Studio City Catastrophic Injury Lawyers
Did You Sustain Catastrophic Injuries in an Accident?
Simple accidents happen daily. Sometimes the outcomes aren't that simple, though. Individuals may slip and fall down a single step or an entire flight of stairs, especially when railings are inadequate or faulty. Reckless drivers cause injuries when they crash into another person's vehicle. Simple accidents aren't a major problem as long as people walk away with only minor bumps and bruises. If you sustain severe or catastrophic injuries, however, you might deal with pain, disabilities, and economic losses for the rest of your life.
Seemingly everyday accidents occasionally lead to long-lasting medical care, recurring medical expenses, lost wages, and unexpected disabilities. When another person causes or contributes to your injury, that person should cover your damages. Unfortunately, negligent individuals or entities don't always step up and take responsibility for their actions. Therefore, it's up to you and a Studio City catastrophic injury attorney to do what's necessary to make them pay.
What are common catastrophic injuries?
Federal law considers any long-term injury preventing an individual from working as catastrophic. Yet, some injuries happen more than others. Some common kinds of catastrophic injuries include:
- Severe burns are not just acutely painful, but they can also be traumatic and create life-long physical and emotional pain. Burns are classified as catastrophic when they cover much of the body and require reconstructive surgeries, skin grafts, and in some cases a medically induced coma to recover. Even with medical care, the risk of infection due to wide, deep burns is significant.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are caused by an external force striking or penetrating the skull. These injuries are generally caused by a violent blow to the head or by an object penetrating the skull. Traumatic brain injuries commonly happen in severe car accidents, slips and falls, and workplace injuries. Brain injuries that are classified as catastrophic typically mean that a victim suffers from cognitive issues, like loss of memory and ability to concentrate; physical problems, like impaired coordination and balance and loss of motor functioning; hearing problems; vision problems; and behavioral problems, like depression, anxiety, and aggression. In situations with serious brain injuries, victims may experience a coma, a vegetative state, or death.
- Spinal cord injuries can be catastrophic because of how vital the spine is to the human body's operation. A traumatic spinal cord injury can occur due to a sudden blow to the spine during a car accident or slip and fall. A catastrophic spinal cord injury frequently causes permanent loss of strength, sensation, and function below the site of the injury. This may cause temporary paralysis or even lifelong paraplegia or quadriplegia. In these cases, the injured victim will likely need extensive rehabilitation and assistive devices to return to some movement and independence.
- Severe orthopedic injuries such as crushed bones and fractures requiring several surgeries are also categorized as catastrophic. A crushed bone or multiple fractures most often happens when force or pressure is placed on a body part. Oftentimes these types of injuries result from being caught in between two heavy objects in a car crash or a workplace accident. Crushed bone injuries are incredibly painful, can require multiple surgeries, and run the risk of long-term issues.
- Amputation, meaning the loss of a limb or an extremity, is often a result of a serious accident. An amputation often can not be fixed and might put the patient's life at risk. Amputations are less common than a lot of other catastrophic injuries, however when they do occur it usually means a lifelong disability for those whose amputations were a result of an accident.
- Long-term vision or hearing loss clearly creates a significant problem for those who experience these types of injuries. Therefore, vision and hearing loss are classified as catastrophic. When a person no longer has the ability to hear or see, they face a lifetime of hardship, financial difficulties, pain and suffering, lost income potential, and independence.
What kinds of damages can I recover?
If the court rules in your favor or you reach a settlement prior to litigation, you can acquire damages for losses you (or your loved one) have sustained as a result of the catastrophic injury.
Examples of types of damages you can recover include:
- Current and future estimated medical treatment costs, including ambulance service, emergency room visit, hospitalization, surgery, medication, ongoing treatment, and continued nursing care in a long-term treatment facility
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity to compensate catastrophic injury victims who can not return to work or seek future employment
- Home modification expenses to make a home more accessible for an individual with a catastrophic injury by adding things like wheelchair ramps, handrails, as well as creating a main floor living area for those that can not use stairs
- Expenses for replacement services a household must use for tasks and labor the accident victim did before their injuries, such as a lawn care service, snow removal service, childcare, and a cleaning service
- Physical pain and suffering
- Psychological pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium with a spouse
- Punitive damages in extreme cases of gross negligence or intentional harm
How can an experienced attorney help my case?
Catastrophic injuries are life-altering events that leave victims financially devastated. Recuperating damages for catastrophic injuries is more than getting compensation for negligence, it is an essential source of funding for future costs related to the injury. Adding insult to injury, insurance providers use every strategy in their playbook to protect their bottom line and avoid paying claims.
Catastrophic injury claims are high-value claims that need additional resources and skilled attorneys. Experienced catastrophic injury attorneys do not only file paperwork, they advocate for you and your loved one every step of the way.
Examples of how catastrophic injury lawyers help their clients include:
- Investigating a claim to identify all the facts
- Building a strong case against the opposition
- Consulting with professionals that help increase value to a claim
- Obtaining valuable witness testimony
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Bringing a case to trial when settlement is not a solution
- Negotiating to lower medical expenses when a top settlement offer is obtained
Catastrophic injuries devastate victims and their families physically, psychologically, and economically. Contact our experienced Studio City catastrophic injury attorneys to see if we can help you receive the compensation you deserve.
If a negligent person or business causes catastrophic injuries to you or a family member, you must take immediate steps to protect your legal rights. At Drake Law Firm, we constantly fight hard to recover damages for our clients, and we 'd like to determine if we can help you.
At Drake Law Firm, we've assisted numerous personal injury clients to get the compensation they require to recover. We won't let you accept unfair treatment from other law firms and we will defend you from beginning to end. If you need help with a Catastrophic Accident in Studio City, California, give us a call at (844) 513-7253 for a FREE consultation or visit our website at DrakeLawGroup.com to get started on your case today!