Catastrophic injuries can devastate victims and families, causing profound, debilitating pain while upending lives forever. The physical and psychological impacts of catastrophic injuries are often matched by crippling financial stresses, especially in the face of expensive medical care when victims can no longer earn a living.
Far too often, negligence is to blame for catastrophic injuries. When it is, you can get experienced help recovering and seeking justice from Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers. Backed by more than 20 years of experience, our Ruston catastrophic injury lawyers have vast experience representing people in all types of catastrophic injury cases.
Morris & Dewett has recovered millions for the injured and their families.
What Is a Catastrophic Injury?
Physical injuries caused by trauma or disease are generally categorized as catastrophic injuries when they cause painful, irreversible disabilities. Catastrophic injuries typically impact key aspects of life such as mobility, perception, cognition, memory, and quality of life.
Sometimes, these injuries prevent people from being able to take care of themselves and live independently. In the worst cases, catastrophic injuries cut lives short with deadly complications.
Our Ruston Office
1831 N Trenton St, Ste 2
Ruston, LA 71270
Open 24/7 for injured Ruston residents
Get directions →Traumatic Brain Injury
Blows to the head and violent shaking of the head can damage the brain, causing traumatic brain injury. Whether mild, moderate, or serious, TBIs can be difficult to diagnose in their early stages due to hidden, mild, or generic early symptoms.
Every week in the U.S., TBI complications kill nearly 1,200 people while causing more than 4,300 others to be hospitalized. Even in milder forms like concussions, TBIs can cause lasting damage that accumulates with subsequent injuries. In more severe cases, TBI can interfere with the abilities to communicate, coordinate movement, and control moods.
Spinal Cord Injury
Compressing, tearing, or completely severing the spinal cord can result in spinal cord injury. The severity depends on whether the injury is complete or incomplete, and the precise location of the damage. Every day in the U.S., 49 people are newly diagnosed with a spinal cord injury. The most severe cases are diagnosed as paraplegia, triplegia, tetraplegia, or quadriplegia.
What We Handle
Ruston Practice Areas
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Car Accidents Rear-end, intersection, and highway collisions across Louisiana. -
Truck Accidents 18-wheeler and commercial-vehicle wrecks governed by federal trucking rules. -
Motorcycle Accidents Serious-injury motorcycle crashes where bias against riders is common. -
Bus Accidents Transit, school, and charter-bus crashes involving public and private carriers. -
Slip & Fall Falls caused by wet floors, poor maintenance, and hidden hazards. -
Catastrophic Injury Brain, spinal-cord, amputation, and severe-burn injuries that change a life. -
Brain Injury Traumatic brain injuries with long-term cognitive and physical effects. -
Burn Injury Severe burns from fires, explosions, chemicals, and electrical contact. -
Wrongful Death Claims brought by families after a fatal accident or act of negligence. -
Construction Accidents Falls, struck-by, and equipment injuries on the job site. -
Offshore Accidents Rig, platform, and vessel injuries beyond the shoreline. -
Workers' Compensation On-the-job injuries and the benefits owed to injured workers.
Other Physical Injuries
Brain and spinal cord damage are just two types of life-altering injuries that negligence can cause. Others include vision and hearing loss, loss of limbs, burn injuries, disfigurement and scarring, internal organ damage, and severe bone fractures.
What Causes Most Catastrophic Injuries?
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Traffic collisions are one of the top causes of catastrophic injuries. Driver negligence, high speeds, vulnerable victims such as pedestrians and motorcyclists, and catastrophic crash types such as rollovers and underride crashes all contribute.
Dangerous and Defective Products
When manufacturers cut corners or fail to test the safety of their products, dangerous items can end up in consumers’ homes and hands. Companies that design, manufacture, market, or distribute unsafe products can be liable for the harm they cause.
Unsafe Premises
Property owners, landlords, and others who fail to maintain safe premises can be liable for catastrophic injuries that occur on their properties. Risk factors include insufficient lighting, broken elevators and stairs, slippery or uneven flooring, defective skylights, and failures to provide sufficient security.
Work Accidents
The most dangerous jobs expose workers to perilous environments where one mistake can cause catastrophic injury or death. From industrial equipment and hazardous substances to high elevations and long hours, on-the-job dangers vary by profession. Whenever work accidents cause catastrophic injuries, it is crucial to investigate whether third-party negligence was involved.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; each case is decided on its own facts. See our full case results.
Who Can I Sue After a Catastrophic Injury?
You may be able to sue all of the parties at fault for your accident and injuries. Liability can be complex, with several parties potentially sharing fault. Louisiana law provides two years to file catastrophic injury claims (for injuries on or after July 1, 2024; earlier injuries fall under the prior one-year period), though the starting point for that timeframe can vary depending on when injuries were diagnosed.
Your Ruston Injury Attorneys
Founding partners Trey Morris and Justin Dewett lead every Ruston injury case Morris & Dewett takes.
When Should I Talk to a Ruston Catastrophic Injury Lawyer?
Talk to an attorney as soon as you can. Insurance companies and others may already be working to build a defense against claims of liability. You also have limited time to file a claim, and the chances of losing key evidence increase the longer you wait.
What Happens After I File a Catastrophic Injury Claim?
At least one insurance company will likely be involved at some point. Insurers are not your partner or advocate; they are typically working against you. Most catastrophic injury claims settle outside of court rather than going to trial.
What clients say
- ★★★★★
Morris & Dewett does things the right way!
They put their clients first in measurable and impactful ways.
- ★★★★★
Trey morris, Joe Odom the attorneys and Jaime the case manager are all great!
Ruston has a phenomenal team.
- ★★★★★
I hired Morris and Dewett back in November of 2025.
They helped me get through my hard times of being off work, stress, and worry. Anytime I had a question I could call and they always had an answer. Very nice and professtional people. Thank you Morris and Dewett for making this an easy process for me and my family.
- ★★★★★
Morris and Dewett and their team of attorneys and staff go above and beyond.
They always were there to support me and answer all my questions after a shoulder injury that included multiple surgeries. They are caring and compassionate and that goes a long way! Highly recommended!
- ★★★★★
Thanks Morris and Dewett for the excellent work you have done on my behalf.
I want to personally thank Sarah for her kindness.
- ★★★★★
First time being injured and needing a lawyer they where very helpful.
They answered my questions Id have very well. Highly recommend them.
Reviews reflect individual client experiences. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
What Damages Are Included in Catastrophic Injury Compensation?
Most catastrophic injury claims cover medical bills past and future, lost earning capacity, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium.