Tulsa Catastrophic Injury Lawyers

If you suffered a catastrophic injury, such as brain trauma, severe burns, or paralysis, you understand deeply how life-changing these injuries can be. You may be unable to work and likely have hundreds of thousands in medical bills, plus unbearable pain and suffering.

We understand what you’re going through.

If another party caused the accident and your injuries, you could be entitled to compensation in a catastrophic injury lawsuit. Nix Patterson’s Tulsa catastrophic injury lawyers understand how terrible such severe injuries can be. Our attorneys know how to hold negligent parties – from individuals to the largest corporations – accountable for their negligence in severe car accidents, truck accidents, work-related accidents, medical malpractice, and more.

How Does a Catastrophic Injury Differ From Other Injury Claims?

A catastrophic injury claim in Tulsa has certain aspects in common with conventional personal injury claims, but there are critical differences:

The Severity of the Injury

A catastrophic injury is much worse than most injuries. So, the injury has a much bigger impact on your life. A catastrophic injury victim could have millions in medical bills, terrible pain and suffering, and permanent disability that renders them unable to work. If your injury is this severe, you need a skilled litigator and negotiator to get you as much compensation as possible.

Medical Costs

Catastrophic injuries require expensive care immediately after the accident. But that is usually just the start of a long, expensive road. You may require many surgeries, months of hospital stays, painful rehabilitation, many expensive prescription drugs, and more. In the case of brain injury or paralysis, you may need daily care for life.

Damages

A catastrophic injury claim involves hundreds of thousands and often millions in damages. The extent of the financial damages is much greater than in other cases. When the potential case value is millions of dollars, you need a skilled attorney fighting for your rights.

Complexity of the Claim

A Tulsa catastrophic injury claim is usually much more complex than other personal injury claims. Several parties could be at fault, some of whom could be large corporations. There may be several injury victims, multiple insurance policies, and defendants without insurance. A complicated catastrophic injury case could span years in court, and you need an attorney who is able to handle all of the details.

What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury?

A catastrophic injury is a physical illness or injury that is especially severe. These injuries are extremely debilitating and may have a permanent impact on one’s body or life. Catastrophic injuries almost always require extensive medical care that continues for years or for life. In some accidents, the full extent of the injuries may be unknown initially, and the effects could have serious physical and emotional effects. If you have had a catastrophic injury, you may be overwhelmed with medical bills and pain and be unable to work for months or perhaps be out of work forever.

It’s a dire situation, but when the injuries were due to someone’s negligence, a Tulsa catastrophic injury attorney at Nix Patterson may be able to help. We can fight for the most compensation from the negligent party and provide critical legal advice every step of the way.

Types of Catastrophic Injury Claims in Tulsa

There are many types of catastrophic injury claims. Most of these injuries are permanent or last for years; a full recovery may be impossible. The most common types of injuries are:

• Spinal cord injury and paralysis
• Loss of sight
• Loss of hearing
• Amputation and crush injuries
• Facial injuries and disfigurement
• Brain injuries
• Nerve damage
• Severe burns
• Severe organ damage
• Mesothelioma and other types of work-related illnesses
• Neurological damage

There are other types of catastrophic injuries, as well. If the injury is permanent or long-lasting, affects your quality of life, and you cannot work, it is catastrophic.

Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries

Catastrophic injuries are those that prevent a person from enjoying life and working in the way they did before the incident. The most common causes of these severe injuries are car accidents, truck accidents, medical malpractice, slips and falls, work-related accidents, and intentionally violent acts.

Unlike less severe injuries, catastrophic injuries have a considerable impact on the family of the victim. The victim may need assistance from loved ones for life — unable to provide financially for the family.

Common Catastrophic Injury Damages

Someone who suffered a catastrophic injury in Tulsa because of someone’s negligence or wrongful act could receive damages for their medical expenses and other losses. How much you can receive depends on many factors and the type of injury. Some of the compensation you may be eligible for includes:

• Medical bills at the time of the catastrophic injury and future medical care. Your attorney will work with your medical team and other experts to determine your prognosis and the medical care you will need in the coming months and years.
• Lost earnings include the time you have been out of work to date from the injuries. You also will be entitled to loss of future income because of your temporary or permanent disability. How much compensation for future lost income depends on your age, health, skills, education, and income before the injury.
• Pain and suffering and loss of quality of life. These are subjective injuries and are open to considerable interpretation. Someone with a severe, life-changing injury will likely have tremendous mental and physical suffering. Your attorney will negotiate the most pain and suffering compensation with the insurance company.
• If you lost a loved one in a catastrophic injury accident, you could receive compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit. Potential compensation for the family may be burial and funeral expenses, lost future income, loss of inheritance, the deceased’s pain and suffering, and emotional and mental anguish.

Oklahoma Comparative Negligence for Catastrophic Injuries

If the catastrophic injury happened in a state with comparative negligence rules, the injured party’s compensation could be reduced if they were partially at fault. Oklahoma has a comparative negligence rule, and your compensation can be lowered according to your degree of fault for the accident.

For example, if a drunk driver in Tulsa hit you head-on and paralyzed you from the chest down, you could receive considerable compensation in the lawsuit. However, if you were speeding at the time and made the accident worse, your compensation could be reduced. Your attorney will thoroughly review the accident evidence and hold the negligent party accountable. According to the case facts, they will also argue for the least blame to be placed on you.

How Do You Prove Negligence in a Catastrophic Injury Case?

A drunk driver rear-ends you in Tulsa. The car bursts into flames, and you suffer severe burns over 25% of your body. It’s a catastrophic injury, and it appears the other driver was at fault. But you only obtain compensation if you can prove that the other party caused the accident conclusively.

Proving negligence in a catastrophic injury case means showing that the negligent party had a duty of care to you. In a car accident in Tulsa, the other driver had a duty of care to drive safely and not injure other motorists. Next, you and your attorney need to show that the driver violated their duty of care when they hit your vehicle and injured you. This might be proven with eyewitness testimony, surveillance video from businesses nearby, and physical evidence at the scene.

Then, you must show that your injuries are directly related to the person’s breach of the standard of care. For example, if the driver hit you from behind, you need to show that your burn injuries were caused by the gas tank being torn open and catching fire. Finally, you must show that you suffered financial damages, such as medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost earnings.

The case may seem clear-cut, but the defendant’s insurance company will likely contest aspects of the claim to reduce their financial exposure. Your Nix Patterson attorney knows the games insurance companies play. We will go into settlement negotiations or the courtroom ready to prove your case.

Why Is a Tulsa Catastrophic Injury Attorney So Important?

In Oklahoma, you aren’t required to hire an attorney after an accident. Plus, attorneys aren’t inexpensive, so why should you? In any catastrophic injury case, you will have steep medical bills and other damages, and only a skilled personal injury lawyer can get you the compensation you deserve. If you attempt to settle the case alone, you’ll almost certainly leave money on the table. Your attorney will also help you in these ways:

• Investigate the catastrophic accident and gather evidence to prove liability by a preponderance of the evidence.
• File a personal injury lawsuit against the proper person and in the correct court.
• Negotiate with the defendant’s insurance company and others for top compensation for your losses.
• Represent you in a lawsuit in court if settlement negotiations fail.
• Provide detailed legal recommendations during the entire process.
• Hire accident reconstruction experts, doctors, financial experts, and others to prove liability and your degree of injuries and losses.

What Is a Catastrophic Injury Case Worth?

It is hard to say what your catastrophic injury case is worth without doing a thorough investigation. However, you can generally expect the payout to be more than less severe personal injury claims. In many catastrophic injury cases, the payout can be hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.

These cases usually involve severe injuries that require months or years of medical care. You also may have long-term lost wages and possibly a permanent disability that prevents you from working. Also, the claim’s value depends on the evidence and proof of liability.

Statute of Limitations for Catastrophic Injuries

Retaining a catastrophic injury attorney immediately after such a severe accident is essential. These cases are complicated and take time to assemble, but you only have a limited time to take legal action.

Oklahoma has a two-year statute of limitations that begins to run on the date of injury. If you don’t file a lawsuit within two years, you may be barred from receiving damages. This could be disastrous in a catastrophic injury case. Few people have the financial resources to pay for the extensive care they need after a severe accident. You may need hundreds of thousands or millions in compensation for your care and other needs in the future, so contact an attorney today.

Speak to a Tulsa Catastrophic Injury Attorney Today

A catastrophic accident can render the accident victim unable to live a normal life ever again. You may need lifelong medical care, be unable to work, and live with challenging physical and emotional trauma that takes a steep toll on your health.

If you have suffered a catastrophic injury because of another person’s misdeed, you should retain an experienced personal injury lawyer today. You will need ample compensation for your medical care, lost earnings, and discomfort, and without an attorney, you will likely not get the money you need. Speak to a Tulsa catastrophic injury attorney at Nix Patterson now. Our attorneys care about your future and will fight to secure fair compensation for your losses.