Alaska
Catastrophic Injury Lawyers

What are Catastrophic Injuries?

Catastrophic injuries may be life-changing and will likely impact an individual’s health for the rest of their lives. These unpredictable injuries and your recovery often depend on receiving quality but costly care. The goal is recovery, but realistically, getting back to life as it was before a catastrophic injury in Anchorage may be impossible. Catastrophic injuries can:

• Limit or prevent an individual’s ability to earn an income
• Create the need for extensive or ongoing medical care, possibly for life
• Produce a tremendous financial burden because of the cost of care
• Rob someone of their ability to enjoy life as they had before the injury occurred

Not only is the individual’s life turned upside down, but the lives of those who may depend on or care for an individual can be completely transformed, creating loss and hardship. Focusing on what lies ahead and foreseeing potential future needs will require the assistance and navigation of a serious injury lawyer in Anchorage who can concentrate on your needs full-time while you work to recover.

How an Anchorage Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Can Help You

Anchorage catastrophic injury attorneys understand that your injuries are complex and require extensive knowledge of the law and the need for future medical care. Taking all the facts into account, a major injury attorney in Anchorage may provide the following services:

• Immediately begin to collect valuable information supporting the extent of your injuries before it is lost
• Work closely with you to understand the extent of your injuries by carefully reviewing medical documentation
• File all documentation promptly to prevent delays and adhere to legal timelines
• Work as a mediator between the injured party and the insurance company to relieve the pressure to settle, ensure the correct information is relayed, and diligently fight for the best outcome in a settlement with the insurance company
• Interview eyewitnesses to the accident that resulted in catastrophic injury
• File a case in court when insurance companies fail to provide the appropriate compensation
• Work with expert witnesses, such as physicians and reconstructionists, to help a jury understand the extent of the damages you suffer and their impact on your life from now on

It will be up to you to establish that negligence led to the injuries you suffer. While the extent of your injuries may seem evident to you, it requires the ability to negotiate effectively and often fight for what you are owed for your injuries.

Why Choose Farnsworth & Vance

Not only are we formidable advocates for our clients, but the Anchorage catastrophic injury attorneys team at Farnsworth & Vance are compassionate in the services they provide to clients. We view our services as more than a way to make a living. We believe in protecting the rights of injured Alaskans by advocating for your legal right to fair compensation and fighting for the maximum compensation available to you. Our team of serious injury attorneys in Anchorage:

• Possess close to 20 years of experience in personal injury in Alaska
• Have successfully recovered millions for injured clients while also working to have millions in medical debt forgiven
• Possess a vast knowledge of how the Alaska insurance industry works because we have team members with prior experience in this field
• Bring a variety of skills and abilities to each case because our team has a wide range of experience
• Provide exceptional service that meets your needs, whether we need to accommodate you in the hospital or your home when your injuries prevent you from coming to us
• Will keep you updated and informed about your case, helping you make the best decisions by exploring all of your options

Let Farnsworth & Vance strive for the results you deserve. Many injured Alaskans are unfamiliar with their rights following a catastrophic injury. We want to ensure you have the knowledge and team to fight against life-altering negligence.  

Accidents that May Result in Catastrophic Injury

It may be surprising that it does not always take a cataclysmic event to produce a catastrophic injury. Taking a walk, bike ride, or motorcycle trip can lead to catastrophe. According to Vision Zero Anchorage, 43% of the deaths that occur on Anchorage streets involve pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcycle riders. For every death that occurs, another 150 individuals are seriously injured. Accidents resulting in catastrophic injury may include:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Snowmachine accidents
• Medical malpractice

According to the referenced report by Vision Zero Anchorage, an average of 51 individuals daily over five years were impacted by accidents on Anchorage streets. Medical negligence is also a growing concern in the United States. Data provided by Johns Hopkins Medicine noted that national diagnostic errors in hospitals and clinical care facilities result in the death or permanent disability of 795,000 Americans annually. We are here to help you navigate loss when a catastrophic injury results in wrongful death in Anchorage.

Potential Catastrophic Injuries

Catastrophic injuries very often produce effects that stay with an individual for the rest of their lives. While many accidents lead to personal injuries, catastrophic injuries do not occur as often but are far more devastating. Catastrophic injuries may lead to severe injuries to a bodily system or a vital part of the body. Emotional, physical, psychological, and financial devastation may accompany these injuries, which may include:

• Spinal cord injuries or paralysis
• Internal organ damage
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Extensive bone breaks and fractures
• Significant burns
• Limb amputation or the loss of the use of a limb
• Blindness or vision impairment
• Hearing loss

Many jobs and careers require unique skills, which may be lost when a catastrophic injury occurs. Losing the ability to earn a living may keep an individual from covering daily necessities, such as paying the mortgage, a car payment, and providing essential utilities. And even more devastating is the loss of the ability to enjoy the simple moments of life with family and friends. 

Steps to Take Following a Catastrophic Injury Accident in Anchorage

Catastrophic injury accidents will likely prevent you from taking these steps after an accident. The most critical actions following an accident producing catastrophic injuries in Alaska are to seek medical help immediately and contact an Anchorage catastrophic injury attorney to have someone advocating for your rights with the insurance company. While you heal, we will begin the process of documenting your injuries and the act of negligence by:

• Securing a copy of the accident report
• Preserving security camera footage, cell phone records, or any other documentation that may potentially be erased
• Compiling medical documentation and invoices 
• Assess the damages to personal property
• Ensuring all costs associated with treatment are appropriately documented and accounted for

Let our team take the necessary steps to document a catastrophic injury when your priority is getting the medical care you need to improve your outcome.

Determining Liability for Anchorage Catastrophic Injuries

An insurance adjuster will make vital decisions concerning who is liable in a catastrophic accident. Alaska’s comparative negligence statute (Alaska Stat. §9.17.60) allows individuals to seek compensation for their injuries as long as they are not 100% at fault in the incident. Having experienced Anchorage major injury attorneys on your side will ensure that the negligent driver’s insurance company does not contribute unnecessary blame to you and away from their client, reducing the amount they may owe you.

Similarly, in medical malpractice cases in Alaska, medical providers and facilities have skilled insurance companies on their side to provide protection when negligence occurs. Proving medical negligence in Anchorage is challenging and requires experience to achieve the best outcome.

Determining who is liable for a catastrophic injury is not a simple task. The following parties or entities may be responsible for your injuries:

• Another driver
• A truck’s cargo loading company
• A trucking company’s safety and maintenance division
• Parts manufacturer
• State highway maintenance divisions
• The physician or doctor
• A medical team
• A medical facility

When Insurance Settlements do not Cover Your Damages

Alaska only requires liability insurance for automobile owners, and the minimum required coverage may not come close to what your damages have cost you. Another devastating fact may be to find out that the negligent driver does not have insurance. Farnworth & Vance can help you navigate the complicated choices of legal action and if it is in your best interests to take a case to court when a driver is underinsured or uninsured.

Potential Compensation for a Catastrophic Injury

Let us ensure you are thoroughly informed of the potential compensation available to you. Many individuals are unaware that they do not have to accept an insurance company’s offer. Economic damages you may be owed include:

• All medical costs related to your care
• Medication costs
• Future treatments and therapies
• Lost wages and potential earnings and bonuses
• Travel expenses related to medical care
• The cost of medical equipment
• Modification costs to your home or vehicle

Noneconomic damages you may receive include:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium
• Disfigurement or scarring
• Amputation
• Psychological trauma
• Emotional suffering

Acts of intentional or particularly heinous negligence may incur punitive damages that do not serve as a form of compensation for damages but as a punishment for the actions of the negligent individual.

Timeline for Filing a Catastrophic Injury Claim

Filing a claim with an insurance company for your injuries should take place as soon as possible. Alaska’s law states that individuals who have suffered a catastrophic personal injury are to file a legal claim or lawsuit within two years of the date the accident occurred. 

Alaska statutes allow an individual injured catastrophically from medical negligence also to file a lawsuit within two years after the injury occurred or within a reasonable time that the injuries should have been discovered. A major injury lawyer with our team can help you meet the filing timelines.

A statute of repose (Alaska stat. §09.10.055), or limit of time to when a lawsuit may be filed even when injuries are not apparent, is also defined by law. Because the statutes of limitations may vary depending on when the injuries were discovered or occurred and whether the injured party is a minor, it is best to contact an Anchorage serious injury attorney as soon as possible to ensure all deadlines are met.

The Cost of an Anchorage Catastrophic Injury Attorney

The catastrophic injury lawyers at Farnworth & Vance understand that injured Alaskans are likely facing a large amount of debt and expense related to their injuries. You should never be denied the help you deserve because of the fear of financial obligation. Our Alaska major injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis to provide you with the service you need and never require payment unless we secure compensation for you. We work for our clients when they need us most.

Experienced Anchorage Catastrophic Injury Attorneys

Never let a lack of experienced, compassionate representation prevent you from receiving the maximum compensation you deserve for your damages from a catastrophic injury. The serious injury lawyers at Farnworth & Vance believe it is every Alaskan’s right to seek compensation for their injuries. We know how to fight for the results you need. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation, free of obligations, with a team willing to stand by you.

Contact us today at (907) 290-8980 to schedule a no-cost consultation with an attorney at our firm.