Norman Catastrophic Injury Lawyers

Any personal injury can change your life, but a catastrophic injury is in a completely different category. Catastrophic injuries forever alter the victim’s life. In many catastrophic injury cases, the victim may go through many painful surgical procedures, months of therapy, and may require years of ongoing medical care.

Nix Patterson’s Norman catastrophic injury lawyers understand the challenges of suffering such a debilitating injury. Our legal team is experienced in holding negligent parties accountable for their negligence and maximizing compensatory damages. Contact one of our catastrophic injury attorneys today for a complimentary legal consultation.

What is Considered a Catastrophic Injury in Norman?

A catastrophic injury affects you so much that it leaves you permanently scarred and damaged. These are the most severe injuries and are much more challenging to overcome. Catastrophic injuries require much more expensive medical care, and few people have the financial resources to get the care they need to recover.

It also can be immensely challenging for the victim to pay for their regular bills because they can no longer earn a living. For catastrophic injury victims, suing the negligent person or entity may be the only way they ever get the care and financial support they need to live as normal a life as possible.

How Do Catastrophic Injuries Differ From Other Cases?

Catastrophic injuries are similar to other personal injury claims. But several significant differences put them in a different category:

Injury Severity

Catastrophic injuries are worse than more common personal injuries. Consequently, the injury has a larger effect on the victim’s life, as well as the lives of their loved ones. Catastrophic injury victims usually undergo tremendous pain and suffering, as well as mental trauma. They are often permanently disabled and unable to earn a living. Their loved ones also may suffer a large loss of income because of medical expenses and providing care.

Medical Care Expenses

Because catastrophic injuries are usually devastating, they require more extensive and costly medical treatments. Injury victims may require emergency surgeries, reconstructive surgeries, rehabilitation, pain management, and more. Some catastrophic injury victims may need permanent care, such as in paralysis cases. So, the cost of treating the injury can run into hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars over the years.

Amount of Damages

Severe catastrophic injuries involve expensive medical care, potentially permanent loss of income, and tremendous pain and suffering. The extent of the damages is usually greater than for lesser injuries. These factors drive up the case’s value, meaning retaining the best personal injury attorney is critical to the victim’s future.

Case Complexity

A catastrophic injury lawsuit is usually more complicated than conventional personal injury cases. There may be several negligent parties, such as in a truck accident case. Also, the liable party could be a large corporation with several commercial insurance policies and a team of aggressive defense attorneys. Determining the victim’s economic losses for years in the future can be complex, and the insurance company is more likely to contest the claim when damages run into six, seven, or eight figures.

Types of Catastrophic Injury Claims We Handle

Our Norman catastrophic injury attorneys rely on our years of legal experience to achieve favorable settlements and jury awards for our clients. No defendant is too large or intimidating for our experienced litigators. Our expertise allows clients to maximize their financial recovery, no matter how the accident happened. Our law firm can handle any type of catastrophic injury case, but these are the most common injury types.

• Spinal cord injuries
• Brain injuries
• Crushed limbs
• Eye and hearing damage
• Terminal illness
• Organ damage
• Paralysis
• Severe burns
• Amputations
• Severe facial lacerations and related damage

Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries

Our Norman personal injury attorneys routinely handle the following kinds of catastrophic injury accidents:

• Auto accidents: Motor vehicle accidents are often the most common source of catastrophic injuries.
• Truck accidents: Commercial trucks weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and collisions with smaller vehicles can be horrific, leading to potentially disastrous injuries.
• Pedestrian accidents: When a motor vehicle slams into a pedestrian, the victim can suffer terrible injuries, such as brain damage, a spinal cord injury, broken bones, etc.
• Medical malpractice: If a doctor misdiagnoses a patient or gives them the wrong medication, all sorts of catastrophic injuries can happen.
• Boat crashes: Boating accidents can be just as dangerous and catastrophic as car accidents.
• Fire and explosions: These incidents can occur in motor vehicle accidents, work accidents, and building fires. Oklahoma also is a significant hub for the oil and gas industry, and fires and explosions that severely injure workers are far too common.
• Slip-and-fall accidents: Many people are severely injured in slip-and-fall accidents. If the incident happened on another person’s property, you could receive compensation in a catastrophic injury lawsuit.

Catastrophic Injury Damages

Compensation in a catastrophic injury case is similar to other personal injury claims. The difference is in the amount of compensation. For example, medical costs for a paralysis catastrophic injury could be enormous because you may have lifelong care needs in the millions of dollars. Some compensation you could receive for your case are:

• Past, current, and future medical expenses: Your Norman catastrophic injury lawyer will consult with your doctor and medical experts to calculate what your future medical care will cost.
• Past and future lost earnings: Your attorney will work with economic and financial experts to determine your lost future wages. This amount depends on your career path, experience, age, and other factors. For example, a 35-year-old doctor who can no longer work because they were blinded in an explosion would receive more lost earnings compensation than a retired school teacher.
• Pain and suffering compensation: The pain of catastrophic injuries can be terrible and may include funds for mental and emotional trauma.
• Out-of-pocket expenses: These might include legal fees, medical copays, expert witnesses, etc.

Oklahoma Comparative Negligence For Catastrophic Injuries

Oklahoma has a comparative negligence law. This means that the actions of the involved parties determine how much compensation is received. If you were partially responsible for the catastrophic injury, you could receive less money in a claim or lawsuit. Oklahoma law also states if you were more than 50% responsible for the accident, you are barred from collecting damages.

Suppose you are rear-ended at a busy intersection in Norman, and the fuel tank explodes. You suffer third-degree burns over 40% of your body, which is a catastrophic injury. However, the investigation shows that the brake lights on your car weren’t working, so you could be partially at fault for the accident. If that’s the case, your compensation could be reduced according to your percentage of fault.

How To Prove Negligence in a Catastrophic Injury Case

A catastrophic injury isn’t enough to have a successful claim or lawsuit. Compensation will only be provided if you can show that another person or entity was negligent and caused your injuries.

Under state and federal law, everyone has various duties to live reasonably and prudently. If a person doesn’t take reasonable steps to avoid injuring others, they could be sued for damages. If the resulting injuries are catastrophic, the liability can be hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.

The duty of care a person owes someone else depends on the case. For instance, if you’re rear-ended in a truck accident, the truck driver owes you a duty of care to obey the law and drive safely. Because they are a commercial truck driver, they owe you a higher duty of care than other drivers.

To recover compensation in this example, you must show that the driver owed you a duty of care, violated it, and caused your injuries and damages. You also must prove that you suffered damages that are specific and measurable. If the rear-end accident caused severe injuries and millions in medical bills, your attorney will prove your damages with medical evidence.

Why Do You Need a Norman Catastrophic Injury Attorney?

Oklahoma law doesn’t require you to hire an attorney to represent you. Also, attorneys are expensive, so why hire one? A catastrophic injury attorney is essential to maximize your compensation and legal leverage in a lawsuit. These skilled litigators and negotiators help their injured clients by:

• Investigating the accident and collecting evidence to determine liability.
• Filing a personal injury lawsuit against the liable party and their insurance company.
• Negotiating with insurance companies and other stakeholders for the most compensation.
• Representing the injury victim in court, if needed.
• Offering legal recommendations during the case, such as whether to take a settlement or negotiate for more.
• Obtaining medical records and other vital documents.
• Pinpointing every source of potential financial recovery from third parties, such as product manufacturers, vehicle maintenance companies, employers, contractors, etc.

Your catastrophic injury attorney is also trained and experienced in insurance negotiations. They will protect you from being taken advantage of and short-changed by an unscrupulous insurance provider. Your lawyer also will work with your doctor and various medical experts to understand the long-term effects of your injuries. Without your attorney’s help, you could settle for much less compensation than you are entitled to.

When Should You File a Catastrophic Injury Claim?

Whether the injury is catastrophic or not, you could receive compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. You should immediately work with an experienced personal injury attorney to determine if you hate a case. Suppose your doctor isn’t sure how much care you will need today or in the future. In that case, your catastrophic injury attorney can find experts to determine the degree and severity of your injury. They also will know how much compensation to demand so you aren’t forced to pay out of pocket.

It’s always important to file a personal injury lawsuit promptly so your attorney has plenty of time to investigate. In Oklahoma, you generally have only two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. This isn’t a lot of time, so as soon as you think another party caused the accident and your injuries, you should consult with an experienced attorney.

Who Pays in a Catastrophic Injury Claim?

If your catastrophic injury is due to another person’s or entity’s negligence or wrongful act, they may be required to pay damages in a civil lawsuit. But where does that money come from? It depends, but in most cases, an insurance company pays most or all of the damages in a catastrophic injury case.

Suppose you are T-boned at a busy intersection in Norman, and your legs are crushed and must be amputated. This is a catastrophic injury. If it is determined that the other driver was at fault, their insurance company would typically provide compensation for your losses. However, certain accidents are much more complicated. A multi-vehicle accident could have several injured parties and insurance policies in effect.

Your attorney’s job is to sort through the case and determine who is liable and who has to pay. There may be only a limited amount of insurance money and several injury victims, so the person with the most effective personal injury attorney could come out on top financially. Therefore, selecting the best catastrophic injury attorney is a hugely important decision that could reverberate in your life for decades. It’s essential to make the right decision.

Speak to a Norman Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Today

A catastrophic injury may have a devastating effect on your ability to live a normal life. You could need long-term medical care and rehabilitation, and suffer chronic pain.

If you or someone close to you suffered a catastrophic injury because of another person’s negligence, speak to an experienced attorney immediately. Your attorney will handle insurance negotiations and file a lawsuit if a fair settlement offer isn’t forthcoming. Contact a Norman catastrophic injury lawyer at Nix Patterson today to obtain the most compensation for your injuries and other losses. Our attorneys aren’t paid unless we win your case.