San Fernando Valley Catastrophic Injury Attorneys

Did You Sustain Catastrophic Injuries in an Accident?

Simple accidents happen every day. In some cases the consequences aren't that simple, however. People may slip and fall down a single step or an entire flight of stairs, particularly when railings are inadequate or faulty. Reckless drivers cause injuries when they crash into another person's car. Simple accidents aren't a major problem as long as people walk away with only minor bumps and bruises. If you sustain serious or catastrophic injuries, however, you may struggle with pain, disabilities, and economic losses for the rest of your life.

Seemingly everyday accidents occasionally result in long-lasting medical care, ongoing medical expenses, lost wages, and unexpected disabilities. When someone else causes or contributes to your injury, that individual should pay for 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 San Fernando Valley catastrophic injury lawyer to do what's necessary to make them pay.

What are common catastrophic injuries?

Federal law considers any permanent injury preventing an individual from working as catastrophic. Yet, some injuries occur more than others. Some common kinds of catastrophic injuries include:

• Severe burns are not just acutely painful, but they can also be traumatic and produce life-long physical and emotional pain. Burns are categorized as catastrophic when they cover much of the body and require reconstructive surgeries, skin grafts, and sometimes 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 outside force striking or penetrating the skull. These injuries are usually caused by a violent blow to the head or by an object penetrating the skull. Traumatic brain injuries often occur in serious car accidents, slips and falls, and workplace injuries. Brain injuries that are categorized as catastrophic usually 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 issues, like depression, anxiety, and aggression. In situations with serious brain injuries, victims might experience a coma, a vegetative state, or death.
• Spinal cord injuries can be catastrophic because of how essential 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 crash or slip and fall. A catastrophic spinal cord injury frequently causes permanent loss of strength, feeling, 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 require extensive rehabilitation and assistive devices to return to some movement and independence.
• Major orthopedic injuries such as crushed bones and fractures requiring multiple surgeries are also classified as catastrophic. A crushed bone or several fractures most often happens when force or pressure is placed on a body part. In some cases these types of injuries result from being stuck in between two heavy objects in a car accident or a workplace accident. Crushed bone injuries are extremely painful, might require several 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 most other catastrophic injuries, however when they do happen 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 that suffer these kinds of injuries. Therefore, vision and hearing loss are categorized as catastrophic. When someone no longer has the ability to hear or see, they face a lifetime of hardship, economic problems, 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 receive damages for losses you (or your loved one) have incurred as a result of the catastrophic injury.

Examples of types of damages you can recover include:

• Present and future estimated medical treatment expenses, including ambulance service, emergency room visit, hospitalization, surgery, medication, ongoing treatment, and continued nursing care in a long-term care facility
• Lost income and lost earning capacity to compensate catastrophic injury victims that can not return to work or seek future employment
• Home modification expenses to make a house more accessible for a person with a catastrophic injury by adding things like wheelchair ramps, handrails, and creating a main floor living area for those who can not use stairs
• Expenses for replacement services a household must use for activities and labor the accident victim did prior to 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 lawyer help my case?

Catastrophic injuries are life-altering events that leave victims economically devastated. Recuperating damages for catastrophic injuries is more than receiving compensation for negligence, it is an essential source of financing for future costs related to the injury. Adding insult to injury, insurance companies use every tactic in their playbook to protect their bottom line and avoid paying claims.

Catastrophic injury claims are high-value claims that need additional resources and experienced attorneys. Experienced catastrophic injury attorneys do not only submit paperwork, they advocate for you and your loved one every step of the way.

Examples of how catastrophic injury attorneys assist their clients include:

• Investigating a claim to identify all the facts
• Building a solid case against the other side
• Consulting with experts that help raise value to a case
• Securing valuable witness testimony
• Negotiating with insurance companies
• Bringing a case to court 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, emotionally, and economically. Get in touch with our skilled San Fernando Valley catastrophic injury lawyers to see if we can help you get the compensation you are entitled to.

If a negligent individual or business causes catastrophic injuries to you or a loved one, you need to take immediate actions to protect your legal rights. At Drake Law Firm, we always fight hard to recover damages for our clients, and we 'd like to determine if we can assist 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 Catastrophic Accidents in San Fernando Valley, 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! 

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