What is a Catastrophic Injury?
A catastrophic injury is a severe and serious injury that requires medical care and other support for years—or even for an entire lifetime. It is one of the most devastating and life-altering experiences that a person and their family can face. Catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries often happen without warning.
We understand the unique physical, emotional, and financial challenges faced by accident victims who suffered catastrophic injuries in Maine, through no fault of their own. Our catastrophic injury lawyers have represented countless courageous people throughout the State who have gone through similar challenges, and who continue in the fight to improve their quality of life.
Our goal is to make sure injured Mainers receive full financial compensation for their losses, while also providing the highest level of service to them and their families. We are proud of the results we have earned for these clients, and we are proud to be their allies.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries
All catastrophic injuries have profound impacts. These are just some of the types of catastrophic injuries that our personal injury lawyers have handled:
- Spinal cord injury
- Head and brain injury
- Loss of limbs/amputation
- Eye/ear injury
- Blunt force trauma
- Burn injury
Why Hire a Catastrophic Injury Lawyer?
We never lose sight of what’s at stake for our clients. There is only one opportunity to build your catastrophic injury case and recover a settlement or jury verdict in your favor. No other firm in Maine can commit more experience, expertise, and resources to your case than Berman & Simmons. We will do everything in our power to hold the responsible parties accountable and ensure that you receive full and fair compensation for your injury.
While we focus on maximizing your financial recovery, we also serve as a partner for your physical and emotional recovery. Our catastrophic injury attorneys and staff members take the time to listen to you, understand your concerns, and come up with helpful solutions. From day one, we will assist you in obtaining any necessary referrals to specialists for medical and mental health care. We can arrange payment or deferral of your debts until your case is resolved.
We will also help you navigate the complex maze of medical insurance and disability programs. With us on your team, you don’t have to travel this road on your own.
No other law firm in Maine can match our resources and expertise
To help build and present a winning case, our catastrophic injury attorneys regularly work with the top medical experts, accident reconstruction specialists, investigators, and other consultants in Maine and nationwide. These efforts can be critical in proving negligence and the extent of your losses so that you can be fully compensated not just for the short-term, but for your future as well.
We are also the leaders in Maine in the use of state-of-the-art technologies in the courtroom, including anatomical and computer models and dynamic presentation of studies such as MRI and CT scans. We produce professional videos to help us show the true extent of sustained injuries and their impact on you and your family while preparing your catastrophic injury lawsuit.
This allows us to present complex evidence in a straightforward way that judges, jurors and insurance companies can easily understand. By demonstrating the impact, we put the opposition on their heels, and in a very uncomfortable position as they try to deny you compensation.
A Law Firm That Listens
Berman & Simmons is widely recognized as the best personal injury lawyers in Maine and among the best in the U.S., having won many of the largest jury verdicts and settlements ever obtained for personal injury claims in Maine.
Our trial lawyers have won thousands of lawsuits on behalf of those who suffered personal injuries, and each year we build on that successful track record. Our mission is to help you recover and make sure you receive full compensation for your catastrophic injuries and loss.
Ask Questions. We Have Answers.
$8.5 Million
Paralysis due to mismanagement of
degenerative spine
$2.5 Million
Catastrophic injuries in a head-on car accident
$800,000
Wrongful death case involving negligent
motorist
$715,000
Plaintiff Rear Ended by
Telephone Truck
$5 Million
Delay in diagnosis and treatment of cancer
$1.2 Million
Significant Head Injury Car Accident
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What do I prepare for the first call or meeting with you?
For your first meeting with us, simply tell us your story and explain in your own words what happened and how your life has been affected. If you’re meeting with us in person, you can bring notes about what happened to you, driver insurance information, names of any witnesses, photos of the accident damages or injuries, medical records, and other related paperwork if you have it and if it’s applicable, but that information isn’t necessary. Really all you need to do is be yourself, speak with us honestly, and be willing to tackle your problems with us.
Initial conversations between potential clients and our staff members are often done over the phone. Rest assured that everything we discuss is confidential and protected under law.
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How much will a lawyer cost me?
The lawyers at Berman & Simmons work on a contingency basis. That means you pay nothing up front and nothing unless we settle or win your case. We will consult with you, evaluate your situation, and do initial research free of charge. This is true even if we decide you don’t have a valid claim. We will also cover all necessary case expenses and you will not be obligated to reimburse us until and unless we recover monies on your behalf. if we do take your case and win a settlement or a jury verdict in your favor, a percentage of the compensation goes to pay for our costs and the work done by our legal team.
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How will I know if I have a case?
To pursue a case, we will need to prove that you suffered a substantial personal injury and the injury was directly caused by the negligence of another party. A bad result alone is not enough to establish negligence. We let you know upfront if we are able to move forward with the legal process, or if we don’t think you have a case. Generally, we will know if you have a case after our first phone call or meeting.
If we believe you have a valid claim and decide to move forward with litigation, our attorneys and staff will then take it from there and do everything else that needs to be done, including obtaining and reviewing records relevant to your case, such as accident reports and other law enforcement documents, employer records, medical records, and other information.
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How long will it take to resolve my case?
Every case is different, and there is no way to predict how long it will take for your case to be resolved. Some cases end in a matter of months, while the most complex and challenging cases, such as a medical malpractice case, can span several years. The vast majority of cases, however, are resolved before a trial and usually within a year.
The goal is to make sure you receive fair compensation for your injuries, no matter how long it takes whether that comes in the form of a pre-trial settlement, or with a jury verdict in your favor.
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How much is my case worth?
There are many factors that need to be considered when determining the value of your case. Every case is unique and it takes a team effort — including your attorney, staff researchers, and outside experts — to determine the extent of your damages and how much your case is worth. There are two types of damages for which you could receive
compensation: Economic and non-economic.If your case goes to trial and a jury agrees you deserve compensation, the jury members will decide how much the money you should receive for each category of damages.