Milwaukee Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

A catastrophic injury impacts an accident victim’s life physically, financially, mentally, and emotionally. It can cause chronic pain and suffering and have lasting changes in personal and familial relationships.

If you or your loved one suffered a catastrophic injury accident and are unsure where to turn, contact the personal injury attorneys at Mingo & Yankala, S.C.

Why Choose Mingo & Yankala, S.C., for Your Catastrophic Injury?

Mingo & Yankala, S.C., has been in practice for 35 years, seeking justice for injury victims in the community. We have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for accident sufferers, and our firm includes one of Wisconsin’s top trial attorneys, 

In addition, Mingo & Yankala, S.C.:

• Offers complimentary consultations;
• Has successfully handled more than 1,000 Wisconsin personal injury cases; and
• Only practices personal injury law.

Reach out to our Milwaukee office today to schedule your appointment. There is never a risk in meeting with an experienced catastrophic injury attorney at Mingo & Yankala, S.C. 

Why You Need a Milwaukee Catastrophic Injury Attorney

While some accidents can cause minor injuries like broken bones or bruises that will heal, other accidents can cause debilitating injuries that aren’t easy to recover from. At Mingo & Yankala, S.C., our Milwaukee catastrophic injury attorneys are committed to advocating for your legal rights and future medical care.

When you retain Mingo & Yankala, S.C., our team will do the following and more:

• Ensure you understand the catastrophic injury claims process and its effect on your case;
• Keep you up-to-date as your claim progresses;
• Handle all insurance company correspondence on your behalf;
• Compile evidence and investigate your accident;
• Hire expert witnesses;
• Work with experts to determine your current and future medical needs;
• Determine a fair settlement amount;
• Negotiate a proper settlement with the insurance company; or
• Move forward to trial.

While most catastrophic injury claims settle outside of court, you can rest assured that Mingo & Yankala, S.C., will take your case to trial if it is in your best interests.

Catastrophic Injury Claims We Handle

Mingo & Yankala, S.C., handles most common catastrophic injury claims. These include, but are not limited to:

• Traumatic brain injuries;
• Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis;
• Amputation;
• Burn injuries;
• Loss of eyesight and hearing; and
• Post-traumatic stress disorder.

Call or contact us online now to discuss your situation. At Mingo & Yankala, S.C., we only get paid when we win compensation for you.  

What is a Catastrophic Injury?

A catastrophic injury is a sudden, traumatic injury that significantly impacts a victim’s quality of life. It may result in lifelong or long-term injury or complications and regularly requires ongoing medical treatment or rehabilitation. 

Catastrophic injuries are severe and can be physical or psychological. Some common types of catastrophic injuries are traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, burn injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Traumatic Brain Injury

According to the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are caused by forceful bumps, blows, or jolts to the head or body. They may also result from an object piercing the skull and entering the brain.

A TBI may cause temporary or permanent problems with brain function and impair an accident victim’s ability to:

• Thinks;
• Understand;
• Moves;
• Communicate; and 
• Act. 

A TBI may even result in severe, permanent disability, or even death. A TBI may appear immediately following an accident or gradually show with time.

Some causes of a TBI include:

• Falls;
• Motor vehicle accident;
• Sports accidents; and
• Workplace accidents.

A blow does not have to penetrate the head to cause a TBI.

Spinal Cord Injury

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves running from the lower part of the brain down to the lower back. Its purpose is to send and receive messages between the body and the brain.

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is any damage to the spinal cord itself or the tissue and bones (vertebrae) that surround the spinal cord. An SCI can cause temporary or permanent changes in sensation, movement, strength, and body functions below the site of injury. 

The severity and location of an SCI determines a victim’s symptoms. The higher an SCI, the greater the chance of upper and lower body paralysis (quadriplegia). The lower the SCI, the more likely paralysis will affect only the legs and lower body (paraplegia).

Spinal cord injuries are classified as complete or incomplete. An incomplete SCI allows some messages to be transmitted to or from the brain. 

Sufferers of incomplete SCIs may retain some sensory function and muscle control below the injury site. A complete SCI blocks brain and body communication below the injury site. 

Catastrophic accidents that result in SCI include:

• Motor vehicle accidents;
• Falls; and
• Sports injuries. 

The Mayo Clinic notes that young men are more likely to experience an SCI due to a motor vehicle accident or sports injury. The elderly are more prone to an SCI following a fall.

Amputation

Amputation is the surgical removal of all or part of a limb or extremity such as an arm, leg, foot, or hand. Limb loss is the removal of a limb or extremity from the body. However, limb loss occurs during an accident, not by surgical means.

Catastrophic motor vehicle accidents and workplace accidents are common causes of amputation and limb loss. Amputation or limb loss following a catastrophic accident can result in: 

• Permanent physical limitations;
• Permanent deformity;
• Severe infection;
• Blood clots; and 
• Tissue decay.

Limb loss is a type of disfigurement and can leave an accident victim with lifelong physical and mental scars.

Burn Injury

Catastrophic burn injuries are painful, serious, and life-threatening. Burns are categorized by degrees with first-degree burns being the least serious and third-degree burns the most damaging and invasive.

A third-degree burn moves beyond the outer skin to permeate muscle tissue and damage the nerves. These burns often require skin grafts and leave noticeable scars. 

Large burns can easily become infected. Burns around joints can be subject to skin contracture or tightening causing constricted movement. This includes the skin on the chest which can make breathing difficult. 

Catastrophic burns can also close pores and affect a body’s ability to regulate temperature making any hot or cold weather activity dangerous. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a very common injury suffered by victims of traumatic accidents. PTSD is an anxiety disorder caused by a major physical or emotional trauma. 

PTSD typically appears a month or more after a traumatic accident. PTSD victims report the following:

• Flashbacks;
• Nightmares;
• Avoidance behaviors; and 
• Anxiety. 

Medical professionals treat PTSD with a combination of therapies and medication such as:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy;
• Exposure therapy; 
• Eye movement desensitization;
• Antidepressants; and 
• Anti-anxiety medications.

Treating the scars left by a catastrophic injury, whether physical, mental, or emotional requires extensive professional care. This is costly and nearly all accident victims need compensation to assist in accessing the proper medical and psychiatric treatment. 

Compensation Available in a Catastrophic Injury Claim

If your doctor has told you that you will have years of treatments, expensive medical bills, and may never recover, it is time to seek legal counsel. These types of injuries can greatly alter your life and you may never have the same quality of life.

Catastrophic injury claims may include compensation for the following:

• Pain and suffering;
• Emotional distress;
• Lost wages or loss of earning capacity;
• Physical therapy or rehabilitation; and
• Medical and hospital bills.

Always have your claim evaluated by an experienced catastrophic injury attorney before making any statements to or signing any documents from the insurance company. You may lose your right to full compensation for your current and future accident-related expenses.

Speak to a Milwaukee Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Today

You should not have to suffer alone as a result of another party’s negligent behavior. If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic injury, you should act quickly to hire a Milwaukee catastrophic injury attorney. 

Once you have received the immediate medical treatment you need, our firm can help you pursue a lawsuit and recover compensation. We are here for you every step of the way to ensure you receive the quality representation and compassionate care you deserve.

We are here to offer you a free case consultation and we work on a contingency fee basis. Reach out to us now at (414) 273-7400.

HOW WE USE DAY IN THE LIFE VIDEO IN CATASTROPHIC INJURY CASES

A catastrophic injury case is any serious personal injury case where the victim’s ability to enjoy life and to earn a livelihood have been forever changed due to someone else’s negligence.  Examples of a catastrophic injury case include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, injuries affecting nerve and motor function as well as cases involving the loss of use of one or more limbs.  These are just a few examples of what we mean when we refer to catastrophic injury cases.

In a catastrophic injury case, one of the jury’s functions is to render a monetary award to the victim for past and future pain and suffering.  The magnitude of pain and suffering a catastrophic injury victim endures day in and day out can be difficult to convey to a jury through the testimony of the victim, friends, family and even the treating doctors alone.  The magnitude of the pain and suffering in a catastrophic injury case makes it difficult for a catastrophically injured plaintiff to convey what he/she goes through on a daily basis.  A good personal injury attorney makes a jury not only hear from witnesses what the catastrophically injured plaintiff goes through on a daily basis, a good personal injury attorney goes beyond that and makes a jury experience what the catastrophically injured plaintiff goes through on a daily basis.

While testimony from friends, family members and medical doctors can help a jury understand what a catastrophically injured plaintiff endures on a daily basis, live testimony has its limitations.  This is why we use Day in the Life Videos to help a jury experience what it means to be catastrophically injured and then transfer that experience in to a significant monetary award for the plaintiff.

First an expert video production company with state-of-the-art equipment must be hired.  Ideally, a Day in the Life Video for a catastrophically injured plaintiff should be filmed over a long period of time so that the victim’s progress, or lack of progress, can be shown to the jury. Day in the Life Videos over a shorter period of time can be effective as well.

The goal of a good Day in the Life Video is to help the jury experience the difficulty a catastrophically injured plaintiff has doing routine tasks that most of us take for granted.  This can include the assistance needed to get out of bed in the morning, difficulty showering and getting dressed and even how difficult it is for the catastrophically injured plaintiff to move from room to room.  The video will demonstrate medication the victim must take on a daily basis and the videographer can even accompany the injured plaintiff to therapy sessions.

How We Use Day in the Life Videos

A properly produced Day in the Life Video can serve multiple purposes.  Almost all personal injury cases are mediated before they go to trial.  This involves the parties and their attorneys meeting with an agreed upon mediator who attempts to bring both sides together in order to reach a settlement.  A Day in the Life Video can be very effective when presented to the insurance company representative and the defense attorney at mediation.  The insurance company understands that if the case is not settled a jury will eventually see the Day in the Life Video.

The Day in the Life Video Must Be Admissible

The ultimate goal of a Day in the Life Video is to present the video to a jury at trial.  Care must be taken to make sure the video is properly prepared and edited.  If not, the presiding Judge may rule that the Day in the Life Video is inadmissible and cannot be viewed by the jury.  A video that the Judge rules is inadmissible is a waste of time and money.

The insurance company and its lawyer will always argue that the Day in the Life Video is unduly “prejudicial” and therefore should not be seen by the jury.  This objection can easily be overcome if your lawyer prepares for the insurance company’s objection ahead of time.  All evidence is  prejudicial which is precisely why each side introduces the evidence.  Evidence only becomes inadmissible when it is unduly prejudicial and the prejudice outweighs the relevancy of the evidence.

Your lawyer must make sure the video was properly authenticated.  The parties must be properly identified and the video must be a true representation of the plaintiff.

In order to be admissible a Day in the Life Video must also be relevant.  The extent of the plaintiff’s injuries are always going to be an issue at trial.  It should therefore not be a problem for your lawyer to overcome any relevancy objection to the video.

The most common reason for a Day in the Life Video to be excluded is if the Judge concludes the video is overly prejudicial and the prejudice to the defendant outweighs its probative value.  That is why great care should be taken by your lawyer, and the videographer your lawyer hires, to make sure the video is an accurate portrayal of the what the catastrophically injured victim experiences on a daily basis.  A good Day in the Life Video is always going to be prejudicial to the insurance company and the defendants.  The video simply cannot be unduly prejudicial such that the prejudice outweighs the relevancy of the video.  An experienced personal injury attorney will know how to admit your Day in the Life Video into evidence and have it played to the jury.

Hire the Right Milwaukee Catastrophic Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one have been catastrophically injured in a Milwaukee car or truck accident, or an accident anywhere in Wisconsin, make sure you hire the right lawyer who knows how to obtain the maximum compensation you are entitled to.  Using Day in the Life Videos is only a small part of what we do to make sure you are fully compensated for your catastrophic injury case.  This includes being fully compensated not only for your past injuries and damages but for all future medical bills, pain and suffering and economic damages as well.  We have said it many times but you only have one opportunity to settle your case.  You do not want to find out after your case has been settled, and cannot be reopened, that you did not receive the settlement you deserved.

If you like what you have read, we invite you to contact us by using our confidential Contact Form or calling us at 414-273-7400.  You will find us friendly and easy to talk to.  Of course there is never a fee or charge of any kind until we settle your case or your case is decided by a jury.

HOW WE USE A LIFE CARE PLANNING EXPERT IN A MILWAUKEE CATASTROPHIC INJURY CASE

A victim who suffers catastrophic injuries from a Milwaukee car or truck accident will need medical and other expert care for the remainder of his/her life.  The plaintiff has the burden of proof to establish the nature of future care required and what the cost of that future care will be.  The jury is not allowed to speculate or guess what the future care is required for the catastrophic injury victim or what the future cost will be.  Without the proper expert witnesses lined up to testify, and disclosed to the defendants as required by the Court’s Scheduling Order, a Milwaukee catastrophically injured car or truck accident victim may lose his/her claim to be compensated for life-long care.

In order to prove the projected costs of future treatment for our catastrophically injured car and truck accident victims we retain a Life Care Planner in addition to securing testimony from our client’s treating physicians and therapists.  Some Life Care Planners hold the certification of a Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP).  A CLCP must meet strict educational requirements and have a mock life care plan peer reviewed.  Some, but not all, Life Care Planners hold a medical degree.  All Life Care Planners undergo extensive medical training.  Often a Registered Nurse, with specialized training in life care planning, will serve as a life care planning expert in a catastrophic injury case.

A Life Care Plan will outline for the jury a catastrophic injury victim’s future medical and care needs throughout his/her anticipated life expectancy.  A Life Care Plan should be periodically reviewed, and adjusted if necessary, based upon the changing medical needs of the car or truck accident victim.

A Life Care Planner will work with the victim’s treating physicians and therapists to establish a Life Care Plan based upon the accident victim’s individualized needs.  The Life Care Plan must also take into account medical equipment the victim will need throughout his/her life expectancy and any modifications to the victim’s home that may be required due to the injury victim’s inability to perform activities of daily living.

Establishing a Life Care Plan for a catastrophically injured car or truck accident victim is only part of what the Life Care Planner will do.  After establishing a Life Care Plan in conjunction with the accident victim’s treating physicians and therapists, the Life Care Planner will draw upon his or her training and expertise to establish what the cost of the future Life Care Plan will be.  Depending upon the age of the accident victim, and the injuries involved, the cost of a future Life Care Plan can be many millions of dollars. Without the proper expert witnesses, including a highly regarded Life Care Planner, the Milwaukee catastrophic injury victim will not be fully compensated for his or her future care and medical costs that will be necessary throughout the remainder of the injured victim’s life expectancy.

Hire The Right Milwaukee Spinal Cord Injury Attorney for Your Catastrophic Injury Case

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury or other catastrophic injury in a car or truck accident, or accident of any kind that was not your fault, make sure you hire the right Milwaukee spinal cord injury attorney.  If you suffered a catastrophic injury of any kind we will work with your doctors and hire the best experts to support your catastrophic injury case.  Whether it is using a Day in the Life Video, or hiring a Certified Life Planner, we will take the necessary legal steps to make sure you receive the full amount of compensation you are entitled to not only for your past injuries but to make sure you are fully compensated for the future that was taken away from you by someone else’s negligence.

If you like what you have read here, feel free to read our many five-star reviews from actual clients.  We invite you to contact us by using our confidential Contact Form or you can give us a call at  414-273-7400.  We would love to talk to you about your case and answer any questions you may have.  You will find us friendly and easy to talk to.  Because we work on a contingency fee basis, you never pay a fee of any kind until we obtain a recovery for you.  If there is not a recovery for any reason, you will pay absolutely nothing.  We make this a truly no risk legal relationship for all of our clients.