Cincinnati Catastrophic Personal Injury Lawyers

If you suffer a serious injury due to someone else’s negligence, you should not have to deal with the aftermath alone. From communicating with insurance companies to mounting medical bills, the physical, financial and personal challenges can be overwhelming. During this difficult time, it is important to have experienced legal advocates on your side. At The Butler Trial Firm, our lawyers are committed to helping people recover and move forward with their lives. We handle only severe, catastrophic injuries: ones involving high medical needs, disability or substantial damages.

Our office in Cincinnati serves injured people throughout Hamilton County and surrounding communities. We handle cases in local courts, including the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, and in the Southern District of Ohio when appropriate.

Experienced In A Range Of Catastrophic Injury Cases

Our lawyers handle a wide range of catastrophic personal injury claims. Some examples of accidents that can lead to catastrophic injuries include:

• Auto accidents
• Trucking accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Construction site accidents
• Slip-and-fall mishaps
• Dangerous and defective products

Cincinnati has several major highways, including I-75, I-71 and I-275. The Brent Spence Bridge corridor also carries heavy commercial truck traffic. Crashes on these roads can cause life-changing injuries that require extensive treatment and long-term care.

You may be unable to work and may require medical treatment indefinitely. If you cannot work or need ongoing treatment, an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you pursue the compensation allowed under Ohio law. If a loved one has died due to someone else’s negligence, we can pursue a wrongful death claim.

Our catastrophic injury claims include:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI): A head injury can result in severe headaches, nausea, memory loss, impaired cognition and other serious problems. We painstakingly assess damages to ensure our clients receive the best treatment possible.
• Spinal cord injury and paralysis (paraplegia and quadriplegia): Back and neck injuries may require ongoing medical treatment, adaptive equipment and other expensive needs.
• Loss of limb: Car wrecks, work accidents and negligence of all kinds can result in amputation accidents. Losing a limb can affect your work, independence and daily life. Compensation may help cover medical care, rehabilitation and other costs.
• Loss of vision or hearing: If you or a loved one has suffered blindness or deafness as a result of another person’s negligence, you deserve compensation for your losses.
• Burn injury: Burn injuries are uniquely painful and difficult to treat. We provide strong representation to people injured in fires, explosions and other causes of burn injuries.
• Disfigurement: A serious injury can cause permanent scarring and disfigurement, leaving the victim with a lifetime of hardship. Our attorneys know how to pursue compensation appropriate for such a life-changing event.

We will take the time to listen to you and understand how your injury has impacted you and your family. Then, we work diligently to explain the full extent of your injuries to opposing counsel, insurance adjusters, judges and jurors. We are committed to seeking the compensation supported by the evidence and allowed under the law.

A catastrophic injury can lead to medical and care needs for years. We look at more than the costs you have already paid. Future needs may include therapy, medicine, follow-up care, medical equipment, home changes and help with daily tasks.

Solid Strategies, Proven Compensation Results

Our trial attorneys collaborate with a network of evidence professionals, including accident reconstruction specialists, private investigators, law enforcement personnel, accountants and psychiatrists. They help to determine liability and pursue compensation for our clients’ pain and suffering, lost wages, medical bills, and other losses. Our thorough case management has led to a strong record of results, including settlement agreements and jury awards totaling millions of dollars. Catastrophic injuries can lead to significant medical bills and other long-term costs.

A Life Care Plan can estimate the cost of future medical care, rehabilitation, medication, medical equipment, home changes and attendant care. A vocational professional can assess how a permanent injury may affect your ability to work and earn income. Medical specialists, including physiatrists when appropriate, can also assess your future treatment and care needs. Together, this information can help show the long-term financial impact of a catastrophic injury.

We have secured significant results in serious injury and wrongful death cases. Published results include a $25 million verdict for the Estate of Magnolia Walsh in a wrongful death case against Total Quality Logistics. Another case resulted in a jury verdict of more than $22 million for Revolution Fitness after the former property owner violated its right of first refusal, including $14.8 million in punitive damages.

Trial Lawyers Make A Difference In Catastrophic Injury Claims

Insurance companies may resist paying the full value of a catastrophic injury claim. Strong legal representation can put pressure on the insurer to address the claim fairly. In cases involving catastrophic accidents, insurers fight very hard to avoid paying since the damages can total hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. This is why it is important to have an experienced trial attorney on your side. When the opposing party knows your lawyer is willing to fight for a fair outcome in court, they are more likely to treat you fairly.

We prepare every case as if it could go to trial. Building the evidence early can help us show who was responsible, how serious the injury is and what losses may result. That preparation can also strengthen settlement negotiations.

Getting You Medical Treatment For Catastrophic Injuries

Treatment for head trauma, burns and other serious injuries continues to improve, but it can be very expensive. Compensation may help cover the medical care and long-term support your injury requires. We can help you pursue the financial recovery you may need.

Cincinnati has many medical resources for people with severe injuries. UC Health University of Cincinnati Medical Center has an adult Level I Trauma Center and an adult burn center. Records from emergency care, surgery, intensive care, rehabilitation and follow-up visits may help document the severity and treatment of an injury.

We can review these records to understand the severity of your injury, the treatment you have received and the care you may need in the future. When a child suffers a catastrophic injury, we also consider how the injury may affect the child’s development, education, independence and long-term care needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Severe Injury Claims in Ohio

A catastrophic injury can affect your health, work and daily life for years. The answers below address common questions about Ohio deadlines, damage limits and compensation after a serious injury.

How is “catastrophic injury” defined under Ohio law?

Ohio law does not use one broad definition of “catastrophic injury” for personal injury claims. The term usually describes a severe injury that causes permanent harm or major limits on daily life. Examples include paralysis, loss of a limb or a serious brain injury. The type of injury and its long-term effects can affect your claim.

What is the statute of limitations for a catastrophic injury claim in Cincinnati, Ohio?

Ohio generally gives you two years to file a bodily injury claim. This general deadline also applies in Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Some claims have different deadlines or rules that can change when the filing period begins. We can review your case and help determine which deadline applies.

How do Ohio noneconomic damage caps apply to catastrophic injuries?

Ohio generally limits noneconomic damages, including compensation for pain and suffering. The law has exceptions for some severe injuries. For example, the cap may not apply when an injury causes permanent and substantial physical deformity, loss of use of a limb or loss of a bodily organ system. An exception may also apply when a permanent injury prevents you from caring for yourself or performing life-sustaining activities.

What compensation can I recover for a permanent disability in Hamilton County courts?

A permanent disability may support a claim for medical care, rehabilitation, lost income, reduced earning ability, pain and suffering, and other losses. Future costs may include ongoing treatment, medical equipment, home changes or personal care. When needed, we can work with medical and vocational professionals to document these costs and build a claim around your needs.

A catastrophic injury can create needs that last long after an accident. If you or a loved one suffered a severe injury, we can review your case and explain your legal options.

Free Evaluation Of Your Cincinnati Catastrophic Personal Injury Case

If you are seriously injured, speak with a personal injury attorney in a free consultation. Our office serves clients throughout Cincinnati and Ohio. Contact our office at 513-909-3402 or by sending us an email. No recovery, no fee! We bill on a contingent-fee basis, meaning there is no attorney fee unless we obtain compensation for you.

Reviewed by attorney Brian Butler.