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Buffalo Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
Empathetic, responsive legal support for survivors of catastrophic injuries in Buffalo and throughout Western New York
No one ever plans on being involved in a serious accident. Many of these incidents happen seemingly out of the blue and leave survivors and their loved ones struggling to get by. Any personal injury case has its fair share of hurdles to overcome, but catastrophic injury cases are some of the most complex and heart-wrenching claims we handle.
When an accident causes a catastrophic injury, survivors need to know whether more could have been done to shield them from harm. If another person’s negligence caused or contributed to a catastrophic injury, there may be legal options available to help the injured party access the resources and support they need to move forward.
At O’Brien & Ford, PC, we feel deeply for survivors of catastrophic accidents. That’s why our team has dedicated itself to representing victims of negligence-related accidents across Buffalo and throughout Western New York. Whether you were injured in a car accident, a fall, a violent assault or another kind of traumatic incident, our team is here to help you identify any legal options that may be available based on the facts of your case.
We offer free, no-obligation consultations so prospective clients can get more information about the legal process without feeling pressured to make any major decisions. When you call our office, you’ll be connected with one of our attorneys within two minutes, so you’ll never have to worry about being passed around from staff member to staff member. Contact us today to take the next step in your case, and let’s work together to advocate for the accountability you deserve.
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More than $100 million recovered in verdicts and settlements for those injured in New York.
How We Can Help
What is a catastrophic injury?
When an injury results in severe or long-lasting harm, it may be classified as a catastrophic injury. These injuries often have a significant impact upon a survivor’s ability to live and work independently. While there is no set definition of what constitutes a catastrophic injury, per se, injuries may be classified this way based on the impact that they have upon the patient’s life.
For example, an injury may be considered catastrophic if it:
- Renders a survivor unable to return to their previous work duties
- Requires ongoing medical treatment or rehabilitation
- Results in paralysis, limb loss or significant disfigurement
- Compromises a survivor’s ability to think or communicate
- Has a significant negative impact on the survivor’s quality of life
Many survivors of catastrophic injuries require extensive medical care and rehabilitation. Some patients go on to permanently require the help of mobility aids and other assistive devices. In the most devastating cases, patients never regain full functioning and may be rendered largely incapacitated by their injuries.
These cases come at an incredibly high cost, both personally and financially. Survivors of catastrophic injuries often face extensive healthcare costs on top of managing complex emotions related to their loss of independence. We try to consider all of the losses a client has suffered when working on a catastrophic injury case, and we think it’s important to validate all of the conflicting emotions that often arise in survivors and their families throughout the legal process.
Testimonials
What Our Clients Say About Us
“I cannot say enough good things about Chris Pannozzo and this law firm! From start to finish, the professionalism, communication, and dedication was exceptional. I always felt supported, comfortable, listened to, and confident that I was in good hands. My case was handled with the utmost care and attention, and I couldn’t be happier with the way everything was resolved. I would highly recommend the firm to anyone.”
“The professionalism I received from the entire staff was great. Christopher Pannozzo, Annat and John worked tirelessly to get me the justice I deserve. Even Patrice the receptionist was professional and always a joy to talk to. Thank you guys for the hard work and taking my case.”
“I highly recommend O'Brien & Ford, P.C. to anyone who has been injured and needs someone they can trust. I’m extremely thankful for everything Anant and his team did for me and for the way I was treated throughout the entire process. They were professional, knowledgeable, and always took the time to explain things clearly and answer my questions. I would highly recommend this law firm.”
Kinds of catastrophic injuries we handle
Even though the classification of catastrophic injuries can vary from case to case, there are some injuries we encounter more often than others when working with clients. As Buffalo personal injury lawyers, we commonly handle cases involving injuries like:
- Brain injuries, including traumatic brain injuries
- Complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Traumatic amputations
- Severe burns
- Organ damage
- Loss of vision or hearing
- Nerve damage
- Crush injuries
- Complex fractures
- Scarring and disfigurement
These kinds of injuries can be life-altering and leave survivors with permanent deficits. A person whose vision or hearing is affected by a traumatic accident, for example, may need assistive devices for the rest of their life in order to engage with the world around them. Similarly, a patient who loses a limb in a catastrophic accident may require expensive prosthetics and costly physical therapy in order to regain some mobility.
Managing these conditions can be incredibly expensive and trigger a variety of other physical and emotional complications. Some survivors of catastrophic injuries develop mental health conditions like depression and PTSD, which may require ongoing therapeutic or psychiatric care. There is a sort of trickle-down effect we see in these cases in which a victim’s injury initiates a long chain of challenges that may extend into nearly every aspect of the person’s life.
Common causes of catastrophic injuries in Buffalo
Catastrophic injuries can happen in a wide range of traumatic accident scenarios. While not every case has legal implications, our team has experience handling catastrophic injury cases related to negligence-related accidents like:
Motor vehicle accidents
Catastrophic injuries can be common in accidents involving passenger cars, rideshare vehicles, public transportation vehicles, commercial trucks, motorcycles and bicycles. We also see catastrophic injuries connected to pedestrian accidents in which a vulnerable pedestrian is struck by a vehicle of some sort. When a motorist’s negligence causes an accident that results in one party suffering a catastrophic injury, the at-fault party may be deemed liable for the victim’s accident-related losses.
Construction and machinery-related accidents
Heavy machinery like construction equipment can cause serious harm to people – particularly when safety protocols are implemented incorrectly or inconsistently. If a person sustains a catastrophic injury in a construction accident or while operating heavy machinery, they may be entitled to compensation from another party if the evidence suggests that the alleged at-fault party violated safety protocols or failed to properly maintain the equipment.
Falls
While catastrophic injuries may be more likely to occur in cases where a person falls from a great height, some individuals suffer extensive injuries in seemingly minor slip-and-fall incidents. If another party’s negligence causes a fall that culminates in a catastrophic injury, the negligent party may face claims of liability for certain accident-related losses.
Unsafe property conditions
Property owners and managers are expected to take reasonable steps to prevent visitors from suffering foreseeable harm when spending time on their property. A property or business owner may be deemed responsible for a victim’s losses in the event that their failure results in someone being injured on the premises. Fires, electrical accidents, drownings and even violent assaults may be attributable to a property owner’s negligence in some cases and may serve as the basis of a premises liability claim.
Defective products
Unsafe products can cause serious harm to consumers. If a product is defectively designed or manufactured, or if the manufacturer or distributor fails to properly warn consumers about the potential risks associated with the product, they may be held responsible in the event that someone is seriously injured by the product.
In a negligence-based claim, in order to hold another party legally responsible for your accident-related losses, you need to be able to show that the alleged at-fault party owed you a legal duty of care and caused you identifiable harm by violating that duty in some way.
Just because you suffered a catastrophic injury in an accident doesn’t automatically mean another involved party owes you compensation. In a negligence case, it comes down to whether that party failed to exercise reasonable care and whether that failure caused or contributed to your injuries. Our team will review all of the evidence available to us to determine whether another party could be held responsible for your losses and build a strong claim for compensation against any and all potential sources of liability.
What compensation may be available to catastrophic injury survivors?
Catastrophic injury cases often involve extensive damages. Some of the losses associated with these cases may be economic in nature, but there are also personal factors to consider when evaluating these claims.
Depending on the nature of your injury and the losses you suffered as a result, you may be able to recover compensation for certain financial losses like medical bills, prescription medication costs, therapy costs and property damage. You may also be entitled to compensation for things like mobility aids, prosthetics, assistive technologies, rehabilitation and physical therapy.
If your injury prevents you from working, you may be able to pursue a claim for lost wages or reduced earning capacity over time, so it can be helpful to work with vocational experts and economists to arrive at a fair valuation of these losses.
In terms of non-economic losses, we think it’s important to advocate for our clients to receive compensation that reflects the more personal side of these injuries. If your quality of life or mental health has declined since sustaining your injury, you may be able to recover compensation for mental anguish, physical pain and suffering, loss of limb, disfigurement or loss of enjoyment of life.
Why work with O’Brien & Ford, PC?
Catastrophic injury cases deserve to be handled with the utmost care and consideration. Survivors of these injuries often face long and arduous recovery processes that put strain on them physically, mentally and emotionally – not to mention financially. As Buffalo catastrophic injury lawyers with deep ties to our local community, we make it a priority to show up for our clients in every way possible.
At O’Brien & Ford, PC, we offer free initial consultations for prospective clients and don’t charge any attorneys’ fees unless we recover compensation for the people we represent. The last thing we want to do is add more stress to your plate during this time, so we make it a point to provide proactive support throughout the legal process.
Because we intentionally limit our caseloads, you can rest assured that your attorney will know your name and your story. Our approach combines empathetic client care with aggressive legal representation, and we take the necessary steps to ensure our team is prepared to take our clients’ cases all the way to trial if that’s what the situation demands. When you call our office, you’ll be connected with one of our attorneys within two minutes.
Frequently asked questions about catastrophic injury claims
Does an injury have to be permanent to be considered catastrophic?
Not every catastrophic injury is permanent in and of itself. Some injuries can improve over time, but their effects may still be felt for months or years following an accident. The important question is whether the survivor suffered identifiable harm and incurred demonstrable losses because of their injuries.
How much is my catastrophic injury claim worth?
What if I was partially to blame for my injury?
How long do I have to file a catastrophic injury lawsuit?
Will I have to pay any attorneys' fees?
Speak to a Buffalo catastrophic injury lawyer
If you or someone you love suffered a life-altering injury because of someone else’s negligence, there may be legal options available to help you take the next step towards finding your new normal. In moments like these, we believe it’s particularly important for accident survivors and their loved ones to work with a legal team who will put them first and treat them with the respect they deserve.
While no amount of compensation can ever truly make up for all you’ve lost, it can help ease some of the burden during this major adjustment period. Give us a call today at 716-222-2222, fill out our contact form, or visit one of our local offices at 4549 Main St., Suite 201, or 701 Seneca St., Suite 208, to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys. We are here to help you find the right path forward and provide you with the dedicated support you need to cope with whatever comes next.