Mendez & Sanchez - Catastrophic Injury Attorneys in San Gabriel, California

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Did You Sustain Catastrophic Injuries in an Accident?

Simple accidents occur daily. Sometimes the outcomes 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 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 may deal with pain, disabilities, and economic losses for the rest of your life.

Seemingly common accidents often result in long-lasting medical care, ongoing medical bills, lost wages, and unexpected disabilities. When someone else causes or contributes to your injury, that individual should pay for your damages. However, negligent people or entities do not always step up and take responsibility for their actions. Therefore, it's up to you and a San Gabriel catastrophic injury attorney to do what's necessary to make them pay.

What Are Common Catastrophic Injuries?

Federal law considers any kind of long-lasting 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 only really 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 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 generally caused by a violent blow to the head or by an object penetrating the skull. Traumatic brain injuries often happen in serious car accidents, slips and falls, and workplace injuries. Brain injuries that are categorized as catastrophic often mean that a victim experiences cognitive issues, like loss of memory and ability to concentrate; physical issues, 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 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 because of a sudden blow to the spine during a car accident or slip and fall. A catastrophic spinal cord injury often causes permanent loss of strength, sensation, and function below the site of the injury. This might 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.
• Major orthopedic injuries such as crushed bones and fractures requiring several surgical procedures are also classified as catastrophic. A crushed bone or several fractures usually happens when force or pressure is placed on a body part. Oftentimes these kinds of injuries are due to being caught between two heavy objects in a car crash or a workplace accident. Crushed bone injuries are incredibly painful, might require multiple surgeries, and also run the risk of long-term problems.
• Amputation, meaning the loss of a limb or an extremity, is usually a result of a serious accident. An amputation often can not be repaired and may put the person's life at risk. Amputations are less common than a lot of other catastrophic injuries, but when they do happen it typically means a lifelong disability for those whose amputations were a result of an accident.
• Long-term vision or hearing loss clearly creates a significant burden for those that suffer these types of injuries. For this reason, vision and hearing loss are categorized as catastrophic. When an individual no longer has the ability to hear or see, they face a lifetime of hardship, economic difficulties, pain and suffering, lost income potential, and independence.

What Types of Damage 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:

• Present 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 income and lost earning capacity to compensate catastrophic injury victims who can not return to work or pursue future employment
• Home modification costs to make a home more accessible for someone 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 activities 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
• Emotional 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 Claim?

Catastrophic injuries are life-altering events that leave victims economically devastated. Recovering damages for catastrophic injuries is more than getting compensation for negligence, it is a critical source of funding for future expenses 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 require extra resources and experienced lawyers. Experienced catastrophic injury lawyers do not just submit 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 other side
• Consulting with professionals that help raise value to a case
• Obtaining valuable witness testimony
• Negotiating with insurance companies
• Bringing a case to court when settlement is not an option
• Negotiating to reduce medical bills when a top settlement offer is received

Catastrophic injuries devastate victims and their families physically, emotionally, and economically. Contact our experienced San Gabriel 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 need to take immediate actions to protect your legal rights. At Mendez & Sanchez, we constantly fight hard to recover damages for our clients, and we 'd like to determine if we can help you.

OUR PERSONAL INJURY AND CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS IN SAN GABRIEL, CALIFORNIA ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY TO TAKE YOUR CALL. FOR A FREE CONSULTATION, CALL US OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE.