Kalamazoo, MI, is known for a thriving downtown, strong manufacturing roots, and college town vibes. But even in such a vibrant, community-minded city, lives can change in an instant due to serious accidents. If you or a loved one has suffered a life-altering injury due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC’s Kalamazoo catastrophic injury lawyers can provide the guidance and advocacy needed for a successful personal injury claim.
Catastrophic injuries include just about any injuries that go beyond temporary setbacks. In a legal context, “catastrophic” typically implies an injury that leads to permanent (or very long-term) disability, disfiguration, paralysis, loss of limb, etc. When an injury significantly reduces the victim’s independence and lowers their quality of life, it is usually considered a “catastrophic injury.”

At Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, our unique and powerful model for providing legal services is set up to help Kalamazoo residents navigate a complicated legal system and achieve optimal results. With Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, on your side, you can focus on healing from your injury, while we focus on the legal process and your future needs.
Some of the more common examples of catastrophic injuries that may be legally actionable in Michigan include:
Choosing to hire a catastrophic injury lawyer is a decisive step toward protecting your rights and your future. The Kalamazoo personal injury lawyers at Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, strive to effectively manage and streamline every aspect of your case, guiding it to a fair resolution where victims receive adequate legal satisfaction for the serious wrongs done to them. Our proactive, hands-on approach to practicing personal injury law allows our clients to devote more time and energy to recovering from their injuries.
Catastrophic injury cases tend to become legally and emotionally complex, with issues such as medical consequences and financial impacts at the forefront of proceedings and negotiations. In some cases, there may be multiple parties who share liability for a catastrophic injury, which can further complicate the legal process. When catastrophic injuries occur on the highway or in a medical care setting–or when they result in wrongful death–the legal picture becomes yet more complex.
Rather than being a specific term under Michigan law, “catastrophic injury” is a widely used term in legal and insurance circles, which is understood to refer to any injury causing permanent disfiguration, immobilization, debilitating illness, and/or a substantially lowered quality of life.
While Michigan’s laws may not include discrete definitions for “catastrophic injury,” they do establish the rights of injured individuals to pursue claims against those responsible for the harm they have suffered. With the outcomes of cases being directly linked to the actual damages incurred, catastrophic injury claims naturally represent some of the most high-stakes personal injury cases in Michigan.
The process for filing a catastrophic injury claim is much the same as that for filing any other type of personal injury lawsuit in civil court. Your attorney can give you more information about this process, as well as guidance on your role in filing the initial lawsuit, and other advice relevant to your unique circumstances.

A personal injury attorney can provide you with advice and manage all aspects of the legal process for a catastrophic injury case. Having great legal representation can give peace of mind while the victim faces the challenges of the recovery process and may not have the mental, physical, or emotional capacity needed to handle the legal process. Even the most straightforward claims can quickly become complex and always benefit from solid legal representation.
At Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, our 40+ year track record of successful injury claims speaks for itself. If you are suffering from the results of a catastrophic accident anywhere in the K-Zoo area, we can help. Reach out to our team today to schedule a free and confidential consultation where you can get straightforward, helpful answers to some of your initial questions about the personal injury claims process.
3049 Miller Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
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