Van Sant Law represents people throughout Georgia after catastrophic accidents. Founded in 2008, our firm and Union City catastrophic injury lawyers bring more than 50 years of combined legal experience to serious injury claims.
We investigate what happened, identify every available source of compensation, and prepare the claim around the long-term effect of the injury. Contact Van Sant Law today for a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Union City.
What Makes an Injury Catastrophic?
A catastrophic injury is not defined only by the initial diagnosis. The legal concern is whether the injury causes long-term or permanent harm, limits your ability to work, changes your independence, or requires continuing medical care and support.
These claims often involve losses that extend far beyond the first hospital stay. You may need surgery, rehabilitation, medication, assistive devices, home changes, in-home care, vocational support, or treatment that continues for years.
Because the future cost of the injury may become one of the largest parts of the claim, catastrophic injury cases cannot be valued through a quick review of current bills. The claim must address what your life, health, income, and care needs may look like going forward.
Types of Catastrophic Injury Claims We Handle
At Van Sant Law, we handle catastrophic injury claims involving:
- Car, truck, and commercial vehicle crashes.
- Motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents.
- Falls caused by unsafe property conditions.
- Construction and workplace incidents involving third-party fault.
- Defective vehicles, machinery, equipment, or consumer products.
- Negligent security incidents.
- Serious injuries on business, residential, or public property.
We do not assume the most obvious party is the only party responsible in these cases. If you were injured by a commercial driver, unsafe property condition, subcontractor, defective product, or preventable security failure, the claim may involve more than one defendant and more than one source of insurance coverage.
Our role is to identify how the injury occurred, determine which legal duties were violated, and pursue every available avenue of compensation supported by the facts.
How Our Union City Catastrophic Injury Lawyers Prove Liability
We must prove that another party owed you a legal duty, failed to act with reasonable care, and caused the injury that now affects your life.
The proof depends on how the accident occurred. A vehicle crash may require crash reports, photographs, witness statements, black box data, driver records, and insurance information.
Whereas a premises liability claim may require inspection records, incident reports, maintenance history, surveillance footage, and proof of what the property owner knew or should have known.
We Connect the Conduct to the Injury
In catastrophic injury claims, insurers often try to separate the accident from the full harm. They may accept that an incident occurred while disputing whether it caused the long-term condition, future treatment needs, or inability to work.
We address that issue directly. We review the medical timeline, diagnostic testing, treatment records, provider opinions, work restrictions, and functional limitations to show how the accident caused the losses being claimed.
We Address Fault Allocation Early
Georgia’s fault rules can affect recovery. If any percentage of fault is assigned to you, the recovery may be reduced. If you are found 50% or more at fault, compensation may be barred.
That is why we prepare for blame arguments from the beginning. We examine the evidence before the insurance company’s version of events becomes the working narrative.
Recovering the Full Value of a Catastrophic Injury Claim
A catastrophic injury claim should account for both present losses and future losses. The insurance company may focus on bills already received, but the legal claim must address the continuing cost of the injury.
Depending on the facts, compensation may include:
- Emergency medical care and hospitalization.
- Surgery and specialist treatment.
- Rehabilitation, therapy, and long-term medical care.
- Medication, medical equipment, and assistive devices.
- In-home care or attendant care.
- Home modifications and transportation changes.
- Lost wages.
- Reduced earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering.
- Emotional distress.
- Permanent disability.
- Disfigurement or scarring.
- Loss of independence.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Out-of-pocket expenses caused by the injury.
At Van Sant Law, we evaluate damages with attention to the future, not only the present. Our Union City catastrophic injury attorneys review treatment needs, work history, earning potential, medical opinions, insurance coverage, and the daily limitations the injury has created.
Challenges in Catastrophic Injury Claims
Catastrophic injury claims are often heavily disputed because the financial stakes are high. An insurance company may contest fault, question whether the accident caused the full injury, argue that a prior condition is responsible, or challenge the medical need for future care.
Those disputes can place real pressure on you and your family. While you are still trying to understand the diagnosis, treatment plan, and long-term prognosis, the insurer may be working to limit the claim before the full cost of the injury is known.
That is why these cases require careful development before settlement is considered. We review the medical record, future care needs, work restrictions, lost income, available insurance, and the evidence needed to answer defense arguments. Our goal is to prevent the claim from being valued too early or too narrowly.
Why Choose Van Sant Law?
At Van Sant Law, we prepare these cases with a clear view of what the insurance company is likely to dispute, including causation, medical necessity, future care, wage loss, and the degree of permanent impairment.
Founding attorney David M. Van Sant previously served as defense counsel for a large insurance firm. That experience gives our firm insight into how insurers review serious injury claims, assess risk, and look for ways to reduce payment.
We use that knowledge to build the claim before those arguments are used against you.
Our work may include:
- Identifying every person, company, or insurer that may bear legal responsibility.
- Reviewing all available insurance coverage.
- Documenting the medical course from emergency care through long-term treatment.
- Evaluating future care needs, disability, and permanent restrictions.
- Calculating lost income and reduced earning ability.
- Working with outside professionals when the claim requires additional support.
- Managing insurer communications and settlement negotiations.
- Preparing for litigation when the insurer will not make a fair offer.
As Georgia attorneys, we represent people in the communities we know and serve. Van Sant Law has recovered hundreds of millions for clients, and we work to pursue every available path to compensation.
Speak With a Catastrophic Injury Attorney in Union City
If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic injury, Van Sant Law can help you understand whether you have a claim and what steps may come next. We can handle the consultation electronically or schedule an in-home visit if you prefer.
Contact our catastrophic injury attorneys in Union City today for a free consultation. Make the Right Call.
