Ylla Gosney represents injury victims in Oklahoma. Every accident and injury brings you some kind of trauma, but unfortunately, some injuries are more traumatic than others. Worse, this can happen in virtually any type of accident. If you or a loved one have suffered a traumatic injury, contact us today for a free consultation to talk about your options.
Should You Hire a Lawyer?
Even though a traumatic accident and injury is often much more serious, you still don’t technically need a lawyer. That said, these types of injuries frequently leave you facing both physical and financial challenges that last well beyond the initial accident. If you’re in that situation, our team of Oklahoma personal injury lawyers can help you. Our process usually involves:
- We investigate the accident to find out who’s at fault.
- We help you gather proof and organize your medical papers to support your case.
- We talk to insurance companies for you.
- We work with authorities and witnesses to figure out exactly what happened.
Dealing with any accident or injury is challenging, but we’re here to make it less stressful for you and your family. Remember, what you do after the accident matters just as much as our approach.
What Should You Do After a Traumatic Injury or Accident?
Being injured in an accident is scary, but especially and perhaps even more so when the injury is traumatic. In short, it makes everything harder, including the actions you need to take to protect your health and potential claim. At the same time, the steps you need to take aren’t all that different from any other accident:
- Call for help – Dial the police and emergency services right away. If it happened at a specific place, like a store or workplace, let the owner or manager know too.
- Get immediate medical help – Once an ambulance arrives, get care from the EMS workers to take care of any immediate injuries. In the case of a traumatic injury, they’ll probably transport you to an emergency room for further care.
- Gather information – Get statements from witnesses and any other evidence related to the accident.
- Tell your insurance provider – Once you’ve reported the accident to the authorities, inform your insurance company so they can start their part.
- Keep track of costs – Keep a record of all expenses, like medical bills, property damage, and any other expenses to have everything documented.
What are traumatic injuries?
These steps might vary depending on the situation, but the main goal is to ensure your safety first. Unfortunately, this is very tough when there’s traumatic injuries. While they vary from accident to accident, they frequently involve the following:
- Broken bones or fractures, especially to the skull, neck or spinal column
- Burns
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Limb injuries requiring amputations
- Penetrating injuries
- Crush injuries
Experiencing these types of injuries are bad enough, but it’s compounded by the fact that they can occur in virtually any type of accident. Thus, it becomes important to look at the circumstances of how things happened.
Who is Responsible For a Traumatic Injury?
In essence, any accident that leads to a traumatic injury is going to be looked at the same as any other injury or accident in the eyes of the law. This means that determining who is responsible for causing the accident is also going to give you the party that’s legally required to cover your losses.
This concept is known as “negligence,” and means:
- A person or party breached their duty of care to you by not taking proper care to keep you safe, and the breach caused the accident and your injuries.
Ultimately, this is going to come down to what actually happened. For example, if your injuries happen in a car accident where you were collided into by a drunk driver, the drunk driver is going to be responsible for your losses.
With that in mind, here are a few of the more common examples of liable parties when there’s a traumatic injury:
- Drivers – If you were hurt in a car crash, the driver responsible could be at fault. Proving their fault means showing they were drunk, speeding, or driving recklessly. This is key for getting compensation.
- Property owners – Owners must keep their property safe for you and other visitors. If you got hurt because of a hazard they knew about, they might be responsible.
- City or state government – If your injury is due to neglected public spaces or infrastructure like a sidewalk or park, the city or state government in charge of maintaining it may be held accountable.
- Product manufacturers – If your injury is caused by a defective product that the manufacturer knew of or didn’t provide you with enough warning, they can be held responsible for your injuries.
- Employers – Employers have to keep things safe in the workplace and warn you about potential dangers. If they don’t and you get hurt, they might be responsible.
What are your damages?
Obviously, your damages after a traumatic injury are going to be much more extensive than a normal accident. Not only do you have to worry about the short-term, but the long-term complications. It’s not just about your injuries, either. It’s also going to include the emotional and psychological impact. So, Oklahoma law tries to take this into account when giving you access to your “damages.” But in order to recover these damages, you have to file an injury claim–either through an insurance claim or lawsuit. If successful, you can potentially get:
- Past and future medical costs.
- Lost income resulting from the accident.
- Decreased earning potential due to permanent disability.
- Value of damaged or lost property.
- Loss of companionship and enjoyment of life.
- Physical pain and suffering.
- Emotional distress and diminished quality of life.
- Wrongful death expenses, if the injuries end up being fatal.
Again, traumatic injuries are often devastating, impacting not just you, but your entire family. They usually lead to constant medical care, permanent disability, and financial and emotional strain. Your damages, then, are going to be crucial to rebuilding life after a traumatic injury. With proper care and legal support, going through this challenging time becomes more manageable.
However, like any injury claim, you have to file within Oklahoma’s statute of limitations, which is two years from the date of the accident.
What Can Cause a Traumatic Injury?
When you look at what a traumatic injury is–an injury that causes immediate and serious harm and requires extensive, ongoing medical care–it becomes easier to see what can cause them. Usually, they happen in:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle or bicycle accidents
- Semi-truck accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Dog bites
- Slip and fall incidents
- Assaults
- Fires
- Drowning
- Medical errors or malpractice
Given the many types of accidents can cause traumatic injuries, the possibilities in Oklahoma seem endless. And remember, the tough thing about these injuries, besides the health problems, is they can happen anytime, in any accident. Sadly, preparing for such events is often impossible. But with our team supporting you, things can be a bit easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes an injury traumatic?
A traumatic injury is one that causes you extreme harm and requires immediate (and usually) emergency medical care. This can include things like broken bones, burns, or traumatic brain injuries.
Do you have more time to file a claim after a traumatic injury?
Usually no. Oklahoma’s statute of limitations for injury claims (two years from the date of the accident) still applies when the injury is traumatic.
How much is a traumatic injury claim worth?
Every claim is different, but a traumatic injury claim is typically worth more because it’s more damaging to you and causes you to have more losses.
Contact Ylla Gosney After a Traumatic Injury Accident in Oklahoma
When you’re in an accident that leaves you facing a traumatic injury in Oklahoma, you’re going to face tough challenges and need ongoing support. Beyond the injury itself, you often go through psychological and emotional struggles. At Ylla Gosney, we have extensive experience guiding clients through this process. Contact us today for a free consultation to find out how we can help.
