Milwaukee Catastrophic Injury Lawyers Focused on Maximum Compensation and Care
Catastrophic injuries are life-changing. They can take away independence, alter careers, and create long-term care needs that affect every aspect of a family’s life. At Murphy & Prachthauser, our Milwaukee catastrophic injury lawyers have helped Wisconsin clients navigate these challenges for more than 45 years. We focus on maximum compensation and coordinated care, building cases that account for decades of medical and support needs and preparing for trial from day one.
If you or a loved one suffered a severe injury, you deserve a team that understands the medical, financial, and legal complexities unique to catastrophic cases and knows how to hold insurers and responsible parties fully accountable.
Key Takeaways
Review these essentials before you make decisions about your case.
- Catastrophic injuries involve permanent or long‑term impairments that require projecting future medical and support needs, coordinating multiple insurers or defendants, and applying Wisconsin negligence and damages rules.
- We rapidly preserve evidence, collaborate with physicians and accident, vocational, and economic experts to create a life care plan, and prepare for trial from day one to counter insurance tactics.
- Victims can seek economic and non‑economic damages including lifelong medical care, home and vehicle modifications, lost earnings, and potential punitive damages while our firm offers free consultations, contingency fees, care coordination help, and regular updates.
What qualifies as a catastrophic injury under Wisconsin personal injury law
In Wisconsin, a catastrophic injury generally means a severe harm that causes permanent or long-term impairment. These injuries often limit mobility, cognitive function, or sensory abilities and require ongoing medical care. The result can be a permanent loss of independence or the inability to return to prior work, or any work, creating substantial lifetime costs for the person and their family.
Catastrophic claims differ from typical personal injury cases because they must account for a wider scope of damages over a much longer time horizon. Instead of only proving current medical bills and missed wages, we work with experts to project future surgeries, therapies, medications, assistive technology, home and vehicle modifications, replacement services, and in‑home care. We also document reduced earning capacity and the non‑economic harms that accompany life-altering injuries, such as pain, emotional distress, disability, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Wisconsin negligence rules and the state’s damages framework govern these cases, including the recovery of economic damages (financial losses like medical care and income) and non‑economic damages (human losses). In rare, egregious cases, punitive damages may be available to punish and deter reckless conduct. Because catastrophic cases often involve multiple defendants and insurers and require careful adherence to Wisconsin procedures, early, experienced legal help in Milwaukee can make a meaningful difference in outcomes.
Common causes and types of catastrophic injuries we handle
Catastrophic injuries can arise in many ways. Our team handles cases stemming from car and truck crashes, dangerous or defective products, premises incidents such as falls or building hazards, acts of violence, and medical negligence. When multiple parties share responsibility, we work to identify all potential defendants and insurance coverage.
We see a range of injury patterns that profoundly affect how a person thinks, moves, and lives. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can change cognition, behavior, and mood; spinal cord injuries may cause partial or complete paralysis, affecting breathing, bladder and bowel control, and mobility; and severe burns often require complex surgeries and ongoing care.
Other catastrophic harms include amputations, internal organ damage, and loss of vision or hearing. Each requires a tailored life-care plan that details immediate and long‑term medical and support needs and the resources required to meet them.
- Motor vehicle, motorcycle, and truck crashes, including commercial carrier collisions and rideshare incidents
- Defective or dangerous products, including consumer devices, machinery, and auto components
- Premises incidents such as falls, inadequate security events, or structural failures
- Violence and intentional acts producing severe physical and psychological trauma
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affecting memory, attention, mood, and executive function
- Spinal cord injury causing paraplegia, tetraplegia, or other motor/sensory losses
- Amputation of a limb or digit, with prosthetic and rehabilitation needs
- Severe burns with grafting, infection risks, and long-term scar management
- Loss of vision or hearing and significant internal organ damage
How Murphy & Prachthauser’s Milwaukee Catastrophic Injury Lawyers builds a winning case
From the start, we move to preserve critical evidence: scene photographs and measurements, vehicle black box data, surveillance footage, and recorded witness statements. Early action helps prevent spoliation and gives us leverage when negotiating with insurance companies.
We conduct a comprehensive review of medical records and create a clear timeline of care, from the emergency response through hospitalization and rehabilitation. Understanding every medical detail allows us to connect the injury to the incident and to support the necessity of ongoing treatment and supports.
We collaborate with an expert team, which can include board‑certified physicians, accident reconstruction professionals, vocational experts, and economists so the claim reflects both the science and the real-world impact on work and life. Their input drives the development of a robust life care plan that quantifies decades of anticipated needs.
Finally, we prepare for trial from day one. Insurers track which firms try cases; our trial-ready posture and record of success help counter lowball tactics and push toward full, fair compensation, through settlement or a jury verdict when necessary.
| Core action |
What it involves |
Why it matters |
| Rapid evidence preservation |
Scene photos and measurements, EDR/black box downloads, surveillance, and witness statements |
Protects proof before it’s lost and strengthens liability arguments |
| Medical chronology and records analysis |
Collecting hospital, specialist, therapy, and pharmacy records; building a treatment timeline |
Links injuries to the incident and supports necessity of care |
| Accident reconstruction |
Reconstructing vehicle dynamics, visibility, speeds, and code compliance |
Clarifies fault among multiple parties and rebuts dispute tactics |
| Vocational and economic analysis |
Assessing work restrictions, retraining options, and lifetime earnings impact |
Quantifies reduced earning capacity and replacement services |
| Life care plan |
Physician-supported projections for medications, therapies, equipment, and attendant care |
Translates long-term needs into credible, claim-ready numbers |
| Trial readiness and negotiation strategy |
Early motions practice, targeted discovery, and settlement positioning |
Counters insurance companies’ playbook and maximizes recovery |
Damages in catastrophic injury claims: what full compensation looks like
Full compensation in a catastrophic injury case must cover both immediate and lifelong needs. Medical care often includes emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, and assistive technology such as wheelchairs, communication devices, or home respiratory equipment.
Future costs can be substantial. A well-constructed life care plan may include home and vehicle modifications (ramps, lifts, accessible bathrooms), in‑home or facility‑based attendant care, transportation, specialized therapies, and replacement services like housekeeping or childcare the injured person can no longer perform.
Income losses typically include past missed wages and, crucially, reduced future earning capacity when disabilities limit or eliminate the ability to work. Vocational and economic experts help calculate these losses with realistic assumptions grounded in medical restrictions and local labor markets.
Wisconsin also permits recovery for non-economic damages, which compensate for the human impact of catastrophic injury, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, disability, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. In most personal injury cases, Wisconsin does not impose a cap on non-economic damages. However, caps do apply in specific statutory contexts. For example, non-economic damages in cases are capped under Wisconsin Statute section 893.55, and wrongful death claims are subject to statutory limits under Wisconsin Statute section 895.04.
In rare cases involving intentional, malicious, or egregiously reckless conduct, punitive damages may be available under Wisconsin Statute section 895.043, which allows such damages to punish and deter conduct showing intentional disregard for the rights of others. Punitive damages are not available in ordinary negligence cases and must meet a heightened legal standard.
When a catastrophic injury occurs in Milwaukee, these same state statutes govern damages, including claims involving multiple defendants, insurers, or incidents on private or public property. Our role is to present clear, credible evidence across all categories of damages so insurers, judges, and juries fully understand the lifelong scope of loss and the compensation Wisconsin law allows.
Our client-first approach: access to care and updates without upfront costs
We begin with a free, no‑obligation consultation to learn your story, answer questions, and outline next steps. From there, we keep the focus on your recovery while we handle the legal work.
Our contingency‑fee structure means you owe no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you. We also help coordinate providers and therapy and advise on medical bills and liens so treatment continues while the case progresses.
You will receive regular updates and clear explanations of options at each milestone. We ensure you understand the strategy and timing, and we remain accessible to you and your family throughout.
“You focus on healing, we’ll manage the legal fight, coordinate care, and keep you informed every step of the way.”
Why Milwaukee and Wisconsin rules matter in catastrophic cases
Catastrophic claims are shaped by Wisconsin’s statutes, court procedures, and insurance practices. Acting quickly helps preserve evidence and meet time-sensitive requirements, which may differ for product liability or medical malpractice claims.
Wisconsin’s comparative negligence rules can reduce recovery if fault is shared, so early investigation and expert analysis are crucial to establish responsibility among all parties. Coordination with workers’ compensation or government benefits programs may also be needed to protect eligibility and avoid liens.
Local knowledge matters. Familiarity with Milwaukee courts, medical networks, and insurers can streamline case strategy and improve outcomes while keeping claims compliant with Wisconsin law.
- Know your deadlines: different claims (including product liability and medical malpractice) may have unique timelines and notice requirements.
- Account for comparative negligence: your recovery can be reduced if you are found partially at fault.
- Coordinate benefits: align personal-injury recovery with workers’ compensation, disability, and other government benefits.
- Leverage local insight: Milwaukee venues, insurers, and medical providers shape case expectations and settlement dynamics.
What to do after a catastrophic injury: first steps to protect your claim
Your health comes first. Seek emergency care and follow treatment plans. Early diagnosis and continuity of care support your recovery and help document the connection between the incident and your injuries.
Create a simple system to track everything: photos of injuries, daily symptoms, out‑of‑pocket costs, and all medical records. A recovery journal can capture pain levels, mobility changes, and how the injury affects work and family life.
Be cautious with insurance companies. Avoid recorded statements or broad medical releases before speaking with counsel. Contact experienced catastrophic injury attorneys as soon as possible to protect your rights and preserve evidence.
- Get immediate medical attention and follow all treatment recommendations.
- Document injuries, treatments, and expenses; keep a recovery journal.
- Secure key evidence (photos, names of witnesses) and preserve damaged items.
- Avoid recorded insurer statements and signing releases without counsel.
- Reach out to Murphy & Prachthauser for a free consultation to discuss options.
Murphy & Prachthauser in Milwaukee: experience you can count on
For more than 45 years, Murphy & Prachthauser has represented severely injured clients across Milwaukee and Wisconsin. We are known for life‑care planning in complex cases, meticulous preparation, and a trial‑lawyer posture that compels fair settlements and delivers strong verdicts when necessary.
Our results include multimillion‑dollar outcomes and significant six‑figure recoveries across catastrophic injury categories. If you or a loved one has suffered a life-changing injury, contact us to schedule a free consultation. We will listen, explain your options, and begin protecting your future immediately.