When a catastrophic injury changes your life in an instant, you may need a lawyer who understands the full scope of your damages and works to pursue full compensation. Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP represents victims of severe injuries throughout Orange, TX, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, paralysis, amputations, and burn injuries. Our attorneys have recovered millions for clients facing life-altering consequences. We work on contingency, meaning no upfront costs, and we only get paid if there is a recovery. Call for your free consultation today.
Why Choose Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP for Your Catastrophic Injury Case
When you suffer a catastrophic injury, the stakes are higher than in many personal injury cases. Your recovery may depend on securing compensation that covers not just immediate medical bills, but lifetime care, lost earning potential, and the emotional toll of permanent disability.
Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP brings decades of combined experience handling catastrophic injury cases across multiple practice areas, from workplace accidents and construction injuries to maritime incidents and product liability claims. Our attorneys have recovered over $25 million in a single oil and gas incident case and $15 million in another oil and gas accident. We secured a $13 million verdict in a train crash case and an $11 million verdict in a workplace injury matter. Two of our verdicts ranked among the top ten in Texas in 2022.
Our team includes Super Lawyers-recognized attorneys who understand the medical issues involved in catastrophic injuries. We work with medical experts to document the full extent of your injuries and calculate lifetime care costs. We negotiate with insurance companies and prepare every case for trial when appropriate.
Most importantly, we treat your case with the attention it deserves. You focus on recovery while we handle the legal process.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries We Handle in Orange
We represent clients with severe injuries that result in permanent disability or life-altering consequences:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) affecting cognition, memory, and personality
- Spinal cord injuries causing paralysis or partial loss of function
- Amputation and limb loss requiring prosthetics and ongoing care
- Severe burn injuries requiring reconstructive surgery and pain management
- Neck and back injuries with permanent nerve damage
- Wrongful death claims when catastrophic accidents prove fatal
How Catastrophic Injuries Impact Your Life and Finances
A catastrophic injury doesn’t just affect your body. It transforms your entire life. The financial impact extends far beyond the initial hospital stay.
Medical expenses mount quickly. You may face ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and assistive devices. Many catastrophic injuries require home modifications, including wheelchair ramps, accessible bathrooms, and specialized equipment. Some individuals need 24-hour care attendants for the rest of their lives. Paralysis cases often require extensive home modifications and ongoing care, with costs that can exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars over a lifetime.
Lost wages compound the problem. If you can no longer work, you may lose not just your current income but your future earning capacity. A 35-year-old earning $50,000 annually may face decades of lost wages. That loss can significantly affect a family’s financial stability. Construction injuries and workplace accidents frequently result in permanent disability and substantial lost earning capacity.
Pain and suffering damages recognize the emotional and physical toll. Loss of enjoyment of life reflects that you may no longer participate in activities you once enjoyed. These non-economic damages can be substantial in catastrophic cases. Burn injuries and spinal cord damage frequently result in permanent disability and substantial non-economic damages.
Insurance companies often evaluate these claims carefully and may dispute the value of long-term losses. Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP works to calculate the full scope of your damages and negotiate accordingly. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, proper documentation of traumatic brain injuries is critical for establishing lifetime care needs.
Our Approach to Catastrophic Injury Cases
We do not treat catastrophic injury cases like routine personal injury claims. Our process reflects the stakes involved.
We begin with a thorough investigation of how your accident occurred. We gather police reports, witness statements, and accident scene evidence. We identify all potentially liable parties, such as the at-fault driver, the negligent property owner, the manufacturer of a defective product, or the employer who failed to maintain safety standards. For workplace injuries, we examine OSHA compliance and safety protocols. For maritime incidents, we investigate vessel maintenance and crew training records.
We collaborate with medical experts who focus on your specific injury. A neurologist may document your traumatic brain injury, and an orthopedic surgeon may explain your spinal cord damage. These experts provide reports that help establish the severity of your condition and outline your long-term medical needs. We also work with life care planners who project medical expenses over time.
We calculate your lifetime care costs using available medical and economic evidence. We work with life care planners who project medical expenses, therapy costs, and care needs over time. We also document lost earning capacity based on your age, education, and work history. For amputation cases, we calculate prosthetic replacement costs and ongoing medical care.
We negotiate with insurance companies based on the facts of your case. Our history of significant verdicts and settlements may be considered during negotiations. For maritime incidents, we apply maritime law principles, including the Jones Act and general maritime law.
If settlement discussions do not resolve the case, we prepare for trial. We organize medical evidence, prepare expert witnesses, and present your case to a jury when necessary. Our trial experience includes construction accident cases, workplace fatality claims, and maritime wrongful death cases.
What Compensation Covers in Catastrophic Injury Claims
Texas law allows you to recover several categories of damages in catastrophic injury cases, as outlined in the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 41.001.
Economic damages compensate for measurable financial losses. This can include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, home modifications, and the cost of care attendants or nursing services. In catastrophic cases, these damages may reach substantial amounts. The Texas Supreme Court has recognized that lifetime care costs in spinal cord injury cases can exceed $1 million.
Non-economic damages address pain, suffering, and emotional distress. They reflect the impact the injury has on your daily life and well-being. In many Texas personal injury cases, these damages are not capped, though exceptions may apply in certain types of claims. Traumatic brain injuries often result in substantial non-economic damages due to cognitive and personality changes.
Punitive damages may apply in cases involving gross negligence or intentional misconduct. If a defendant’s conduct was especially reckless, such as impaired driving or knowingly distributing a dangerous product, a jury may award additional damages to penalize that conduct and discourage similar behavior. Product liability cases frequently involve punitive damages claims.
Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP evaluates each category of damages and presents supporting evidence as part of your claim.
Catastrophic Injury FAQs
What qualifies as a catastrophic injury?
A catastrophic injury results in permanent disability, significant ongoing medical treatment, or life-altering consequences. Examples include traumatic brain injuries that affect cognitive function, spinal cord injuries causing paralysis, amputations requiring prosthetics, severe burns requiring reconstructive surgery, and injuries that prevent you from returning to work. In Orange, TX, these injuries can arise from vehicle accidents, workplace incidents, maritime accidents, and product defects. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons provides clinical guidelines for traumatic brain injury management and recovery.
How long do catastrophic injury cases take?
The timeline depends on case complexity. Some cases settle within months after damages are documented, while others take longer if liability or damages are disputed. If a case proceeds to trial, additional time is required for discovery and preparation. Many catastrophic injury cases take 1–3 years from filing to resolution, though timelines vary.
What if the accident was partially my fault?
Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you were partially at fault, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault, and recovery is generally barred if you are more than 50% responsible. For example, if you were 20% at fault and your damages total $1 million, you may recover $800,000. This rule applies to vehicle accidents, workplace injuries, and maritime claims.
How much is my catastrophic injury case worth?
Case value depends on several factors, including the severity of your injury, your age and earning capacity, the extent of medical treatment required, liability, and available insurance coverage. Our case results include recoveries of $25 million in oil and gas incident cases, $15 million in other oil and gas accidents, $13 million in a train crash, and $11 million in a workplace injury. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Traumatic brain injury settlements and spinal cord injury verdicts vary widely based on individual circumstances.
Do I have to go to trial?
Many catastrophic injury cases resolve through settlement. However, if a fair resolution cannot be reached, your case may proceed to trial. Our attorneys have experience handling cases through trial when needed. We have successfully tried workplace fatality cases, maritime wrongful death claims, and construction accident litigation.
What are your fees?
We work on contingency. You pay no upfront costs, and we only collect a fee if there is a recovery. Our fee is taken from the settlement or verdict. This arrangement ensures that Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP is fully invested in maximizing your catastrophic injury settlement.
Contact Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP for Your Free Consultation
Do not let an insurance company undervalue your catastrophic injury claim. Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP represents clients facing life-altering injuries and works to pursue compensation based on the facts of each case.
Call (713) 230-2200 today for your free, no-obligation consultation. We are available 24/7 to discuss your case. Texas law imposes a statute of limitations on injury claims, so it is important to act promptly. Contact us today to discuss your Orange catastrophic injury case.