Catastrophic Personal Injury

Personal Injury Attorneys Fighting for Your Interests During a Difficult Time

Our lives can change in an instant. From one moment to the next, we are faced with a new reality: catastrophic injuries that can forever change the course of our lives. In the aftermath of a tragic accident, we seek answers to the most common questions: Why did the accident happen? Whose fault was it? How can I (or my family) recover financially, physically, and emotionally? When an accident was avoidable and has devastating consequences, victims and their families can feel a paralyzing mix of strong emotions. 

 As victims pick up the pieces, they need an experienced advisor to help find the best way forward. Those impacted by preventable accidents and their loved ones choose Slack Davis Sanger because the firm’s attorneys are skilled at helping find the right legal path in these heartbreaking situations. We have vast experience and deep insight into the complicated set of laws that govern these claims. Slack Davis Sanger’s personal injury attorneys work alongside a full-time legal nurse to unravel the medical aspects of a case. Working in tandem allows us to be the best advocate for our clients. 

While some accidents are unavoidable, in many cases, a liable party may have been negligent if they failed to act or did not use reasonable care to protect you or a loved one from life-altering injuries. Some examples of negligence are when a driver fails to stop at a red light, when an employer allows floors to be slippery and unsafe, or when a pilot makes an error in judgment while navigating through a storm. Victims may sustain life-threatening spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), internal injuries, burns, fractures, and other conditions that may require extensive long-term care. Each type of injury comes with its own set of challenges. Chronic pain, loss of the ability to work and incapacitation are all possible outcomes after a major injury. If your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, you can pursue legal action to receive compensation for your damages. 

 We can pursue both economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are somewhat easier to quantify, as they represent the following: 

• Medical treatment, both immediately after the accident and recommended future care;
• loss of earning capacity, if your injuries limit your ability to find or keep a job; and 
• property loss, which covers replacement or repair of vehicles, clothing or other items damaged in the accident. 

 What’s harder to put a price tag on are the non-economic damages either victims or their families endure after a catastrophic personal injury. Only the most skilled legal professionals have access to expert testimony to build a case for the maximum amount of these types of compensation, which may include: 

• pain and suffering, both during the accident and afterward;
• emotional distress—which can manifest as sleep loss, anxiety, and fear—and which is awarded separately in some states from pain and suffering; loss of enjoyment, which acknowledges the inability to pursue daily activities, including pastimes, exercise, and recreational activities; and
• loss of consortium, which recognizes the impact a serious accident can have on the relationship with your spouse, or, in some states, between a parent and a child.

Although personal injury cases are civil and separate from criminal proceedings, punitive damages can still be awarded in addition to the types of compensation mentioned above. The goal of punitive damages is as a deterrent and to punish the parties found responsible for your losses. Many states have caps on these awards.

The types of compensation you are ultimately entitled to depends on many different factors including the severity of your injury, your current and future occupational situation and whether or not you have a family to take care of. These are all things our catastrophic injury lawyers will take into account in helping secure the settlement you deserve.

Types of Catastrophic Personal Injury Cases:

Only the most skilled trial lawyers have the resources to pull in expert testimony and pursue all avenues to seek just compensation for your substantial losses. Slack Davis Sanger has established a reputation as the personal injury law firm that treats clients with compassion, while pursuing effective legal strategies in the following types of cases:

Oilfield & Construction Accidents

Almost three million workplace injuries were reported by private employers in the United States in 2019. Two industries that account for a majority of the most serious accidents are oilfield and construction. Falls, collapsing trenches or scaffolds, electric shocks, fire, exposure to toxic chemicals, repetitive motion injuries, and dealing with heavy equipment put these workers at a high risk for a debilitating injury on a daily basis. The more consistent use of protective equipment, regular safety inspections, a culture of not taking shortcuts, and an orderly work site can help avoid burns, slips and falls, and other preventable accidents. The legal team at Slack Davis Sanger has the resources and a deep understanding of the complexities of workplace safety regulations to help victims stand up to powerful corporations in these claims.

Truck & Car Accidents

 Automotive accidents are the most common reason an individual may file a personal injury claim. More than four million Americans are injured or disabled after motor vehicle accidents each year—that’s more than 11,000 individuals each day, whose lives are changed forever. Many of these crashes could have been avoided if drivers followed recommended speed limits, refrained from using drugs and alcohol while driving, and observed other safety precautions. Victims of these accidents may experience soft tissue injuries, head injuries, internal injuries, and broken bones which, even with traditional insurance, can exhaust lifetime savings and impact your job future. The team of litigators at Slack Davis Sanger can find all possible legal avenues to pursue these claims, establish negligence, and help victims recover financially.

Airplane & Helicopter Crashes

Pilot error, mechanical failure, lack of fuel, and loss of control are just a few of the reasons that aviation accidents occur. When these tragedies take place, passengers can suffer spinal cord injuries, severe burns, traumatic brain injuries, and fractures, in addition to other forms of pain and suffering. In the aftermath of a plane or helicopter crash, permanent physical limitations can make working or enjoying hobbies difficult—or even impossible. With an experienced team of attorneys who are also licensed pilots, Slack Davis Sanger has the in-depth technical knowledge clients need to pursue justice so that victims can focus on recovery.

Bicycle, Motorcycle & Pedestrian Accidents

Life-changing accidents don’t just occur in cars, planes, at work, or because of a dangerous product. In 2015, almost 467,000 Americans were injured while riding on bikes, when cyclists were hit by cars, fell, crashed, crossed over a surface that was in poor condition, or got into an accident because of a dog running in front of them. Fractures, paralysis, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, and disfigurement are just a few of the possible outcomes of motorcycle accidents. The number of pedestrians that sustained injuries in crashes—an estimated 75,000—increased almost 5% from 2017. Sadly, many of these crashes could have been avoided if a third party hadn’t been negligent or careless. Slack Davis Sanger is skilled at doing the exhaustive research needed to help you or a loved one recover losses in the event of one of these tragic events.

Boating Accidents

In 2019 alone, there were more than 4,000 boating accidents in America, resulting in more than 2,500 injuries. Some of these boating crashes could have been prevented, and many had tragic results for the passengers. The main contributing factors in these accidents were a distracted operator, an inexperienced driver, inadequate lookout, mechanical failure, and traveling at unsafe speeds. Recreational vessels involved in these catastrophic boating accidents can include sailboats, yachts, personal watercraft, airboats, kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and pontoon boats. If you have been seriously injured in an accident on a boat, the professionals at Slack Davis Sanger can determine who may have been negligent and work with you to recover compensation for your losses.

Severe Burn Injuries

Burn injuries can occur in numerous ways. Home fires, exploding consumer electronics or exposure to hot water from a faulty water heater are just a few examples that can take place in everyday life. Additionally, vehicle collisions can cause an explosion or fire, especially in a rear-end crash. The risk of fire or explosion always increases if either vehicle’s gas tank is damaged in a crash. Trucks hauling dangerous chemicals or explosives can cause devastating burn injuries when they collide with another vehicle.

Victims of severe burn injuries generally must confront expensive, long-term medical care and extended time off work, as well as the physical and emotional impact of permanent scarring, disfigurement, or even disability.

The burn injury attorneys at Slack Davis Sanger understand the impact that burn injuries can have from emergency treatment to physical therapy to scar revision surgery to counseling. If you or a family member suffered a severe burn injury due to the negligence of another, our attorneys may be able to help you pursue the financial compensation you deserve and the justice to which you’re entitled. A burn injury case can provide compensation for medical bills, lost income, ongoing care, pain, suffering, and a number of other costs.

If you’re unsure whether your case might be due to another’s negligence, it’s worth taking the time to discuss your situation with an experienced attorney. Burn injury attorneys can investigate the causes of a client’s injury to determine who is at fault and the extent that a lawsuit may help you recover damages.