Catastrophic injuries are the most severe injuries imaginable. They often permanently impact a person’s quality of life and lead to expensive, ongoing medical care. When these injuries are caused by negligence, the injury victim should take every measure to ensure they get the compensation they’re entitled to.
The New Orleans catastrophic injury lawyers at Dudley DeBosier have years of experience helping people get the compensation and resources they need to get their lives back after a catastrophic injury. Though some injuries can’t never be completely healed, an injury claim can provide victims and their families a lifeline that saves them from financial ruin.
If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury in New Orleans or anywhere in Louisiana, Dudley DeBosier is here to help.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
What Is a Catastrophic Injury?
Catastrophic injuries are intense, life-altering injuries that usually result in physical, emotional, and financial challenges. These injuries significantly disrupt the core functionality of the injured person’s body, often resulting in permanent disability, chronic medical conditions, or a shortened lifespan.
Catastrophic injuries include:
- Traumatic Brain injuries
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Paralysis
- Amputations or Loss of Limbs
- Blindness
- Severe Burns
- Disfigurement
The consequences of catastrophic injuries go beyond immediate physical suffering and typically include profound impacts on mental health, the ability to earn a living, and the overall quality of life for the individuals affected—as well as their loved ones.
It’s important to always be aware of the possibility of suffering a serious and catastrophic injury, whether you’re a New Orleans resident or just visiting the city. The City of New Orleans published a Visitor Safety Statement in June 2025 to help everyone who spends time in the city reduce their risks. This information can be helpful for locals and tourists alike during their time in our city.
Types of Accidents
Catastrophic injuries can occur due to many different incidents and scenarios, and auto accidents are among the most common cause. Below are some of the crash types that can result in catastrophic harm to drivers and their passengers:
- Wrong-Way Accidents: Wrong-way collisions occur when a driver travels in the opposite direction of traffic on one-way streets or highway ramps. These crashes typically result in head-on impacts at high speeds, causing devastating injuries or fatalities.
- Multi-Vehicle Accidents: Also known as pileups, multi-vehicle accidents involve three or more vehicles. The chain reaction of impacts can trap victims, delay emergency response, and multiply the forces involved. These factors can lead to extensive injuries such as crush injuries or multiple fractures.
- Head-On Collisions: These accidents happen when two vehicles collide front-to-front, usually due to crossing the center line or driving the wrong way. The force of a head-on impact is doubled and frequently causes traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding, or death.
- Rear-End Collisions: A rear-end collision occurs when one vehicle strikes the back of another. While some may be minor, high-speed rear-end crashes can cause whiplash, spinal cord trauma, or brain injuries, especially if the victim’s vehicle is pushed into another object.
- Rollover Accidents: Rollover crashes involve a vehicle tipping onto its side or roof. They are particularly dangerous for occupants, who may be ejected or crushed during the rollover. These accidents often result in spinal injuries, brain trauma, or fatalities.
- Failure to Yield Accidents: Drivers who fail to yield the right of way at intersections, during merges, or when making turns can cause sudden and unexpected collisions. These accidents frequently involve side impacts or pedestrian strikes, which can lead to catastrophic injuries like broken pelvises, spinal damage, or head trauma.
- Distracted Driving Accidents: Distractions such as texting, eating, or using a GPS while driving impair a motorist’s reaction time. Distracted drivers often speed or improperly judge the distance between vehicles, resulting in serious injuries to innocent victims.
In addition to seeking immediate medical treatment after a catastrophic injury, it’s also important to get an official record of how and when your injury occurred. If your catastrophic injury occurred in a motor vehicle crash, you can request a copy of the accident report from the New Orleans Police Department.
Local Emergency Responders Who Handle Catastrophic Injury Accidents
When a catastrophic injury occurs in New Orleans, whether from a truck accident, industrial incident, or other serious event, multiple emergency response agencies may be dispatched to provide rapid assistance. These units work together to secure the scene, provide medical care, and investigate the cause of the incident.
- New Orleans Police Department (NOPD)
NOPD officers are usually the first on the scene. They secure the area, direct traffic, gather witness statements, and create official accident reports that are critical for future legal claims. - New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
EMS teams provide life-saving care at the scene and transport seriously injured victims to nearby trauma centers. Their fast response and advanced medical support are vital in catastrophic injury cases. - New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD)
Firefighters are often called when there’s a risk of vehicle fires, hazardous material spills, or if victims need to be extracted from wreckage using specialized equipment (for example, the “Jaws of Life”). - Louisiana State Urban Search and Rescue Units
In particularly severe cases, such as multi-vehicle pileups, building collapses, or complex extrications, specialized search and rescue teams may be deployed to assist in recovering trapped individuals. - Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Teams
If the accident involves chemical spills, fuel leaks, or other dangerous substances, HAZMAT teams are called to contain the hazard and prevent further injuries. - Louisiana State Police
For incidents on interstates, highways, or those involving commercial vehicles, the Louisiana State Police may also respond to manage the scene and conduct investigations related to trucking regulations.
The Costs of Catastrophic Injuries
The lifetime costs of catastrophic injuries can be staggering and vary widely depending on the nature and severity of the injury, the age at which the individual is injured, and the victim’s geographical location (due to differences in healthcare costs locally).
These costs include immediate and ongoing expenses for medical care, rehabilitation, specialized equipment, home and vehicle modifications necessary in cases of permanent disability, and personal care assistance. The victim’s loss of income and earning capacity is another financial blow.
Here’s a breakdown to provide a clearer picture:
- Medical Expenses: These can include initial hospitalization, surgeries, ongoing medical care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other rehabilitation services, which can accumulate into millions of dollars over a lifetime.
- Specialized Equipment and Home Modifications: Wheelchairs, prosthetics, home modifications like ramps and stairlifts, and adapted vehicles are often necessary for mobility and independence. These require a significant investment, both initially and over time as needs and technologies evolve.
- Long-Term Personal Care and Assistance: Some catastrophic injuries may require full-time personal care assistance for victims to be able to perform daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating.
- Loss of Income and Earning Capacity: The inability to work or the limitation in the type of work an individual can perform post-injury leads to a significant loss of income and benefits, including lost career opportunities and retirement savings.
- Psychological Support: This can include counseling and mental health support for both the individual and their family members to cope with the emotional and psychological impacts of the injury.
- Miscellaneous Costs: There are also additional costs that might not be immediately apparent, including increased transportation expenses, specialized educational needs, and higher insurance premiums.
In many cases, the direct costs of a catastrophic injury can be millions of dollars. That doesn’t include the pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life associated with catastrophic injuries.
Seeking Damages Through Personal Injury Claims
Because the damages can be so costly, it’s important for people suffering from catastrophic injuries to consider all available options to help cover their expenses. If the injury was caused by another person’s negligence, the victim has a right to pursue compensation through personal injury claims.
In an injury claim, victims can seek payment for all the costs listed above. Working with an experienced injury lawyer is essential, as they can ensure all costs are factored into a claim. That’s important because once you accept an offer from an insurance company, you are typically limited to just that amount.
If you’ve been injured, you should know your rights. Insurance companies very rarely make offers to injured people that cover the full costs of their injuries. You DO NOT have to accept an insurance company’s first offer, and it’s typically not in your best interest to do so.
Before you accept an offer, speak to a lawyer who has a track record of handling catastrophic injuries. They can evaluate your case, review the insurer’s offer, and advise you on the steps needed to maximize your compensation.
How Our New Orleans Catastrophic Injury Lawyers Can Help
At Dudley DeBosier, we’ve helped tens of thousands of clients, recovering over $1.2 billion for them in the process. Although past results do not guarantee future outcomes, our clients’ stories highlight our commitment to the people we represent. Our team understands the life-changing consequences of catastrophic injuries, and we fight to make sure our clients get the compensation they truly deserve.
Our goal is to let our clients focus on their health and recovery while we do the work of building a case on their behalf. That means we handle the paperwork, correspondence with insurance companies, conducting research, consulting expert witnesses, and demonstrating the full extent of our clients’ injuries.
When you hire Dudley DeBosier, you won’t pay us anything upfront. Our fees are contingent on the outcome of your case so you can focus on your recovery while we pursue compensation for you. Also, our consultations are free, and you are under no obligation to move forward with our firm after speaking to one of our lawyers if you don’t wish to do so.
Contact Dudley DeBosier for a Free Consultation
The New Orleans catastrophic injury lawyers at Dudley DeBosier are proud to fight for injured people in our community. If you or a loved one has suffered serious, life-altering injuries, you need an advocate on your side. Contact our team today to schedule your free consultation.
