Any time an accident results in an injury that requires professional medical care, the process of healing physically and paying for the associated financial losses can sidetrack your life’s plans for months. Unfortunately, not every person can expect to recover completely from their injuries or to be able to pay for the related expenses.
If you recently suffered an injury that will last for the rest of your life because another person acted recklessly around you, assistance from a dedicated personal injury attorney with experience handling devastating cases like yours could make a world of difference. An Altus catastrophic injury lawyer could work hard on your behalf to recover not just for losses you have already sustained, but also those you will have to deal with in the years to come.
The Importance of Recovering for Long-Term Damages
While state law does not establish a strict legal definition for what counts as a “catastrophic” injury, civil courts and legal professionals generally understand them to be injuries with debilitating physical and/or cognitive effects that a person will never fully recover from. The best example of a catastrophic injury is paralysis stemming from spinal cord trauma, but other forms of catastrophic injury include third-degree burns, limb amputation, traumatic brain damage, and severe injuries to internal organs.
Whatever the injury is, the person who experiences it will likely suffer physical, financial, and personal losses that last for years, and which will never completely go away. In light of that, comprehensive recovery in a catastrophic injury claim generally focuses on long-term damages like loss of earning capacity, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium with a spouse.
As of 2019, Oklahoma no longer caps the amount of non-economic damages you can recover, so there are no limits on recovery for these types of losses. An Altus permanent injury lawyer could help you estimate the value and seek fair compensation for the losses you will likely experience in the future.
Does the Statute of Limitations Still Apply?
The statute of limitations still impacts all forms of personal injury litigation in Oklahoma, including those of a catastrophic nature. Under Oklahoma Statutes Title 12 § 95, the maximum amount of time that you have to file a claim for damages is two years following the date of the incident.
There are a few exceptions to this rule that may shorten the limitations period, which is why retaining a Southwest Oklahoma catastrophic injury attorney today is so crucial to achieving a positive legal outcome.
Seek Help from an Altus Catastrophic Injury Attorney
No financial award is big enough to truly make up for a permanent loss of sensory, motor, and/or cognitive function stemming from a catastrophic accident. That being said, civil compensation can be key to ensuring that a person who suffers a life-changing injury because of another person’s misconduct does not have to pay for the consequences of this misconduct.
An Altus catastrophic injury lawyer could offer the guidance and support you need to hold the liable parties accountable. We have lawyers that can work a case anywhere in Oklahoma, so call today to learn more during a free consultation.