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.
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.
Catastrophic injuries are similar to other personal injury claims. But several significant differences put them in a different category:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Our Norman personal injury attorneys routinely handle the following kinds of catastrophic injury accidents:
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nix Patterson only works on a contingency fee basis. Our clients pay us nothing unless we win. Schedule a free consultation today. Call 512.328.5333 or complete the form below.
"*" indicates required fields
The information on this site is for informational purposes only. Though it deals with legal issues, it should not be taken as legal advice for any specific case or situation. The law changes rapidly, and we make no warranty or guarantee about the accuracy or reliability of the content or links on this site. Every case and legal issue is different. Speak with a lawyer for specific advice.
This site is not intended to create, and viewing it does not create, an attorney-client relationship. The verdicts and settlements shown on this site are intended to be representative of cases Nix Patterson handles. These listings are not a guarantee or prediction of the outcome of any other cases or claim. Results in litigation can never be guaranteed.
La información contenida en este sitio tiene únicamente fines informativos. Aunque trata de cuestiones jurídicas, no debe tomarse como asesoramiento jurídico para ningún caso o situación específicos. La legislación cambia rápidamente y no garantizamos la exactitud o fiabilidad de los contenidos o enlaces de este sitio. Cada caso y asunto jurídico es diferente. Hable con un abogado para obtener asesoramiento específico.
Este sitio no pretende crear, y su consulta no crea, una relación abogado-cliente. Los veredictos y acuerdos mostrados en este sitio pretenden ser representativos de los casos que maneja Nix Patterson. Estos listados no son una garantía o predicción del resultado de cualquier otro caso o reclamación. Los resultados en litigios nunca pueden ser garantizados.