For the last 37 years, Snyder & Wenner has worked hard to protect members of our community. Today, Howard Snyder, David Wenner, and Brian Snyder still work tirelessly to ensure that every client is fully taken care of and receives the best settlement or trial verdict possible. Snyder & Wenner only handles catastrophic injury and wrongful death personal injury cases in the greater Phoenix area (including Scottsdale, Avondale, Paradise Valley, Mesa, Glendale, Anthem, and other surrounding cities). So what is a “catastrophic injury,” and what areas of personal injury does Snyder & Wenner focus its practice on?
What are “catastrophic injuries”?
“Catastrophic injuries,” are those that severely and permanently affect a person’s life. It is important to understand, though, that this does not mean that someone with a sprained ankle does not have a legitimate injury that is bothersome. Instead, it simply means that the injuries do not resolve and will continue to affect the person for the foreseeable future (or permanently). Snyder & Wenner focuses only on catastrophic personal injury cases because those victims have injuries that will require extensive care and treatment. When that happens, the medical bills can become overwhelming, which can send many people into bankruptcy. Every injured person deserves the very best legal services, but those who have suffered catastrophic injuries particularly need experienced, successful, well-versed attorneys because their injuries are not as simple as, “I was rear-ended in a car crash, I hurt my neck.” Many injuries, such as brain injuries, foot drop, spinal injuries, and neurologic injuries, require a long-term approach with care outlined by expert witnesses. Those services cost money, so law firms with experience and success are a “must.”
What type of cases resulting in catastrophic injuries does Snyder & Wenner handle?
Snyder & Wenner handles all catastrophic injuries resulting from: dog bites, car accidents, truck crashes, defective products, and insufficient/inadequate security. Every case is different, and every type of case is different, so here is a quick primer on each area:
Dog Bites: Dogs are great companions and wonderful pets, but they can also cause serious, life-long injuries. In Arizona, if you are a guest on someone’s property, and the property owner’s dog attacks you, the owner is responsible. There is no such thing as a “one free bite” rule, meaning that even if the dog has never harmed someone before, the owner is still responsible. The only way this is not true is if you provoke the dog or cause it to bite you. Unlike other negligence claims, though, there is a one year statute of limitations for the automatic (strict) liability. Once the one year mark passes, you will have to prove that the dog owner knew or should have known of the dog’s propensity to attack/bite. That is a much more difficult standard, so it is best to file your case within one year. In 2017, Snyder & Wenner had the largest verdict in the State of Arizona for a dog bite case.
Car Accident: Even minor car crashes can cause a major disturbance in someone’s life. The more serious the crash, the larger the physical impact. Did you know that neck and spine injuries from crashes that may SEEM like they resolve quickly can still be problematic 10-20 years later? The worst thing any injured person can do is simply assume that the injuries will get better and not seek appropriate treatment.
Truck Crashes: Many people think that truck crashes are just big car accidents. That could not be further from the truth. Truck accidents have many layers that run-of-the-mill car accidents do not, including federal regulations for truck drivers and trucking companies, and more sophisticated tools imbedded in the truck that can help determine why the truck driver was driving so fast or did not brake in time. Truck accidents obviously cause devastating injuries due to the sheer size of the big-rig, but proving that the truck driver and truck company are fault is something that requires experience. Using a basic personal injury lawyer for these cases is a recipe for disaster.
Inadequate Security: Did you know the apartment complexes, hotels, and business have a duty (obligation) to keep you safe? If they fail to do so, and a person is assaulted, raped, murdered, or injured, the owner of the apartment, hotel, or business may be liable. Snyder & Wenner has litigated numerous such “inadequate security” or “negligent security” cases, both in Arizona and Nevada. In fact, for many years, the firm had the largest personal injury verdict in the history of Nevada for its case that arose from a negligent security claim.
Snyder & Wenner is here to help. If you or a loved one has been catastrophically injured due to the negligence of another, please contact us today for a free consultation.
