If you suffer a serious or long-term injury there is no question that there is a chance it will permanently alter your life. Such a catastrophic turn of events affects not only the individual but also friends and family. Oftentimes, individuals who face catastrophic injuries experience difficulty performing basic tasks like maintaining personal hygiene, eating, or returning to work. With so many hardships and adjustments needing to be made the injured victim’s quality of life often declines as a result. The situation can be downright heartbreaking. Being left without compensation in such circumstances only makes it worse. That’s why we’re here; to make sure every legal avenue for restitution is fully realized to help lighten your burden. 

Johnson Attorneys Group are catastrophic injury experts in California, and we will help you recover compensation for the damages that you or your loved one have experienced, including pain, lost wages, depression, loss of enjoyment of life, suffering, loss of present and future wages, permanent disability, and medical bills. Our firm understands that cases where a catastrophic injury was involved are not merely concerned with the compensation recovered, but also about a person’s life after a life-changing injury and assisting them in their adjustments to living a full life. Our California personal injury attorneys are here to help and regard our clients’ happiness as our main concern.
 

Disabled girl in wheelchair - California Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
 

The physician you see will determine the course of treatment you undergo. Too many doctors do not understand or able to diagnose certain life-altering injuries. Our clients must treat with only the best doctors, not just a recent graduate. Johnson Attorneys Group is able to help our clients receive this proper medical care. Call today for a free consultation at (800) 208-3538.

What Makes an Injury Catastrophic?

A catastrophic injury is defined as an experience that has an enduring negative impact on the person involved. Typically, such injuries lead to permanent disability, affecting the victim’s ability to earn money, engage in social activity, or otherwise enjoy their lives. Such injuries may include back injuries, loss of eyesight or loss of hearing. Injuries leaving persistent psychological damage may also qualify, especially if they lead to permanent mental illness. The consequences of catastrophic injuries extend beyond the victims themselves. Their loss of income, medical needs, and limited mobility can place a burden on their friends and loved ones, requiring them to sacrifice time, effort, and money helping with their recovery. Compensation for catastrophic injury is thus necessary not only for the victim’s sake but for that of everyone in their lives.

Common Catastrophic Injuries

Injuries severe enough to be considered catastrophic usually fit into one of the following categories:

  • Amputations: Amputations of limbs or other extremities often make it impossible for the victims to work, leading to the complete loss of income. Even victims who can work often require extensive physical therapy or costly prosthetics. Such injuries also frequently lead to phantom limb syndrome and other psychological maladies, requiring counseling.
  • Spinal Cord Injuries: The spinal cord connects the brain to the rest of the body, making it indispensable for motor function. 12,000 Americans suffer spinal cord damage a year, usually the result of back and neck trauma. This can cause permanent paralysis, limiting the victim’s ability to work, exercise, or otherwise remain mobile.
  • Broken Bones: Although a single broken bone can usually be restored in a matter of months, multiple fractures are harder to recover from. Such injuries often lead to permanent reductions in strength and mobility, as well as persistent pain.
  • Vital Organ Damage: Serious injuries can puncture or traumatize your heart, lungs, and other internal organs. Not only does this severely impair your body’s functions, but it leads to additional problems later in life.
  • Burns: Burns that severely damage your skin or that extend to large areas of your body cause nerve damage, disfigurement, and chronic pain.
  • Brain Injuries: The most serious form of catastrophic injury, brain damage affects 1.7 million Americans every year. The more severe the trauma, the greater the chance of permanent mental and physical impairment.

Causes of Catastrophic Injuries

Catastrophic injuries can result from any number of mishaps, including:

  • Automotive Accidents: By far the most common source of catastrophic harm, automobiles can be involved in collisions, rollover accidents, fires, and a variety of other perilous accidents. Severe harm is especially likely in accidents involving pedestrians or motorcyclists, as well as when the automobile is a semi-truck.
  • Fires: Whether they occur in buildings, cars, or public spaces. Fires cause not only damage skin, but can also cause limb circulation issues and skin contracture that may limit mobility. Inhalation of the products of fire can cause an internal burn to the bronchial tree and lungs. This manifests by hypoxia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and even respiratory failure
  • Falling: Falling accidents often cause catastrophic injury, especially if the victim fell from scaffolding, a ladder, or another great height.
  • Sports: High-intensity contact sports like football are a frequent source of head and spine injuries.

When another parties’ actions contribute to these injuries, you deserve redress for the damage they have caused.

What Can I Be Compensated For?

If you can prove that someone else caused your catastrophic injury through negligence or deliberate harm, you deserve compensation for losses and damages that can be recovered through a successful claim. Compensation may include:

  • Medical Costs: This includes the long-term cost of rehabilitative treatment for your injury, as well as the price of any prosthetics or rehabilitation services you need.
  • Financial Losses: If you are unable to work as a result of your injury, you are entitled to current and future wage loss.
  • Suffering: Physical pain and mental anguish can lead to sleep deprivation, a loss of focus, and long-term mental health issues. You should be compensated for these ailments and the counseling you need to recover from them.

 

Catastrophic Injury Infographic -  California Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

Contact Our Catastrophic Injury Lawyer in California Today - No Fees Unless We Win

The California catastrophic injury lawyers at Johnson Attorneys Group offer legal support to the victims of all catastrophic injuries. To obtain the settlement that is rightfully yours, contact us at (800) 208-3538 today. Our consultation is free, and you never pay any legal fees until there is a successful resolve on your catastrophic injury case.

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California Catastrophic Injury FAQ

Catastrophic injuries can be life-threatening and might result in medical issues for the rest of someone's life. These types of injuries might lead to multiple surgeries, extensive therapy, and the need for special adaptive equipment. A catastrophic injury might result in the loss of a limb, where one might need a prosthetic to function normally. Aside from physical harm, these injuries might also lead to many mental health issues. To speak with a catastrophic injury lawyer in California, give Johnson Attorneys Group a call today.

Before accepting any payment for a settlement, you should first talk to an attorney. A professional attorney can help you get the maximum amount of money possible for your injury. The problem with taking the settlement now is that you may be forfeiting the opportunity to file additional claims in the future, which might limit the amount of money you’ll receive. To work with an attorney who has handled dozens of catastrophic personal injury cases, give us a call today.

Given that you may not have the money up front to pay an attorney, most attorneys will accept payment after the case has been completed and work on a contingency basis. The amount you’ll have to pay is usually based on a percentage of the outcome. However, if the attorney is unable to win your case and there is no settlement reached, there are no attorneys fees to pay. During the case, the attorney will fight for you, trying to get as much money you're entitled to. After the case is resolved, that’s when the attorney payment is issued. For more information on this topic, talk to our catastrophic injury law firm in California today.

In order to prove and win your case in this scenario, there are some things you can do to help your chances. It’s important to note that documentation is the most important thing for this case, so be sure to keep records of everything. To prove a claim for a catastrophic injury, you should keep the following documents:

    • Pictures of the accident scene
    • Professional accident reports
    • Photos of what caused your injury, if possible
    • Police reports or records
    • Witness information, including phone numbers and IDs
    • Eyewitness statements
    • Medical records and reports
    • Medical bills
    • Proof of any damages, such as car repairs

If you would like to file a case, contact us to work with a reliable California catastrophic personal injury attorney.

This is one of the first questions asked when dealing with a catastrophic injury, and for good reason. Damages for these types of injuries can come from many different factors. When determining the cost, we take the following factors into consideration to help get the most money possible:

    • Lost wages
    • Medical costs (present and future costs)
    • Future income loss
    • Money spent on additional care
    • Loss of household services
    • A decrease in quality of life
    • Pain and suffering
    • Lifespan shortened

For more information about California catastrophic personal injury law and what your case might be worth, choose Johnson Attorneys Group to handle your needs.

If you’ve been involved in one of these traumatic events, it’s best to call an attorney sooner rather than later. If you live in California or your accident took place here, then Johnson Attorneys Group can help you get the kind of compensation you deserve. We’re a professional personal injury law firm that is our to serve the entire state of California. We have a very professional California catastrophic personal injury lawyer and 12 convenient locations throughout the state for your convenience. Furthermore, you can contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your personal injury attorney needs. Contact us today for a FREE consolation.