Portland Catastrophic Injury Attorney

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Catastrophic injuries often leave victims with permanent diminished physical and mental capacities that require extensive medical care. From long-term hospital stays and ongoing rehabilitative care, these are complex cases that should be handled by an experienced Portland catastrophic personal injury attorney who knows personal injury law inside and out.

At Mayor Law, personal injury cases are our specialty.

Travis Mayor has a decade of vital experience handling the complexities of accident cases involving life-altering injuries. Don’t let an insurance company settle for less or too quickly on your personal injury claim – call today to discuss your injuries and let Travis Mayor investigate all the facts and circumstances of your case.

Case evaluations are always free: (503) 610-0005 or you can also email Travis directly.

Portland Catastrophic Injury Case Examples:

  • Case Example 1: Client was injured on the job when a piece of heavy equipment fell on him due to an operator error and a machine defect.  The client was paralyzed from the waist down and permanently disabled.  After a lengthy battle the case settled for a confidential amount, and included 1) the client’s past and future medical expenses, 2) additional medical needs such as a lifetime of wheelchairs, and 3) lost income both past and future.
  • Case Example 2: A truck driver sustained a severe crush injury to his hand while unstrapping a flatbed trailer when a negligent forklift driver attempted to unload the trailer prematurely, and with zero warning. After three corrective surgeries, the client would still never have the same use of his hand and wrist. His injuries were permanent and debilitating. As a lifetime truck driver, he would never be able to work in the same capacity again. This case was settled for $500,000 before trial, and the client received vocational retraining through his separate workers’ compensation claim.

Types of Catastrophic Injuries

If you have suffered a catastrophic personal injury due to another person’s recklessness, carelessness or misconduct, you may be eligible for compensation to help you cover your medical costs, lost wages, and impacts to the quality of your life. Catastrophic injuries include:

  • Head or brain injuries that result in loss of hearing or sight, problems with motor skills, or diminished cognitive functions
  • Neck or spinal cord injuries that result in partial or total paralysis
    Serious burn injuries
  • Damage to internal organs, such as the heart, kidneys or lungs
  • Amputated or broken limbs arms, legs, hands, and feet
  • Medical malpractice

Recovering From a Catastrophic Personal Injury and the Associated Costs

Recovering from a catastrophic personal injury will most likely be a life-changing event. No one will be able to undo the trauma and frustration you have suffered. The cost of recovery is something most people completely underestimate. This is where an experienced Portland personal injury attorney can help you obtain the best settlement. Your attorney will help you determine potential future expenses by analyzing the following areas:

  • Present and future medical expenses – doctors, hospitals, lab, drugs, medications
  • Rehabilitation, physical therapy, occupational therapy
  • Prosthetics Medications, medical devices, pain management
  • Impairment, scarring, disfigurement
  • Therapy – psychological distress, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Modifications to accommodate physical limitations such as wheelchair ramps and access, specialized beds, and personal care assistance
  • Personal care and assistance. An unfortunate fact of catastrophic injuries is that victims often require assistance to perform daily functions such as dressing, cooking, household chores and personal hygiene, sometimes 24-hours per day
  • Pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, impact to family
  • Lost income and impaired earning capacity

What are Catastrophic Injuries and Their Causes?

Motor Vehicle & Truck Accidents

  • Motor vehicle accidents were the second leading cause of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) at 17.3%, of the total 1.7 million TBI injuries incurred every year.
  • Of the more than 12,000 Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) occurring each year, 46% are caused by motor vehicle accidents. The annual cost of living with an SCI injury can be more than $180,000 per year, with first-year expenses exceeding $1 million.
  • Head and neck injuries are the most frequent injury incurred by motorcyclists, with the number of accidents almost doubling in the past 10 years.

Industrial and Construction Accidents

  • Of the more than 14,000 non-fatal traumatic amputations occurring annually almost 70% occur as the result of industrial, work-place, or construction accidents. The average medical expenses associated with an amputation exceed $40,000.
  • Exposure to toxic substances and poisons.

Falling Accidents

  • Falls are the leading cause of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in the US, with over 50% of brain injuries incurred by children aged 0 to 14.
  • 22% of Spinal Cord Injuries are a result of falls.

Sports Accidents

  • Each year, an estimated 173,285 sports and recreation TBIs are treated in our hospitals and emergency rooms for children and adolescents under 19 years old, from activities with the greatest number of incidents coming from bicycling, football, playground activities, basketball, and soccer.

Victim of a Violent Act

  • Homicides are among the top 5 causes of death in the age group from 1 to 44.
  • Approximately 15% of Spinal Cord Injuries are a result of violence (primarily gunshot wounds), making violence the third leading cause of spinal cord injuries.

CATASTROPHIC INJURY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Read answers to some commonly asked questions by clicking on the links below:

What is the difference between a catastrophic personal injury case and a typical personal injury case?

Answer: A catastrophic personal injury case differs from a “typical” personal injury case in that the sustained injuries are more severe creating a level of complexity not usually present in a typical personal injury case. In a less complex personal injury case, there are usually defined costs for the harmed party to obtain a “full” recovery, return to employment, and continue the normal enjoyment of their life. While I’m not diminishing the effort required to recover from any personal injury, the cost, or the fact that “full” recovery may not mean “100% good as new,” when compared to a catastrophic injury where the injured party may suffer long-term, permanent disability and never recover normal functionality, you can begin to understand the difference in case complexity. Catastrophic personal injury case complexity can be seen in several areas including: quantifying the compensation for current and future medical costs, difficulty of quantifying the life-long impact of the injury, establishing liability, extensive investigation of the accident and resulting medical treatments, establishing the impact of decreased life expectancy, and dealing with an increased level of litigation process (experts, financial analysis, and support graphics/models) and cost.

How long do I have to file a catastrophic personal injury claim in Oregon?

Answer: The simple answer is two years from the date you were injured, however, there are numerous exceptions which can shorten or increase the time frame. These exceptions have to do with filing various notices such as a Dram Shop Notice (if you are suing a party that served liquor to the defendant while visibly intoxicated), or Tort Claim Notice (if you are suing a public entity) which must be filed within 180 days of the incident. On the other hand, there are increased limits for cases involving a fatality, minors under the age of 18, and medical malpractice involving fraud or deceit, to name a few examples. These are a few of the complications that may affect the statute-of-limitations. From a practical point-of-view, it is difficult to take any case where you are backed up against the statute-of-limitations because of the effort required to prepare and file a lawsuit. So even though the time frame may not have expired, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Portland catastrophic personal injury attorney as soon as possible rather than later to evaluate your case and determine an appropriate course of action based on all of the case facts.

Getting Results For Victims of Catastrophic Personal Injuries

Portland Catastrophic Personal Injury AttorneyAt Mayor Law, it is our goal to help severely injured victims restore their lives.  Portland catastrophic personal injury attorney Travis Mayor will help you by reducing the hassles and inconvenience while you recover, AND maximize your financial compensation.  Travis Mayor has recovered millions of dollars for his catastrophic injury clients.  For every client, Travis offers personal service with proven results.

Please review our clients’ personal accounts of working with attorney Travis Mayor: Google+, Yelp, and AVVO pages.

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