safe spot and wait for medical responders to examine and treat you. Particularly with a catastrophic injury, make sure to get emergency medical attention because you could be dealing with significant, damaging injuries, like spinal cord or a concussion.

  You also want to give an accident report by speaking to the police right away.

• Collect evidence
  

  With a catastrophic injury, you will not be able to complete these following steps yourself. Allow the ambulance to take you to the hospital to receive the necessary medical care, but have a friend or relative take pictures of the road and traffic conditions, the damage to your vehicle and your injuries. This evidence could be vital in your truck accident claim.

• Exchange information
  

  Have your friend or relative obtain information from the driver of the truck as well as any available witnesses. Do not rely on the police to collect witness accounts and contact information for every witness. Get the truck driver’s:

  • Name, address, phone number and email address
  • Driver's license number
  • Insurance card information
  • Name and contact information for the trucking company and truck driver's employer
  • License plate number of the truck and any other identifying information


• Contact a catastrophic injury attorney
  

  As soon as possible after the accident and once you have left the scene and returned to safety, you need to contact a qualified catastrophic injury attorney. With a free initial consultation, a lawyer like Gary Burger of Burger Law can get a sense of your situation to determine whether you have a catastrophic injury case and whether you need a lawyer. In most cases, because of how destructive large trucks are – as well as how catastrophic the injuries can be – and the parties involved in commercial vehicles, you will need legal representation to successfully settle your case. Call Burger Law as soon as possible at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online. Once you have hired a lawyer, they will advise you on additional steps to take during your case and will help take care of the intricacies of filing a catastrophic injury and/or truck accident case for you.

• Continue to receive medical treatment
  

  Once you have hired a lawyer and filed your accident claim, follow your lawyer's advice. One important thing to do is to continue to get medical treatment for your catastrophic injuries. The medical files and documentation will help you prove your case. Plus, you want to get the prompt medical treatment that will help you make as full a recovery as possible.

Taking these steps can help secure any possible recovery, and shield you from any fault for the accident. Burger Law has a track record of success and protecting the rights of St. Louis residents who have sustained significant catastrophic injuries in a truck accident. We will fight for you and your rights, whatever it takes. Call us now at (314) 500-HURT or complete our online contact form.