Cleveland Catastrophic
Injury Lawyers

What Our Clients Say

What Caused Your Catastrophic Injury?

Catastrophic injuries can happen suddenly and in different types of accidents. At Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy in Cleveland, our catastrophic injury attorneys specialize in handling cases like these:

• Auto Collisions: These often result in catastrophic injuries due to the high-impact forces involved. Victims can suffer from life-changing conditions such as spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, and severe burns.
• Birth Injuries: These can lead to catastrophic outcomes for both the newborn and the mother. Mistakes during delivery or inadequate prenatal care can cause severe conditions like cerebral palsy or brain damage, leading to lifelong disabilities.
• Defective Product Accidents: Using flawed or improperly labeled products can cause catastrophic harm, from severe burns due to chemical exposure to fatal injuries from mechanical failures. These typically result from the negligence of manufacturers or retailers who sell the product despite injuries the items may cause.
• Medical Malpractice: When healthcare professionals fail in their duty of care, the result can be catastrophic. Surgical errors, misdiagnosis, and incorrect treatment can lead to permanent injuries, severe physical pain, and significant impairment.
• Truck Accidents: Due to their massive size and weight, commercial truck accidents can cause catastrophic injuries to those involved. The consequences often include traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and other life-threatening conditions that require long-term medical attention and rehabilitation.

Common Catastrophic Injuries

Catastrophic injuries can change your life completely, making it hard to do simple daily activities or go back to work. These serious injuries might also require ongoing, possibly lifelong, medical care and assistance:

• Brain Injury: A traumatic brain injury can permanently damage cognitive function.
• Loss of Vision, Speech, or Hearing: Severe accidents can cause blindness, speech impairment, or deafness, either temporarily or permanently.
• Organ Damage: Accidents can lead to vital organ damage either through the initial impact or complications that arise afterward, increasing the risk of serious health issues.
• Paraplegia: Paraplegia is partial or total paralysis in the legs or lower portion of the body.
• Permanent Disfigurement: In some cases, disfigurement from an accident can be so extreme that it affects the victim’s ability to return to work or carry out everyday tasks. Additionally, correcting disfigurement may involve many surgeries, which can be expensive and painful.
• Quadriplegia: Quadriplegia is partial or total paralysis in all four limbs.

Legal Rights and Options After Sustaining a Catastrophic Injury

You have the right to seek compensation if you’ve been seriously injured by someone else’s carelessness. Our personal injury lawyers can help you choose the best legal option for your case and secure the compensation you deserve.

• Insurance Claim: We can help you file a claim for compensation with the negligent party’s insurance company. This typically covers damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Most motor vehicle accidents involving cars, trucks, or motorcycles start with this claim.
• Personal Injury Lawsuit: This is a legal action taken against the person or entity responsible for your injuries. We can file this legal action in civil court seeking damages not covered by insurance. For example, if you suffer a catastrophic injury from a defective product, we can help you file a lawsuit against the manufacturer.
• Workers’ Compensation Claim: If you get hurt at work, we can assist you in applying for workers’ compensation benefits. This includes support for medical expenses, compensation for lost wages, and disability benefits regardless of who was at fault for the injury. Additionally, you might be eligible for vocational training if you need to switch careers due to your injury, or for assistance with obtaining devices that help with mobility or daily tasks.

Economic and Non-Economic Damages

Severe injuries can lead to significant financial losses and personal suffering because of their enduring effects on your life. Economic damages help with the direct expenses of healing and adapting after injuries. Non-economic damages recognize the emotional and psychological burden they impose.

Our skilled lawyers can pursue the following damages on your behalf after a catastrophic injury:

Type of Damages	Description	Examples
Medical Expenses	Costs incurred for immediate and ongoing medical treatment related to the catastrophic injury	Emergency care, surgeries, hospital stays, medications, rehabilitation, future medical care
Lost Wages	Income you lose out on due to the inability to work while recovering from catastrophic injury	Salary, wages, bonuses, and other employment benefits lost during the recovery period
Lost Earning Capacity	Future financial losses due to your reduced ability to earn income because of the long-term effects of the catastrophic injury	Estimated future earnings lost, career advancement opportunities missed
Pain and Suffering	Compensation for the physical pain and discomfort caused by the injury, as well as the psychological impact of the catastrophic injury, including mental health conditions	Chronic pain, limitations on activities, ongoing discomfort, anxiety, depression, PTSD, loss of sleep, and other psychological conditions
Punitive Damages	Awarded in some cases for especially malicious or careless behavior to punish the wrongdoing and prevent future negligence	In Ohio, punitive damages (also called exemplary damages)       are limited to two times your compensatory damages, up to $350,000.

The Role of Negligence in Catastrophic Injury Cases

Determining who’s to blame for your serious injury is crucial for filing your claim correctly. To win your personal injury case, you must show that someone else’s negligence led to your injuries, with solid evidence linking them to the incident.

At Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy, we thoroughly investigate your accident to uncover anyone whose negligence may have contributed to your injury. Our approach helps ensure you receive the fullest compensation possible.

• Gathering Evidence: First, we investigate the accident to gather all relevant evidence. This includes photos of the accident scene, witness statements, police reports, and available video footage to establish a clear picture of the events leading up to the injury and what caused it.
• Analyzing Liability: Ohio’s comparative negligence law allows multiple parties to share fault for an accident. We look at the evidence to determine who is liable and file the appropriate claim. This can also mean assessing if your actions may have contributed and minimizing your fault to get you the maximum settlement.
• Consulting With Experts: We engage experts like medical professionals and accident reconstruction experts to validate the extent of your injuries and to illustrate how the breach of duty caused your injuries.
• Proving Negligence: We use the evidence to prove that negligence occurred, using the below legal elements.

Element	Description
Duty of Care	Confirming that the defendant owed a duty of care to you by examining legal statutes or contracts that prove this obligation
Breach of Duty	Demonstrating how the defendant’s actions or negligence directly violated this duty, with evidence such as safety inspection reports or failure to follow regulations
Causation	Linking the defendant’s breach of duty to the catastrophic injuries using detailed medical records, expert medical testimony, and accident reconstruction analysis
Damages	Illustrating the extensive impact of the injuries on your life, including long-term medical care, rehabilitation costs, lost earning capacity, and the need for life-care planning

Let Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy Handle Your Catastrophic Injury Case

Serious injuries lead to extensive medical care, rehabilitation, and possibly lifelong care costs, affecting your everyday life. Our law firm is dedicated to helping you obtain the compensation you need to recover and move past your accident.

Don’t wait—reach out now for a complimentary consultation. Let us evaluate your case, guide you through your legal options, and secure the financial support for your recovery. Take the first step toward reclaiming your life; contact us today.