Oklahoma City Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
A sudden injury can send your life careening into chaos. Fortunately, most injuries are mild or fully recoverable. Sadly, sometimes a person suffers a catastrophic injury that changes their life forever, leaving them facing new physical or cognitive limitations and an uncertain future. When you’ve suffered a catastrophic injury in Oklahoma City or the surrounding area, it’s even more devastating knowing someone else was responsible due to careless, reckless, or wrongful behavior.
However, you don’t have to fight for the compensation you deserve alone. Instead, call an Oklahoma City personal injury lawyer from Dan Davis Law at (405) 930-4210 for a free consultation and experienced legal representation.
Why Choose Dan Davis Law for Your Oklahoma City Catastrophic Injury Case?
Dan Davis Law has been dedicated to advocating for injury victims for over 30 years, with a proven track record that lends your claim a renowned legal voice. With our team of Oklahoma City catastrophic injury attorneys on your side, you’ll have the following:
- Access to medical experts and other resources to support your case
- A personalized legal strategy that is well executed on your behalf to maximize your chances of a favorable result
- A family-owned law firm with small-town compassion and large city results
- A dedication to open communication and honesty, so you are always involved and included in the progress of your case
Our catastrophic injury lawyers don’t charge upfront fees to injury victims. Instead, you can expect a free case consultation and contingency-based payment. You only pay for our service after we’ve recovered a settlement or court award for you.
Understanding Catastrophic Injuries in Oklahoma City
In insurance claims and civil lawsuits, a catastrophic injury refers to a permanent injury with significant adverse effects on the injury victim’s life. Examples of catastrophic injuries in Oklahoma City include the following:
- Spinal cord injuries with paraplegia or quadriplegia
- Traumatic brain injuries with permanent impairment
- Loss of limb
- Disfigurement or permanent scarring
- The loss of an organ
- Vision damage or total vision loss
- Hearing loss
- Severe burns
An injury that causes permanent disability and interferes with multiple aspects of the injury victim’s life, such as their earning capacity and ability to accomplish routine daily tasks, is a catastrophic injury with substantial, lifelong damages.
When these injuries result from someone else’s negligence, victims often wonder if they have a valid claim. Consulting with a catastrophic injury attorney in Oklahoma City early in the process allows you to understand your specific rights and options based on your unique circumstances.
What Causes Catastrophic Injuries in Oklahoma City?
An injury happens in an instant, but the adverse effects are ongoing. According to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, injuries are a serious health problem in the U.S., with trauma the leading cause of death for those under age 45. It also leaves many Americans facing life-altering, catastrophic injuries.
The most common causes of catastrophic injury in Oklahoma City include:
- Car accidents
- Commercial truck and delivery van accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Work-related fatalities like falls from heights
- Fires and explosions
In many of the most common circumstances of catastrophic injuries, someone is at fault and liable for damages due to their careless, reckless, or wrongful actions—all examples of legal liability under Oklahoma’s fault-based injury laws. An experienced Oklahoma City catastrophic injury attorney can help investigate the cause of your injury and hold any responsible parties accountable.
Proving Liability in an Oklahoma Catastrophic Injury Claim
Because most people do not have the financial resources to pay for the injury damages they cause to someone else, most personal injury and catastrophic injury claims are filed against the at-fault party’s insurance and only go to trial if the insurance company fails to offer an ample settlement. The injury victim has the burden of proof in these cases.
To prove liability, the evidence presented must demonstrate the following:
- The at-fault party owed a legal duty of care to the injury victim, such as a driver’s duty to follow traffic laws
- They breached this duty of care through negligence
- The breach of duty directly caused the injury
- The injury victim suffered damages from the injury
In catastrophic injury claims, the damages are often substantial. For this reason, the insurance company’s goal to protect the company’s profits is in direct conflict with your objective to recover the maximum compensation for your lifelong damages. Insurers often dispute, delay, or devalue claims, especially when an injury victim does not have assertive legal representation. A catastrophic injury lawyer in Oklahoma City can help protect your interests and fight for the full value of your claim.
What Damages Can I Recover in an Oklahoma City Catastrophic Injury Claim?
A catastrophic injury affects nearly every aspect of life. Damages in these cases include both tangible economic damages and intangible non-economic damages to the injury victim.
Common recoverable damages in Oklahoma City catastrophic injury claims include the following:
- Reimbursement for your medical expenses
- Anticipated future medical expenses
- Out-of-pocket injury costs for expenses such as traveling to see specialists, adaptive equipment, and home health aid
- Loss of income and future income loss or reduced earning ability due to disability
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Compensation for emotional trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, loss of enjoyment of life, and diminished quality of life
- Compensation for loss of consortium (the full physical and emotional relationship with another)
Recovering the full value of your damages requires compelling evidence, often including testimony from medical experts about the impacts of the injury on all aspects of your life. This is where having an experienced catastrophic injury lawyer proves invaluable—they know how to build a persuasive case that accounts for every aspect of your loss.
If your catastrophic injury claim is against workers’ compensation insurance, there are additional timelines and filing requirements that an Oklahoma City workers’ compensation attorney from Dan Davis Law can help you to meet.
How Will an Oklahoma City Catastrophic Injury Attorney Help My Case?
An attorney on your side is a tireless legal ally throughout the process of your case. Your OKC catastrophic injury lawyer will investigate all aspects of the cause of your injury, document substantial evidence of liability, and present their findings to the insurance company along with a carefully calculated list of your damages. Then, a trial-ready catastrophic injury attorney will negotiate from a position of strength with the insurance company to seek the maximum compensation available to you.
Call Dan Davis Law About Your Legal Options After a Catastrophic Injury in OKC
An injury claim is a complex legal process. When the claim is for a catastrophic injury, there is much at stake, and the insurance company is not on your side. Call or contact Dan Davis Law online to speak with a catastrophic injury attorney in Oklahoma City, and then direct all communication with the insurance company to your lawyer.