A catastrophic injury can be life-altering. The experienced personal injury attorneys at our Nebraska law firm have dedicated their careers to advocating for victims of these circumstances. As someone who has suffered harm because of someone else's negligence, you deserve effective resources to help you put your life back together. To learn more, please call Copple, Rockey, & Schlecht at 402-371-4300. We have offices in Omaha and Norfolk.
Common Severe Injuries
A personal injury case may involve any type of serious physical harm, such as:
- Brain injury
- Spinal cord trauma
- Injuries to the head, neck and back
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Paralysis
- Other disabling physical trauma
In addition to physical harm, you may also experience emotional trauma, mental anguish and lasting pain. There are usually psychological components to these injuries. In a personal injury case handled by our experienced lawyers, we will seek to recover compensation so that you can access the resources you need in order to heal. We have more than a century of combined experience. We are the premier law firm when you're looking for in-depth research, vast trial experience, and the tenacity to get you the result you deserve.
Types of Personal Injury Cases
A "personal injury" is defined by how it was caused: You may have a case when it was caused by someone else's negligence or carelessness. This negligence could also originate with the actions of a corporation, business or government agency. Rely on our attorneys to investigate your case to determine cause.
The common types of events leading to severe physical injury include:
- Aviation accidents
- Construction site injuries
- Industrial accidents
- Physical injury caused by medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse injuries
- Harm caused by unsafe premises
- Defective and dangerous product injuries
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
There are many other ways such injuries could arise. This list is not exhaustive but includes some of the most common accidents experienced by our clients. Our lawyers also represent families that have lost a family member in a personal injury case that turned into a wrongful death case. Any time that an injury becomes so severe that you lose a loved one, you should seek the help of our attorneys. It can help take the burden off of your family's shoulders.
How Do I Know if I Have a Case?
Personal injury cases share three common elements: one, that the plaintiff suffered an injury; two, that the plaintiff sustained that injury because of someone else’s negligence; and three, that the plaintiff suffered economic losses or other damages as a result.
If you can prove these elements, you have a good chance of winning your lawsuit. However, this can be more complicated than it sounds.
Our attorneys are here to eliminate the guesswork. We will determine if you have an actionable case based on the circumstances surrounding your accident and the laws in our state.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Case?
This depends on the statute of limitations for personal injury cases in your state. In Nebraska, most personal injury cases have a four-year statute of limitations, meaning a four-year time limit for filing a lawsuit. Some rare exceptions may shorten or lengthen this time limit.
It is important to act quickly or else you risk waiving your rights. Pursuing a claim as soon as possible will generally give you the highest chance of success.
What Damages Are Available in a Personal Injury Case?
The primary goal of a typical injury case is to recover monetary compensation on your behalf. Each case is unique, but oftentimes we are pursuing compensation for the following:
- Current and future medical expenses. Serious injuries usually need emergency care, follow-up treatment and, potentially, ongoing treatments in the future. Oftentimes this healthcare is expensive. You need and deserve to be compensated for all related medical costs.
- Loss of income. In addition to days missed while you are healing, some injuries make it impossible to return to your job. Even after a full recovery, you may find that you can't perform your former job duties. Consequently, you are probably losing money. You should be compensated for all lost income caused by your injury.
- Modifications to home and/or vehicle. Certain disabling injuries require assistive equipment or home/vehicle modifications so that you can continue to live a full life. Equipment and modifications can be really expensive. Compensation will pay for them.
- Pain and suffering. Sometimes the costs of an injury aren't measured in dollars and cents. A severe injury may cause lasting, intense physical pain, as well as emotional and psychological suffering. These consequences ought to be compensated fully and fairly.
While no amount of money can undo the fact that the injury occurred, compensation can help you pay for the expenses and losses caused by the injury. In addition, a compensation award often functions as a form of justice and peace of mind for the injury victim. As someone who was injured through no fault of your own, a monetary award validates that you experienced wrongful harm, and that you deserve to be made whole again.
How Much is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
The value of your case will depend on the specific nature of your injuries and the circumstances surrounding your accident. This amount cannot be calculated until our attorneys have investigated your case from top to bottom.
The importance of properly valuing your claim cannot be overstated. Our attorneys will work to determine a full and fair settlement estimate based on all the ways that your injury has impacted, and will continue to impact, your life.
What if I Was Partly at Fault for the Accident?
In most situations, you can still receive compensation for your injuries even though you may have been partially responsible for the accident. Each state has its own laws.
Nebraska has adopted a comparative negligence approach. This means that your damages may be reduced by your percentage of fault. If you were equally negligent as the defendant, you will not be able to recover damages.
What if the Accident Happened on the Job?
If you sustained a personal injury at work or as a result of your job duties, you may have multiple avenues for compensation. You could be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits through your employer. These benefits extend to expenses such as medical bills and lost wages. They can also provide disability coverage.
In some situations, you may have an additional injury claim against a third party. Pursuing a claim may allow you to obtain more compensation than you could get through your benefits.
Do I Need a Personal Injury Attorney?
You already know that once our firm takes your case, we dedicate our staff and resources to seeking the justice that you deserve. But what exactly does that mean? Why should you consider hiring a personal injury attorney in the first place? Here are three reasons:
Insurance company experience. Our attorneys know how to negotiate the claims process. We can assess the viability of your case, and provide insightful advice about how to proceed with an insurer.
Peace of mind. You and your loved ones have enough to worry about after an accident or workplace tragedy without having to negotiate police reports, legal documents, hospital paperwork and the like. Your personal injury attorney can take this paperwork out of your hands so that you can get back to the hard work of healing and restoring your life.
Investigative prowess. It may very well be necessary for an attorney and investigator to dissect the events leading up to your accident, in order to piece together the facts of the case and determine exactly who was responsible. An attorney-led investigation can go a long way toward building a case and ultimately securing the compensation that you deserve.
Find Out How Our Injury Attorneys can Help
The experienced Omaha and Norfolk injury attorney at Copple, Rockey, & Schlecht P.C, L.L.O., are driven by obtaining great results on behalf of our clients. To arrange a consultation with them, please call us at 402-371-4300. We proudly advocate for victims of personal injury who visit us from our cities as well as all of the surrounding Nebraska region, including Lincoln.
