What are catastrophic injuries? Life-altering injuries that demand justice.

Not all injuries are created equal. While a broken bone or soft tissue injury might heal in weeks or months, catastrophic injuries fundamentally change the trajectory of your life. These are injuries so severe that they result in permanent disability, long-term medical care, and a complete upheaval of your ability to work, care for yourself, or enjoy the activities that once gave your life meaning.

Under Texas law, catastrophic injuries typically involve permanent impairment of a major body function, loss of a limb, or damage so severe that the victim requires lifelong assistance. The legal definition matters because it directly impacts the compensation you're entitled to receive — and the insurance companies know it.

Here's what separates catastrophic injuries from other personal injury claims:

• Permanent or long-term disability. Unlike injuries that heal completely, catastrophic injuries often leave victims with lifelong limitations that affect their ability to work and live independently.
• Extensive medical treatment. We're not talking about a few doctor visits. Catastrophic injuries frequently require multiple surgeries, extended hospital stays, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical care for years or even decades.
• Profound impact on quality of life. These injuries don't just affect your body — they affect your relationships, your career, your hobbies, and your mental health. The ripple effects touch every corner of your existence.
• Significant financial burden. Between lost wages, medical expenses, home modifications, and ongoing care needs, the economic impact of a catastrophic injury can easily reach into the millions of dollars.

The insurance companies know the stakes in catastrophic injury cases, which is why they fight so hard to minimize your claim. They'll hire their own doctors to dispute the severity of your injuries. They'll dig through your medical history looking for pre-existing conditions. They'll delay and deny — anything to avoid paying what you're actually owed. That's why you need a Houston personal injury lawyer who knows how to take them head-on.

Types of catastrophic injury cases we handle

Catastrophic injuries can result from virtually any type of accident, but some situations are more likely than others to produce life-altering harm. At Thiessen Law Firm, we have extensive experience handling the full spectrum of catastrophic injury cases, including those arising from:

• Car accidents. From head-on collisions to T-bone crashes, motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of catastrophic injuries in Texas. When negligent drivers cause life-altering harm, we fight to hold them accountable.
• Truck accidents. Commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds fully loaded — more than 20 times the weight of an average passenger vehicle. When these massive vehicles collide with smaller cars, the results are often catastrophic.
• Motorcycle accidents. Without the protection of an enclosed vehicle, motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable to catastrophic injuries. Even with proper safety gear, riders can suffer devastating harm when other drivers fail to see them.
• Rideshare accidents. Uber and Lyft create even more complexity in catastrophic injury claims. Multiple insurance policies, corporate defendants, and aggressive legal teams make these cases particularly challenging — and further necessitate our aggressive approach.
• Premises liability. Property owners have a legal duty to maintain safe conditions for visitors. When they fail — either in the form of a slip and fall or a dog bite — and someone suffers a catastrophic injury as a result, we hold them accountable.
• Industrial accidents. Construction sites, oil fields, manufacturing plants, and other industrial workplaces present unique dangers that can result in catastrophic injuries. Falls from heights, equipment malfunctions, explosions, and exposure to hazardous materials can leave workers permanently disabled.

While catastrophic injuries can be suffered in almost any kind of accident, there are more common types of catastrophic injuries — and ones for which you will especially require aggressive attorneys. 

Brain injuries

Traumatic brain injuries are some of the most devastating and complex catastrophic injuries we handle. The brain controls everything, and when it's damaged, the effects can be profound and permanent.

The severity of a brain injury isn't always immediately apparent, which is why insurance companies frequently try to downplay these injuries or attribute symptoms to other causes.

The long-term costs of a traumatic brain injury can be staggering. Victims may require extensive cognitive rehabilitation, occupational therapy, psychiatric care, and assistance with daily living activities. Many are unable to return to their previous employment — or any employment at all. When we take on a brain injury case, we work with leading neurologists, neuropsychologists, and life care planners to document the full extent of our client's injuries and fight for compensation that reflects their true needs.

Spinal cord injuries

Spinal cord injuries are among the most life-altering injuries a person can suffer. Depending on the location and severity of the damage, victims may face partial or complete paralysis, loss of sensation, chronic pain, and a host of secondary health complications that require lifelong management.

The spine is divided into four regions, and the location of the injury plays a huge role in determining which bodily functions are affected. These are the most common spinal cord injuries we see:

The financial impact of a spinal cord injury is immense. Lifetime costs for a person who suffers a spinal injury can easily exceed millions of dollars — and that's before accounting for lost wages and benefits. Insurance companies know these numbers, which is why they fight so aggressively to limit payouts in spinal cord injury cases. They'll argue that the victim's paralysis isn't as complete as claimed, that pre-existing conditions contributed to the injury, or that expensive treatments aren't "medically necessary." 

At Thiessen Law Firm, we don't let them get away with it. We build comprehensive cases that document every aspect of our clients' injuries and fight for settlements and verdicts that provide true financial security.

Wrongful death

When a catastrophic injury proves fatal, the victim's family is left to pick up the pieces. Wrongful death claims allow surviving family members to seek justice and compensation for their devastating loss.

Under Texas law, wrongful death claims can be brought by the surviving spouse, children, or parents of the deceased. Compensation may include:

• Lost financial support the deceased would have provided
• Lost companionship, comfort, and consortium
• Mental anguish and emotional suffering
• Medical expenses incurred before death
• Funeral and burial costs
• Punitive damages in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct

Wrongful death cases carry unique challenges. Evidence must be preserved quickly before it disappears. Multiple family members may have competing interests. Insurance companies often try to exploit family grief to push through lowball settlements. You need attorneys who will protect your family's interests while treating you with the compassion and respect you deserve during the most difficult time of your life.

Why you need the best personal injury lawyers in Houston after a catastrophic injury

Let's be blunt: catastrophic injury cases are not for inexperienced attorneys. These are complex, high-stakes battles against well-funded opponents who will use every tool at their disposal to minimize your recovery. The insurance companies handling your claim have teams of lawyers, doctors, and experts whose sole purpose is to pay you as little as possible. If you want to level the playing field, you need attorneys who know how to fight the giants — and win.

When you hire Thiessen Law Firm for your catastrophic injury case, you're not getting a settlement mill that processes claims like an assembly line. You're getting a team of aggressive trial lawyers who treat your case like the life-changing matter it is.

Filing a personal injury claim after a catastrophic accident

The process of pursuing a catastrophic injury claim can feel overwhelming, especially when you're dealing with medical treatment, recovery, and the emotional aftermath of a life-changing event. Here's what you can expect when you work with Thiessen Law Firm:

1. Free consultation
   We'll review the details of your accident, discuss your injuries, and explain your legal options. There's no pressure and no obligation — just honest answers about whether you have a case and how we can help.

2. Investigation and evidence gathering
   Once you hire us, we immediately begin building your case. We secure evidence before it disappears, interview witnesses, obtain police reports, and work with experts to establish liability and document your injuries.

3. Medical documentation
   Your medical records are the foundation of your claim. We work with your treating physicians and independent medical experts to make sure every aspect of your injuries is properly documented.

4. Demand and negotiation
   Armed with comprehensive evidence, we present a demand to the insurance company that reflects the true value of your claim. We negotiate aggressively, but we never recommend accepting a settlement that doesn't serve your interests.

5. Litigation (if necessary)
   If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, we're prepared to take your case to trial. Our courtroom experience and reputation for winning give us leverage that other firms simply don't have.

One of the biggest benefits of working with an experienced catastrophic injury attorney is that it allows you to get the rest you need. Throughout this process, we handle everything so you can focus on your recovery. We advance all costs, so you never pay anything out of pocket. And we only get paid if we win your case.

Maximizing catastrophic personal injury claims: what your case is really worth

Insurance companies love to throw out lowball settlement offers early in catastrophic injury cases, hoping victims will accept before they understand the true value of their claims. Don't fall for it. A catastrophic injury case is always worth far more than the insurance company's first offer suggests.

The full value of your catastrophic injury claim should include any of the following if they apply. 

Economic damages for quantifiable losses: 

• Past and future medical expenses, including surgeries, hospitalizations, medications, rehabilitation, and ongoing care
• Lost wages from missed work during recovery
• Lost earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous career
• Home modifications and accessibility equipment
• In-home care and assistance with daily living activities
• Transportation costs for medical appointments

Non-economic damages for quality of life impacts:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Mental anguish and emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Disfigurement and physical impairment
• Loss of consortium (impact on spousal relationship)

In rare cases, you may be able to recover punitive damages. When the defendant's conduct was especially reckless or malicious, Texas law allows for punitive damages designed to punish wrongdoing and deter similar conduct.

The insurance company will try to minimize each of these categories. They'll dispute the necessity of future medical treatment. They'll claim you can return to work sooner than your doctors say. They'll argue that your pain and suffering aren't as severe as you claim. Our job is to build an airtight case that documents every loss and fights for every dollar you deserve.

The bigger the injury, the harder they fight. Seek justice with our Houston catastrophic injury lawyers today.

Insurance companies don't become billion-dollar enterprises by paying claims fairly. They become giants by fighting to minimize every payout — and the bigger your claim, the harder they fight. When you're facing a catastrophic injury, you need Houston catastrophic injury lawyers who fight back even harder.

At Thiessen Law Firm, we've built our reputation on taking tough cases and getting results other firms couldn’t achieve. We don't back down from insurance companies. We don't get intimidated by corporate legal teams.

If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury due to someone else's negligence, the giants are already preparing their defense. Don't let them outwork you. Call Thiessen Law Firm at (713) 864-9000 or contact us online today, and put a team that fights giants in your corner.