Catastrophic Injury

Any accident-related injury can turn your life upside down in an instant. For those who suffer catastrophic injuries in accidents, their lives and the lives of their families may never be the same again.

A catastrophic injury, in the eyes of the law, is any injury that results in significant medical expenses or permanent disabilities or prevents the victim from returning to work for months or potentially permanently. Many catastrophic injuries require renovations to a person’s home, expensive medical equipment, and ongoing care.

If you or your loved one suffered a catastrophic injury in an accident caused by another party’s negligence in the greater Houston area, you need to know your legal rights. You could be entitled to compensation for all of the present and future costs that you have or will incur related to your accident. While no amount of money can reverse the devastation caused by this unexpected accident, fair financial compensation could ensure that you will not struggle to pay your bills and could assist you in rebuilding your life.

The respected catastrophic injury attorneys of The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian™ have successfully recovered full and fair compensation for accident victims throughout Houston and across the state of Texas. We can answer all of your legal questions as soon as you call 713-714-1414 or contact us online to receive a free consultation.

How Our Catastrophic Injury Attorneys Can Help You

When you hire our firm to represent you, our attorneys will conduct a thorough, independent investigation of the accident. We’ll work quickly to preserve crucial evidence and determine the cause of the accident. We will identify all liable parties and find out what insurance policies and coverage might be available to you.

Our team will consult with accident reconstruction experts, your doctors, medical specialists, and financial experts to determine the impact the catastrophic injuries you suffered will have on your life, both now and in the future. This will help us determine what type of settlement to seek on your behalf.

Our attorneys have extensive experience dealing with insurance companies, and we know how to negotiate a settlement that reimburses you for the costs you’ve incurred and pays you for any expected future costs. If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement or tries to deny your claim, we will not hesitate to file a lawsuit and take them to court.

The trial attorneys at The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian™ will not back down from a fight, and it’s our goal to demand the maximum amount possible for your catastrophic injury claim. We will be seeking the full and fair damages that you deserve, which means payment for the cost of medical care, lost income, and the impact your injuries will have on your quality of life.

What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury?

A catastrophic injury usually involves damage to a person’s brain, spine, or spinal cord, but other kinds of injuries can also be considered catastrophic. Typically, these injuries will impact a person’s cognitive abilities or their mobility in some way. Some of the most common types of catastrophic injuries include:

• Spinal cord injuries — A spinal cord injury customarily involves damage to a person’s spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal. The human vertebral column has 33 vertebrae, and injuries to the high-cervical nerves (C1-C4) are usually more severe than injuries to the low-cervical nerves (C5-C7). Injuries to the vertebrae in the upper back (T1-T5) can require a wheelchair. Victims with injuries to the vertebrae in the middle of the back (T6-T12) usually retain the use of their hands and arms and may walk again with braces. Injuries to the lumbar nerves (L1-L5) can affect a person’s hip and legs, possibly causing loss of bowel and bladder control, and some victims require wheelchairs while others can walk again with braces.
• Severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) — TBIs are quietly devastating injuries because many people are unaware of the extensive injuries these victims have endured. A TBI is often caused by a sudden blow to a person’s head, and a person can suffer a TBI in a car accident, fall, or other accident.
• Amputation or loss of limb(s) — Some accidents will require the removal of a body part. It goes without saying that the sudden loss of an arm or leg or even a smaller portion such as a finger or toe can significantly impact a person’s enjoyment of life, ability to work, and their performance of daily activities.
• Organ damage/failure — Certain accidents can place immense stress on a victim’s internal organs. These kinds of injuries are far more challenging to manage because all of the complications are entirely internal, so many victims feel powerless to do anything to alleviate the symptoms.
• Paralysis (partial or full) — Paralysis involves the loss of muscle function in a part of the body, and there are different kinds of paralysis depending on the body part and region affected. Paraplegia is paralysis of the legs and the lower half of the body. Triplegia is paralysis of one arm and both legs. Monoplegia is paralysis of one arm or one leg. Hemiplegia is paralysis of one arm and one leg on the same side of the body, and tetraplegia or quadriplegia is paralysis of all limbs.
• Severe disfigurement — Certain injuries have disfiguring effects on victims. Faces and body parts often bear permanent scars of the accidents the victims were involved in.

Many people dealing with catastrophic injuries mistakenly believe that the dramatic nature of their harm will make insurance companies more likely to pay appropriate compensation, but the truth is that the insurers will instead try to achieve the cheapest possible resolution for themselves. You always want to make sure you have an attorney when dealing with any insurance company related to a catastrophic injury claim.

What Types of Damages Might a Catastrophic Injury Cause?

A catastrophic injury accident can have a permanent impact on your life and livelihood. It can also come with astronomical costs for medical expenses and long-term care. If you’ve been hurt in an accident that was caused by negligence, the other party could owe you damages, including:

A minimal number of cases could also result in punitive damages (also known as exemplary damages or vindictive damages), but such awards are quite rare. A victim would need to prove that a defendant acted with fraud, malice, or gross negligence in order to warrant an award of punitive damages.

Common Causes of Catastrophic Injury

Catastrophic injuries can happen to anybody in any accident. Some of the more common causes of catastrophic injuries include, but are not limited to:

Certain accident cases are more complex than others. Anyone who has been injured by another party’s negligence should seek legal advice as soon as possible in order to protect their right to compensation.

Contact a Houston Catastrophic Injury Attorney Today

The compassionate personal injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian™ are prepared to investigate your case, support you, and seek the maximum compensation possible on your behalf. We strongly encourage you to contact us if you or a loved one suffered catastrophic injuries in an accident in Houston or the surrounding area.

Our law firm serves clients on a contingency fee basis, so you only pay us if we win money for you. We want to hear your story, and we want to represent you. Call 713-714-1414, chat with us live, or fill out a contact form to schedule a free consultation.