When Should You Secure an Attorney?

by Joseph P. Rewis

Pittsburgh personal injuries can be deceiving. Sometimes the initial shock of the accident can disguise the pain of a non-visible injury. At other times, victims suffering very serious damage, such as that caused by traumatic brain injuries, may not display any symptoms at all until hours or even days later. If you've been the victim of a serious personal injury or an illness that was caused by chemical exposure or medical malpractice – conditions that could have serious or even life-threatening consequences – it's often advisable to consult an attorney. Here are a few examples:

• Severe or Disabling Injuries: These can include multiple broken bones, injuries requiring surgery, or traumatic brain, spinal cord, and soft tissue injuries. Brain and spinal injuries can have significant, long-term consequences, including paralysis, loss of mental capacity, inability to function or live independently, or even death.
• Toxic Exposure: Both Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia have been linked to benzene exposure. Asbestos exposure has been shown to increase the risk of lung cancer and Mesothelioma, a cancer of the membrane that covers the chest and abdomen. Proving an exposure claim against a chemical or product manufacturer can be incredibly challenging, particularly for someone undergoing the ravages of cancer and its treatments.
• Medical Malpractice: Medical malpractice can result from inappropriate treatment or from failure to properly treat or diagnose a medical condition. For example, a patient might be diagnosed with breast cancer after a physician had missed an opportunity for an earlier diagnosis. Because the cancer would have been in a more advanced state when discovered and possibly spread to lymph nodes and other organs, the misdiagnosis could potentially endanger the patient's life and would certainly demand more extensive and invasive treatment.