Fort Worth catastrophic injury lawyers at Stephens Law help victims and families pursue compensation after devastating, life-changing injuries caused by negligence.
These injuries can require ongoing medical care and leave victims facing permanent disabilities, reduced earning ability, and lasting physical, emotional, and financial hardships.
Attorney Jason Stephens and his team represent catastrophic injury victims throughout Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and North Texas. We provide personalized legal support and dedicated representation every step of the way.
If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic injury, Stephens Law offers free consultations 24/7. Call (817) 420-7000 to speak with a Fort Worth catastrophic injury lawyer today.
How We Help Families After a Catastrophic Injury in Fort Worth
At Stephens Law, we intentionally limit the number of cases we accept so we can provide every client with direct attention and personalized representation.
Our team works closely with families throughout every stage of the legal process, and attorney Jason Stephens remains actively involved in each case.
That client-focused approach has helped our firm recover more than $300 million for injured clients after fees and expenses, including multi-million-dollar results in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases across Texas. We also help families file a wrongful death claim when the negligence of another person or company results in the loss of a loved one.
Every case is different, and settlements or verdicts depend on the unique facts and legal circumstances involved.
A Track Record Built in the Courtroom
For nearly three decades, our firm has focused on serious personal injury and wrongful death litigation. Jason Stephens is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an honor extended to fewer than 1% of trial lawyers nationwide.
Stephens Law has also earned recognition through Jason Stephens’ inclusion among the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Texas by Thomson Reuters, along with a 10.0 Avvo rating.
What Happens When You Call
When you contact our firm, you will communicate directly with the legal team handling your case. We take the time to review the details of your injury, explain your legal options in straightforward terms, and develop a strategy tailored to your family’s specific needs and goals.
What Makes an Injury Catastrophic Under Texas Law?
A catastrophic injury causes permanent damage to a major part of the body, greatly affects your ability to work, and often requires ongoing or lifelong medical care. Texas courts consider how severe and lasting the injury is when determining its catastrophic injury classification and whether it qualifies for enhanced consideration in a legal claim.
These injuries go far beyond a broken bone or a short hospital stay. In Texas personal injury litigation, injuries commonly considered catastrophic include:
- Spinal cord injuries resulting in full or partial paralysis, meaning the loss of movement or feeling in parts of the body
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that affect memory, behavior, or motor function
- Severe burn injuries requiring skin grafts and long-term wound care
- Amputations or crush injuries that permanently limit mobility
- Organ damage requiring transplant or ongoing medical management
Each of these injury types demands a different approach to proving damages. A TBI case, for example, often requires neuropsychological testing, which measures how the brain processes information after the injury.
Spinal cord cases involve life-care planning that maps out decades of future medical needs.
What Causes Catastrophic Injuries in the Fort Worth Area?
Truck accidents, car crashes, and construction site incidents are among the most common causes of catastrophic injuries in the Fort Worth area.
The city sits at the crossroads of Interstate 35W, Interstate 30, and Loop 820, where heavy commercial truck traffic mixes with passenger vehicles daily.
Commercial Truck and Motor Vehicle Crashes
Collisions involving 18-wheelers on I-35W and I-30 produce some of the most severe injuries in Tarrant County because of the size and weight difference between commercial trucks and passenger cars.
High-speed car accidents on Loop 820 and Highway 287 also result in catastrophic harm, particularly at busy intersections. Motorcycle riders face serious risk even at moderate speeds, as they have far less protection than occupants of enclosed vehicles.
Workplace and Construction Accidents
Fort Worth’s continued growth has brought a surge in construction activity, from downtown development to expanding suburban areas.
Falls from scaffolding, equipment failures, and trench collapses leave workers with permanent injuries when contractors fail to follow safety standards.
Whatever the cause, the at-fault party and their insurer have a financial incentive to pay as little as possible, making experienced legal representation especially valuable in complex catastrophic injury cases.
How Much Do Catastrophic Injuries Cost Over a Lifetime?
Lifetime costs for a catastrophic injury regularly reach into the millions of dollars.
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation reports that first-year medical expenses for a spinal cord injury alone may exceed $1 million, with total lifetime costs climbing far higher depending on severity and the injured person’s age.
A thorough catastrophic injury claim in Texas accounts for every category of loss, both economic and non-economic. Common categories include:
- Medical expenses such as hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, medications, and assistive devices
- In-home nursing care and professional caregiving
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity over the course of a full career
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Non-economic damages, meaning losses without a specific dollar amount, such as pain and suffering, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, and loss of companionship
The gap between what an insurance company offers early on and what a claim is actually worth is often enormous in catastrophic injury cases. A detailed damages calculation built with medical and financial professionals is what closes that gap.
If you are facing these kinds of long-term costs after a catastrophic injury in Fort Worth or anywhere in Tarrant County, call Stephens Law at (817) 420-7000 for a free case review.
How Does Texas Law Affect Your Catastrophic Injury Claim?
Texas uses a modified comparative fault system, which means a jury assigns a percentage of responsibility to each party involved in the accident.
Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 33, you may still recover compensation as long as your share of fault does not exceed 50%, but your total recovery is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. Texas law may differ from the laws of other states.
Filing Deadlines You Need to Know
Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, you generally have two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit.
This deadline is called the statute of limitations. Missing it almost always bars your claim entirely, regardless of how strong your case may be.
Texas law does recognize a small number of exceptions to the two-year rule:
- If the injured person is a minor (under 18), the deadline does not begin running until they turn 18, giving them until age 20 to file.
- For those who lack mental capacity at the time of the injury, the filing deadline may be paused, a legal concept called tolling, until capacity is restored.
- The discovery rule may extend the deadline when the full extent of an injury is not immediately known, as sometimes happens with traumatic brain injuries or toxic exposure.
These exceptions have strict requirements and narrow application. Speaking with a Fort Worth catastrophic injury lawyer as soon as possible protects your ability to take legal action before time runs out.
What Does the Legal Process Look Like for a Catastrophic Injury Case?
A catastrophic injury case in Texas typically moves through four phases: investigation, medical documentation, negotiation, and, if needed, trial. The timeline depends on the complexity of your injuries and the number of parties involved.
Investigation and Evidence Preservation
Your legal team works to preserve physical evidence from the accident scene, collect medical records, obtain witness statements, and, when necessary, retain accident reconstruction professionals. Early legal guidance helps preserve evidence and protect your claim.
Medical Treatment and Life-Care Planning
While you focus on recovery, your attorney documents your ongoing treatment and works with medical professionals to build a life-care plan.
A life-care plan is a detailed document that outlines every category of care you are expected to need for the rest of your life, from surgeries and therapy to assistive devices and personal care. This plan forms the backbone of your damages calculation.
Negotiation and Trial
Once your medical condition stabilizes and your damages are fully documented, your attorney presents a demand to the insurance company that reflects the true scope of your losses. A Fort Worth personal injury lawyer can help ensure that the demand package accurately accounts for both current and future damages before negotiations begin.
If the insurer refuses to offer reasonable compensation, Stephens Law prepares to take the case before a Tarrant County jury.
Ask Stephens Law
Do I need a lawyer for a catastrophic injury in Fort Worth?
Catastrophic injury claims involve projected lifetime costs, multiple categories of damages, and aggressive insurance defense tactics.
A Fort Worth catastrophic injury lawyer builds the evidence needed to pursue compensation and handles all communication with insurers on your behalf, allowing you to focus on recovery.
What if I am partly at fault for the accident that caused my injury?
You may still recover damages under Texas law as long as your share of responsibility does not exceed 50%. Your total recovery is reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to you under the modified comparative fault system.
How much does it cost to hire a catastrophic injury attorney at Stephens Law?
At Stephens Law, we handle catastrophic injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no upfront costs or legal fees. We only collect a fee if we recover compensation on your behalf. If we do not recover compensation for you, you owe no attorney’s fees.
FAQs for Fort Worth Catastrophic Injury Lawyers
What types of compensation might I recover after a catastrophic injury in Texas?
You may be able to recover both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical expenses, future treatment costs, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity.
Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, and loss of companionship. The specific categories available depend on the facts and evidence in your case.
How do insurance companies handle catastrophic injury claims differently?
Insurance companies often assign specialized defense teams to catastrophic injury cases because the financial exposure is significantly higher than in standard claims.
Adjusters may dispute whether your injuries are permanent, arrange repeated medical examinations with doctors they select, or push early settlement offers that fall far short of your actual losses.
An attorney with trial experience strengthens your position during these negotiations.
What if the at-fault party does not have enough insurance to cover my damages?
Catastrophic injuries often exceed standard policy limits, but additional sources of recovery may exist.
Your attorney may pursue underinsured motorist coverage on your own auto policy, employer liability in workplace injury cases, product liability claims against manufacturers of defective equipment, or claims against property owners for unsafe conditions.
Multiple parties may share responsibility for a single accident, and identifying every available source of recovery is a central part of building a catastrophic injury case.
What is the difference between a catastrophic injury claim and a workers’ compensation claim?
Workers’ compensation provides no-fault benefits for medical bills and a portion of lost wages, but it does not cover pain and suffering damages or the full scope of your financial losses.
A catastrophic injury lawsuit, also known as a third-party claim, allows you to seek compensation from a negligent party other than your employer, such as a reckless driver or a manufacturer of faulty equipment. You may be able to pursue both types of claims at the same time.
Do I have to go to court for a catastrophic injury claim in Fort Worth?
Most catastrophic injury cases settle through negotiation before reaching trial. However, thorough trial preparation is what gives your attorney leverage during settlement talks.
Insurance companies tend to engage more seriously when the opposing attorney has courtroom experience. If the insurer refuses to make a reasonable offer, taking the case to a Tarrant County jury remains an option.
Take Action With a Fort Worth Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Today
Your family’s financial future may depend on the decisions you make right now. Early legal guidance helps preserve evidence and protect your claim while your family focuses on what matters most.
Stephens Law represents catastrophic injury victims throughout Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and North Texas with direct attorney involvement and a trial-focused approach.
We work closely with every client and prepare each case with careful attention to the lasting physical, emotional, and financial impact a catastrophic injury can have on both the victim and their family.
If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic injury caused by someone else’s negligence, call Stephens Law at (817) 420-7000 for a free consultation.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Fort Worth, TX
Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents – Fort Worth Office
1300 S University Dr #300
Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
Phone:
(817) 420 7000
Open 24 hours
