Catastrophic injuries have life-changing consequences. If you suffered a catastrophic injury in Oklahoma City, OK, it’s critical to have an experienced attorney in your corner. An experienced Oklahoma City catastrophic injury lawyer can help you recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, therapies, trauma, and more.
At Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers, our lawyers have over 95 years of combined experience in personal injury law. We’ve helped injury victims recover over $100 million in settlements and verdicts since we started our law firm back in 2009.
Over the years, we’ve gained the extensive legal experience you need in your corner. To learn more, call our law offices in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to schedule a free consultation at (405) 497-0480 with our Oklahoma City catastrophic injury attorneys.
Here’s How Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help if You Suffered a Catastrophic Injury in Oklahoma City
Catastrophic injury cases are among the most complex personal injury claims in Oklahoma City, OK. To get a fair deal, you’ll have to understand your current losses. You’ll also need a fair sense of the losses you’ll continue to incur in the future. While you’re trying to figure that out, the insurance company might already be blaming you.
Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers can help with every stage of the personal injury process.
Count on our Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers to:
- Gather evidence to prove what caused your injury
- Identify all parties who are financially liable
- Defend against victim-blaming strategies
- Work with leading experts to document your damages
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for a full settlement
- File a lawsuit and fight for you at trial if necessary
The insurance companies and defense lawyers will work hard to limit their liability for your injuries. Call our Oklahoma City catastrophic injury attorneys today to even the playing field.
When Is an Injury Classified as Catastrophic?
The term “catastrophic injury” doesn’t refer to an injury that impacts a specific body part. Instead, injuries are classified as catastrophic when they have a profound impact on the victim’s life.
Catastrophic injuries typically result in:
- A need for extensive, ongoing medical care
- Intense pain and suffering
- Long-term or permanent disabilities
- Inability to engage in meaningful work to earn a living
- Serious lifestyle changes
The victim’s recovery period could be months or years. However, even once the victim reaches maximum medical improvement (MMI), they’ll typically be left with some impairments.
Catastrophic injuries are also extremely expensive. Because these cases tend to involve high-dollar settlements, insurance companies will invest significant resources to fight them. The sooner you consult an experienced attorney, the sooner they can start building a strong case for a full settlement.
Types of Catastrophic Injury Cases We Handle in Oklahoma City
At Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of catastrophic injury claims in OKC.
Some examples of injuries that are considered “catastrophic” include:
- Severe brain damage
- Paralysis
- Amputations and loss of limbs
- Blindness and vision loss
- Burns cover a significant part of the body
- Chest injuries
- Severe organ damage
Catastrophic injuries require emergency medical care due to the high risk of permanent physical and cognitive impairment. They may continue to receive medical treatment for weeks if not months. If your loved one is currently receiving medical treatment, it isn’t too early to call our law firm.
How Common Are Catastrophic Injuries?
Because catastrophic injuries are life-changing, you might think that they’re rare.
The statistics show that hundreds of thousands of Americans suffer life-altering injuries each year:
- Over 214,000 Americans were hospitalized with severe brain injuries in 2020
- About 185,000 people suffer amputations injuries each year
- Almost 18,000 new spinal cord injury cases are reported annually
We encourage you to seek legal advice quickly if you’re a victim. With an experienced lawyer by your side, you give yourself the best chance of a good outcome.
What Are the Causes of Catastrophic Injuries in Oklahoma City?
Many catastrophic injury victims suffer their injuries while engaging in everyday activities. Catastrophic injuries can happen at work, while you’re running errands, or even when you’re simply walking down the street.
Some causes of catastrophic injuries in OKC include:
- Motor vehicle accidents, including accidents involving cars, buses, trucks and even trains
- Slip and fall accidents
- Firearm violence
- Assault and sexual assault
- Dangerous property conditions
- Motorcycle accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Sports accidents
- Boating accidents
- Exposure to toxic substances
- Use of defective products
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse and neglect
Regardless of how the injuries occurred, the victim has the burden of proving that someone else was responsible, typically because they were negligent. In catastrophic injury cases, that may seem impossible, given the challenges you’re already facing.
Our Oklahoma City catastrophic injury attorneys can start working on your case immediately. We’ll gather the strong evidence you need to prove your case. That allows you to focus on your recovery with the confidence that an experienced lawyer is handling the legal issues.
How Much Is My Oklahoma City Catastrophic Injury Case Worth?
Even after you’ve established liability, you’ll still have to prove how much your case is worth. The insurance company might step up and offer a quick settlement. These settlement offers are rarely fair. Consulting an experienced accident attorney is the best way to understand how much you really deserve.
Our lawyers will carefully examine all relevant factors, including:
- Your current medical costs
- The earnings you’ve lost due to the injury
- Your future earning capacity and the amount you’re projected to lose in the future
- Your age and life expectancy at the time of the injury
- Lifestyle changes made necessary by the injury
- Your quality of life, both prior to the injury and after reaching MMI
- How the injury has impacted your family and relationships
- The emotional problems you’ve experienced
- The circumstances of the injury and whether you share any blame
You probably don’t know what the future holds after suffering a life-changing injury. That’s normal. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced attorney, you can get a fair understanding of what your case is worth.
Our attorneys have handled cases similar to yours in the past. We also have access to experts in various fields. With the help of their expertise, we’ll be able to determine the fair financial value of your difficult-to-value damages.
What Types of Damages Can I Recover for Catastrophic Injuries in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma?
In Oklahoma, injury victims can seek compensation for all past, present, and future losses. These losses are classified as economic damages or non-economic damages.
Economic damages offer compensation for financial costs, including:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Medications and medical devices
- In-home assistance
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Long-term care
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Property damage
Non-economic damages attempt to compensate for the pain, suffering, and life changes you experience because of the injury, including:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish and emotional trauma
- Diminished quality of life
- Reduced life expectancy
- Mental health issues, including depression, PTSD and anxiety
- Damage to relationships
- Loss of consortium in wrongful death cases
If the defendant’s acts were intentional or shockingly reckless, it’s also possible that the court could award punitive damages as punishment.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Oklahoma?
Hiring an experienced attorney shouldn’t be a luxury. That’s why our team works on a contingency fee basis. You probably have enough financial stress right now, so we don’t charge any upfront fees.
Like most personal injury law firms, we take our attorneys’ fees as a percentage of your final compensation award.
Can I Recover Compensation for a Catastrophic Injury if I’m Partly Responsible for Injuries in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has a modified comparative negligence law with a 51% bar to recovery. You’re barred from recovering compensation once your share of fault reaches 51%. Assuming your share of fault is less than 51%, you can recover partial compensation.
Multiple parties can share blame for the same injury. That includes the injured party. The law motivates insurance companies to look for ways to blame the victim. When they succeed, they can increase their profit margin by paying less than you deserve.
Insurance accusations aren’t always legitimate or fair. You don’t have to back down in the face of a fight. Instead, call our law firm for help disproving any unfair victim-blaming allegations.
How Long Do I Have to File a Catastrophic Injury Lawsuit in Oklahoma?
Under Oklahoma law, you have only two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. The two-year statute of limitations starts running on the date of your injury.
You don’t get extra time because your injuries were catastrophic. If you wait any longer than two years to file a lawsuit, you lose your right to compensation entirely.
Contact a Skilled Oklahoma City Catastrophic Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If your family is struggling in the aftermath of a catastrophic injury in Oklahoma City, OK, Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help. You can schedule a free consultation with an experienced Oklahoma City catastrophic injury lawyer today.
Our personal injury law firm in Oklahoma City, OK, also provides the following:
- Bicycle Accident Lawyer Oklahoma City, OK
- Brain Injury Attorney in Oklahoma City, OK
- Bus Accident Lawyers in Oklahoma City, OK
- Car Accident Lawyer in Oklahoma City, OK
- Child Injury Attorney in Oklahoma City, OK
- City Civil Rights Lawyers Oklahoma City, OK
- Construction Accident Lawyer in Oklahoma City, OK
- Dog Bite Lawyers in Oklahoma City, OK
- Lyft Accident Attorney in Oklahoma City, OK
- Medical Malpractice Attorneys in Oklahoma City, OK
- Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Oklahoma City, OK
- Pedestrian Accident Attorney in Oklahoma City, OK
- Premises Liability Lawyers in Oklahoma City, OK
- Product Liability Attorneys in Oklahoma City, OK
- Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer In Oklahoma City, OK
- Truck Accident Attorney in Oklahoma City, OK
- Taxi Accident Lawyers in Oklahoma City, OK
- Uber Accidents Lawyer in Oklahoma City, OK
- Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Oklahoma City, OK
- Workplace Accident Lawyer in Oklahoma City, OK
- Wrongful Death Attorney in Oklahoma City, OK
Visit our Personal Injury Law Office in Oklahoma City
Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers
1332 SW 89th St
Oklahoma City, OK 73159
Phone:
(405) 497-0480
Hours:
Monday through Friday
8am – 5pm