Illinois Catastrophic Injury Lawyers
What is a Catastrophic Injury?
Serious or catastrophic injuries are injuries from which patients may never fully recover. These injuries can affect every aspect of your life, leave you without the ability to support yourself or your family, and cause you to lose your personal independence, emotional stability, and the joy of participating fully in life.
Catastrophic injuries affect not only the injured individual but his or her family as well, as they are often required to provide caregiving support. At Sam C. Mitchell & Associates, we understand the far-reaching effects of catastrophic injuries.
For over 50 years, our firm has been helping people throughout Southern and Central Illinois, and we have seen firsthand the devastation catastrophic injuries can cause. Our firm is committed to providing the best possible legal representation—we will fight fiercely and tenaciously to help you get the compensation you need and deserve in the wake of a catastrophic accident.
Contact Sam C. Mitchell & Associates at (618) 505-1660 for a free consultation with one of our Illinois catastrophic injury lawyers.
Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries can occur as a result any type of fault-based accident or incident, including but not limited to:
- Auto accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Trucking accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Defective and/or dangerous products
- Negligent security resulting in criminal attacks
- Birth injuries
- Swimming pool accidents
In all of these cases, if another party or entity engaged in negligence or wrongdoing, you may be entitled to compensation for all of your damages and losses. These can include all of your medical expenses related to the injury both past and future, such as for future surgeries and other future long-term medical care, rehabilitative treatment, physical therapy, medical equipment, prescriptions, and more.
You may also get compensation for home and vehicle renovations required to accommodate you, as well as for personal assistance in accomplishing daily tasks. Additional compensation can also be sought for pain and suffering, any property damage you may have suffered in the accident, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional anguish.
Common Types of Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries can range from traumatic brain injury to spinal cord injuries, loss of limbs, blindness, permanent disfigurement, severe burns, organ damage, and more. Partial recovery may be possible in some cases while in others permanent disability will leave the individual’s life completely altered.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are among the most serious of all injuries. These occur when a blow to or severing of the spine occurs. They result in the loss of sensation below the affected area. How severe that loss may be will be a result of how deeply the spinal cord was injured. In cases where the spinal cord is severed, the individual will likely be paralyzed from that point down the body.
This can result in either paraplegia, which is paralysis of the trunk and/or legs, or quadriplegia, which is paralysis from the neck down. These types of paralysis will result in loss of bodily functions, such as kidney, bowel, and sexual function. In most cases, the victim will require personal assistance for accomplishing daily tasks and may also suffer from PTSD, depression, and other emotional problems.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
A traumatic brain injury occurs when a serious blow to the head occurs. This usually results in swelling and/or bleeding in the brain, a condition which needs immediate medical care so as to prevent death or further deterioration of brain function. These types of injuries have a broad range of severity depending on the circumstances of the impact to the brain.
Those who sustain the most serious blows may spend months in a coma. The effects of a traumatic brain injury can include physical, emotional, and cognitive disabilities, ranging from loss of motor skills to personality changes, memory loss, irritation, inability to concentrate, persistent headaches, and more.
An Experienced Legal Team You Can Trust
When faced with the effects of a catastrophic personal injury, you need a legal team that you can trust in your corner as soon as possible. Securing all of the compensation you will need throughout the coming months or years of your life is critical. Our Illinois catastrophic injury attorneys have demonstrated their competence, integrity, and persistence; we have recovered more than $200 million for our clients.
Reach out to us at (618) 505-1660 or contact us online for a free consultation.


Why You Can Trust Us
The Right Firm Can Make the Difference-
Free Initial Case Evaluations
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You Pay Nothing Unless We Win
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Over 3,700 Cases Handled
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Committed to Integrity Above All Else
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Over $200 Million Recovered for Our Clients
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Over a Century of Combined Legal Experience

Case Results
Over $200 Million Recovered for Our Clients-
Workers' Compensation $57,000
A nurse was injured while working suffering a massive tear to her rotator cuff.
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Trucking Accident $2,500,000
Trucking accident which results in permanent injury to the client.
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Burn Victim $24,000,000
House explosion involving a gas leak causing serious and permanent injuries to the occupants.
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Slip & Fall $1,050,000
Woman slipped and fell over a parking block at a local restaurant in Nashville, IL. She was left with a broken hip and a long recovery.
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Nursing Home Neglect $300,000
An elderly woman who broke her leg due to a nursing home’s negligent care.
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Auto Product Liability Confidential
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Pedestrian Accident $650,000
Client was struck on the head by a tree branch being cut by the defendant, leaving our client unconscious. He suffered a severe brain injury as a result.
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Workers' Compensation $100,000
A woman from Galatia suffered a tear to her Achilles tendon while she was working that required surgery.
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Auto Accident $45,000
A West Frankfort, IL woman was involved in a collision on Interstate 57 that caused her vehicle to flip.
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Auto Accident $125,000
A Mt. Vernon man was traveling on Route 15 when another vehicle pulled out in front of them. Our client suffered injuries to his neck, shoulder, and back.


Client Testimonials
Hear From People We've Helped-
“The sincerity that he showed is what separates Mr. Dihle from others I have interacted with. I would certainly recommend him to anyone looking for a sharp, knowledgeable lawyer who gets the best for his client.”
- Nathan -
“Sam C. Mitchell & Associates handled my case fairly and professionally I was able to put the worry of the legalities and paperwork aside and focus on my rehabilitation after my accident.”
- Sally -
“My wife and I hired Mr. Dihle in an accident claim. He has proved very well versed in the law concerning the claim. He and his aid we're always pleasant and helpful in explaining what could and could not be done.”
- Cathy -
“Bill explained everything to me and kept me notified of how my case was preceding. Attorney Bill Alexander was very friendly and made my very comfortable.”
- Keith -
“They fight for their clients and their rights with passion. Their competitive nature gives them an advantage no one can compare to. On top of all of this, they give back.”
- Iris