In our state, catastrophic injuries aren't explicitly defined by statute, but generally refer to severe injuries that have long-term or permanent effects on someone’s life. These conditions typically prevent you from holding gainful employment and often require lifelong medical care and personal assistance. At Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group, we handle numerous Texas catastrophic injury cases involving negligence, gross misconduct, and other wrongdoing. We’re ready to help you seek answers and justice if you or a loved one experiences a severe medical issue due to:
- A motor vehicle accident
- Medical malpractice and birth injuries
- An unsafe work environment such as a construction site or an oilfield or offshore platform
- Defective products
Let’s take a closer look at catastrophic medical conditions and how our skilled team uses more than 60 years of combined experience to build a solid foundation for your compensation and future security.
What Defines Catastrophic Injury
While Texas law doesn’t have a particular legal definition attributed to catastrophic injury, federal law 42 USC § 3796b defines it as an injury with "direct and immediate consequences that permanently prevent a person from gaining meaningful work." That said, Texas law does define "serious bodily injury", which is often used in the context of catastrophic injuries that lead to permanent impairment or loss of function.
Other factors considered by Texas courts include, but aren’t limited to:
- The permanence of the injury. Conditions that won't fully heal or will leave lasting disabilities typically meet the threshold.
- Treatment and rehabilitation needs. Many catastrophic injury victims require continuous care, multiple surgeries, or specialized equipment throughout their lives.
- Quality of life. This includes your ability to work, form meaningful relationships, and perform daily activities, among other aspects.
- Life trajectory. Catastrophic conditions fundamentally alter your independence. They often require families to modify homes, purchase specialized vehicles, or even relocate to accommodate new limitations.
The legal basis for personal injury law in Texas is negligence, which requires proving duty, breach, causation, and damages. Fortunately, you’re within your rights after a catastrophic injury that wasn’t your fault to sue for both economic and non-economic damages.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries
At Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group, we've successfully secured millions in compensation for victims of catastrophic injuries throughout Texas. The following are some of the most common catastrophic conditions our clients experience.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
TBIs range from mild concussions to severe damage affecting cognitive function, memory, personality, and motor skills. Even with modern medical interventions, severe TBIs often result in permanent disabilities requiring lifelong care and support.
Spinal Cord Injuries (SCIs)
SCIs typically result in partial or complete paralysis. People with SCIs experience extensive lifetime care costs, covering specialized wheelchairs, home modifications, and ongoing care for secondary conditions such as respiratory issues and chronic pain.
Severe Burns
Third and fourth-degree burns often cause permanent disfigurement, limited mobility, and chronic pain. Many survivors need multiple surgeries, skin grafts, and lengthy rehabilitation, plus face unique psychological challenges as they adjust to altered appearances and functionality.
Amputations
Losing limbs fundamentally changes how you interact with your environment, often necessitating prosthetics and extensive rehabilitation. Advanced prosthetic technology offers improved functionality but comes with substantial costs for purchase, maintenance, and periodic replacement.
Multiple Fractures and Orthopedic Injuries
Complex fractures result in permanent disability, chronic pain, and reduced mobility, especially when they involve joints or occur in patterns that prevent proper healing. These injuries often lead to post-traumatic arthritis and progressively worsening pain and stiffness—and some people never regain their previous range of motion or strength.
Organ Damage
Blunt trauma, penetrating injuries, or complications from other injuries frequently cause damage to your liver, kidneys, lungs, or heart. After recovering from emergency surgery, many patients might develop lifelong complications, including organ failure necessitating transplantation or permanent dependence on medical devices.
Neurological Disorders
Severe accidents trigger debilitating neurological disorders or exacerbate existing conditions. These disorders may cause tremors, seizures, coordination problems, or chronic neuropathic pain that significantly impacts daily functioning and employment capacity, often requiring ongoing medication management and specialized therapy.
Loss of Hearing or Sight
Permanently losing valuable senses alters a person’s ability to interact with their environment and perform previously routine tasks. To fully integrate into daily life requires comprehensive rehabilitation, assistive technologies, home modifications, and learning new communication methods or life skills.
Severe Scarring or Disfigurement
Beyond physical pain, these catastrophic injuries cause profound emotional trauma and social challenges. Some people who require multiple reconstructive surgeries have to fight against insurance companies that classify these procedures as cosmetic. Unfortunately, they might also face workplace discrimination or relationship difficulties.
How Our Team of Texas Catastrophic Injury Lawyers Can Help
At Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group, we know exactly why it’s critical to choose a catastrophic injury attorney you can trust. Our legal team has extensive experience in state and federal cases representing clients with life-altering medical conditions. While insurance companies attempt to minimize the severity of your circumstances, we mobilize to:
- Explain the negligent party’s duty of care.
- Thoroughly investigate your case and preserve evidence that demonstrates the breach of that duty.
- Use further proof to outline elements of causation that led to your injury.
- Structure details of your economic and non-economic damages.
With substantial resources to dedicate to litigation, we won’t back down in helping you secure a better future.
