Portland Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

Helping Catastrophic Injury Victims in Portland and Throughout Oregon

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A catastrophic injury can change every aspect of your life in an instant. Severe injuries often leave victims facing extensive medical treatment, long-term rehabilitation, permanent disabilities, and financial uncertainty. When another party’s negligence causes these life-altering injuries, victims may have the right to pursue compensation for their medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and future care needs.

At Johnston Law Firm, we represent catastrophic injury victims throughout Portland and Oregon on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay no upfront legal fees, and we only get paid if we recover compensation for you. Our Portland catastrophic injury lawyers are prepared to guide you through every stage of the claims process, aggressively advocating for your best interests, while you focus on recovery.

Contact Johnston Law Firm today at 503-546-3167 for a free consultation and learn more about your legal options.

Why Choose Johnston Law Firm for Help With Your Portland Catastrophic Injury Claim?

Catastrophic injury claims often involve complex legal issues, extensive damages, and aggressive insurance companies. Choosing the right attorney can make a meaningful difference in the outcome of your case and your future financial stability.

At Johnston Law Firm, clients turn to our legal team because:

• We have extensive experience handling serious personal injury and catastrophic injury cases throughout Oregon.
• We provide direct communication and personalized attention during every stage of the legal process.
• Our firm works with medical experts, accident reconstruction specialists, and financial professionals to strengthen complex claims.
• Clients pay no upfront legal fees because we handle catastrophic injury cases on a contingency fee basis.
• We aggressively negotiate with insurance companies while remaining fully prepared to take cases to trial when necessary.
• We are committed to helping injured victims and their families pursue long-term financial security after devastating accidents.

A catastrophic injury can leave victims and families facing uncertainty, stress, and major life adjustments. Johnston Law Firm is committed to helping clients navigate these difficult situations with compassionate guidance, responsive communication, and determined legal advocacy.

When Is an Injury Considered Catastrophic?

A personal injury is legally considered catastrophic when it causes long-term or permanent impairments that significantly affect a person’s quality of life, ability to work, or independence. Catastrophic injuries often involve severe damage to the brain, spinal cord, nervous system, or other vital bodily functions.

Some examples of catastrophic injuries include:

• Spinal cord injuries;
• Traumatic brain injuries;
• Skull fractures;
• Spinal fractures;
• Severe burns;
• Amputations.

Any of the above injuries can lead to catastrophic injury claims or wrongful death claims and may permanently alter the lives of accident victims and their families. Victims of car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, workplace accidents, and other serious incidents are often left facing paralysis, chronic pain, cognitive impairments, or other debilitating conditions. A catastrophic injury lawyer can help reduce the financial burden associated with ongoing medical expenses, rehabilitation, and lost wages.

Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries in Portland and Oregon

Catastrophic injuries can result from many different types of accidents, particularly when negligence is involved. Some of the most common causes of catastrophic injuries include:

• Car accidents;
• Truck accidents;
• Motorcycle accidents;
• Electrical accidents;
• Medical malpractice;
• Animal attacks;
• Fire accidents;
• Workplace accidents;
• Dangerous drugs;
• Slip and fall accidents;
• Defective products;
• Construction accidents.

At Johnston Law Firm, we represent victims injured in a wide range of catastrophic accident cases throughout Portland and Oregon. Our legal team has the experience and resources necessary to pursue complex catastrophic injury claims against negligent individuals, businesses, and insurance companies. Under Oregon’s comparative negligence statute, ORS 31.600, injured victims may still recover compensation if they were partially at fault for the accident, so long as they are not found more than 50% responsible.

Treatment for Catastrophic Injuries

Treatment for catastrophic injuries can be physically, emotionally, and financially exhausting. Many victims discover that their lives revolve around ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care after a serious accident.

Some common treatments and expenses associated with catastrophic injuries include:

• Ambulance transportation;
• Emergency trauma care;
• Intensive care unit (ICU) treatment;
• Hospital admissions and extended stays;
• Surgeries and multiple procedures;
• Wheelchairs and prosthetic devices;
• Physical therapy;
• Occupational therapy;
• Home healthcare services;
• Assisted living care;
• Ongoing pain management;
• Prescription medications.

The cost of treatment can quickly reach hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars over a victim’s lifetime. Catastrophic injuries also frequently prevent victims from returning to work, resulting in significant lost wages and diminished earning capacity.

Beyond the financial impact, catastrophic injuries can cause emotional trauma, loss of independence, reduced quality of life, and psychological suffering for both victims and their families.

You Can Receive Full Compensation for Your Injuries!

Because catastrophic injuries often cause lifelong impairments, many victims may be entitled to substantial financial compensation. Once future medical costs, rehabilitation expenses, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and long-term care needs are considered, catastrophic injury claims may involve significant settlements or verdicts.

Unfortunately, recovering full compensation is not always straightforward. Some negligent parties may carry only minimal insurance coverage or lack sufficient assets to fully compensate victims. For example, Oregon drivers are required to carry minimum liability insurance coverage under ORS 806.070, though those minimum limits are often insufficient to fully compensate catastrophic injury victims.

At Johnston Law Firm, we carefully investigate every case to identify all possible sources of compensation. Depending on the circumstances, additional liable parties may include:

• Employers;
• Commercial insurance providers;
• Homeowners’ insurance carriers;
• Underinsured motorist coverage providers;
• Product manufacturers;
• Business liability insurers.

Identifying additional defendants and insurance policies can significantly increase the compensation available to catastrophic injury victims.

Your Rights as a Victim of a Catastrophic Injury in Oregon

If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic injury because of another party’s negligence or misconduct, Oregon law may provide you with important legal rights. Catastrophic injury victims may be entitled to pursue compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.

As a victim, you may have the right to:

• Seek compensation for medical expenses;
• Recover lost wages and future earning capacity;
• Pursue damages for pain and suffering;
• Seek compensation for emotional distress;
• Recover damages for permanent disability or disfigurement;
• Hold negligent parties legally accountable;
• Pursue wrongful death damages on behalf of a loved one;
• File a personal injury lawsuit within Oregon’s legal deadlines.

Successfully pursuing a catastrophic injury claim often requires extensive evidence, expert testimony, and detailed calculations regarding future losses. Medical experts, vocational specialists, economists, and life-care planners may all play important roles in establishing the value of your claim.

At Johnston Law Firm, our Portland catastrophic injury lawyers work closely with trusted experts to build strong claims for injured victims and their families. Under Oregon’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims, ORS 12.110, victims generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. Missing this deadline could prevent you from recovering compensation.

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