A “residual” or long-lasting injury can increase your damage award significantly. If you can prove that an injury you suffered in an accident has left you with a permanent impairment or effect, which is referred to as a “residual injury,” your compensation will greatly increase. The reasons for this are obvious, as even a relatively small residual disfigurement or disability will cause you to suffer over an extended period of time, having a serious, cumulative effect on your quality of life.
Common Residual or Permanent Injuries
Even if your doctor does not indicate the likelihood of permanent disability from an injury, you are still allowed to raise the possibility of permanent problems during your injury settlement negotiations. The best way to ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to, and protect your financial future, is to consult with an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer.
Permanent disability claims can be for many conditions, ranging from debilitating to minor and hardly noticeable to those around you. These types of injuries include scarring and disfigurement, brain injuries, and back and joint injuries.
Scarring or Permanent Disfigurement
Scarring or permanent disfigurement is a very common injury that is often considered a residual injury, either sustained from the original injury or the necessary medical treatment. Particularly obvious scarring or disfigurement that causes loss of movement will justify higher damage awards, and rightly so. Permanent scarring injuries cause continual embarrassment and can affect every aspect of the injured person’s life. Disfigurement that limits motion can make everyday tasks unnecessarily difficult.
Scars that are visible on your face or neck will increase the damage award more than scars that are normally covered by clothing. Women who suffer from our society’s stubborn sexism will benefit in the case of scarring, as women who receive a permanent scar are usually considered to be more damaged by it then a man with the identical scar.
Brain Injuries
Brain injuries can cause severe permanent disability, leaving the patient unable to perform everyday tasks and necessitating full-time care. Even a seemingly minor injury can cause permanent residual effects that prelude the injured party from living a normal life. These types of injuries often receive the highest damage awards due to the severity of the disability.
Back and Joint Injuries
Back and joint injuries are almost always considered to be permanent, at least to some extent, if they involve a disc in the spine, displacement or other damage to a vertebra, or cartilage or ligament damage to a joint. Even if the injury is not debilitating, you will almost always suffer some permanent effect, even if it is slight. Despite the possibility of the pain temporarily resolving, there is a greater likelihood of it returning to the injury site as you age.
Reach out to a Dedicated Chicago Injury Lawyer
At Shea Law Group, our legal team has handled thousands of personal injury cases, including hundreds similar to yours. Call us at (877)-365-0040 and book your free, no obligation consultation today. Let us help you attain the settlement you deserve.