Victorville Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

Any injury can have a severe impact on a person’s life. Injuries sustained in car accidents, slips and falls, or even assaults could cause an individual to need extensive medical care, miss significant time at work, and experience considerable mental anguish. Fortunately, most people recover and return to full health. However, a catastrophic injury permanently affects the physical or mental functions of the human body. When people file lawsuits that allege a devastating injury, the claim must demand compensation for the losses suffered to date and the lifetime impact an incident will have.

A Victorville catastrophic injury lawyer could help. They work with you and your family to fully comprehend the impact of an injury. A personal injury attorney could negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf or fight for you in court to obtain all appropriate compensation.

What Makes an Injury Catastrophic?

Any injury can feel devastating. Even relatively minor incidents can inflict substantial pain and require months to fully recover. However, the fact that an individual does not make a full recovery means the injury is catastrophic. In general, a catastrophic injury permanently affects a person’s future health. These could include:

• Spinal cord injuries involving paralysis of a limb or trunk
• Amputation of a hand, foot, arm, or leg or any loss of effective use of that appendage
• Brain injuries that result in loss of motor function, the inability to communicate, loss of consciousness, or episodic neurological disturbances
• Blindness
• Second- or third-degree burns over 25 percent of the body

Categorizing an injury as catastrophic determines the compensation a victim may demand. These cases must evaluate the physical impact of these injuries and their effect on a person’s emotional well-being and quality of life. An attorney in Victorville could help place an accurate value on a catastrophic injury case.

How Much Time Do I Have to File a Catastrophic Injury Lawsuit?

After suffering a severe injury, the first instinct of many people and their families is to focus fully on their healing and rehabilitation. The last thing that many injured people want to do is to think about pursuing a legal claim because it would force them to relive the trauma that they have experienced. Unfortunately, California law does not typically grant catastrophically injured people any more time to file a lawsuit than other people. In most cases, California only allows people two years from the date of their injury to file a legal claim. If someone waits past the two years, a court would likely bar their claim, regardless of how much evidence they have to prove their case. 

In addition to statutory time restrictions, there are also evidentiary reasons for bringing a lawsuit as soon as possible after an accident. If people wait too long, it can be considerably harder to collect enough evidence to justify their claim. People’s memories fade and become less reliable as time passes. Eyewitnesses to a serious accident might forget critical details about what happened that could prove the liability of the at-fault party. When witnesses move, they can also be hard to locate. 

To have the best chance of building a strong case for fair compensation, it is essential to consult with a knowledgeable Victorville attorney as soon as possible after suffering catastrophic harm. A dedicated local lawyer could begin investigating what happened, while allowing the injured party to remain fully focused on their health and well-being.  

How Devastating Injuries Might Occur

Unfortunately, a catastrophic injury can occur at any time and in any situation. Because the extent of a person’s injuries defines a loss as catastrophic and not the nature of an incident, any event that causes an injury may result in life-altering changes. This means that common incidents could bring severe harm. Traffic accidents, slips and falls, and even medical malpractice could end with these harsh outcomes.

A catastrophic injury lawyer in Victorville works to prove fault in these cases. The fact that a defendant did not intend to cause harm does not change their responsibility for the losses of a victim. California Civil Code § 1714 allows defendants to argue that person only suffered an injury because they did not act properly to protect themselves. A legal representative is ready to build a powerful case against at-fault parties while defending a victim’s choices.

What Kind of Damages Could a Catastrophically Injured Person Potentially Recover?

Catastrophic injuries are different from other types of injuries because they are generally not expected to improve even with the passage of time. Consequently, when pursuing compensation after suffering a life-altering injury, people need to consider their future needs, as well as their current situations. 

Because catastrophically injured people have so many needs that can continue far into the future, it is critical that they work with an experienced Victorville legal team who is extensively familiar with how to calculate the long-term care and medical needs of someone who has suffered devastating harm. 

A determined local attorney could advocate for fair compensation for all of an injured party’s physical, emotional, and financial losses stemming from their catastrophic injuries. They might potentially be able to recover the following:

• Past, current, and future anticipated medical costs to cover their ambulance fees, surgical costs, hospital stays, medical procedures, follow-up doctors’ visits, medication, physical and occupational therapy, medical equipment and devices such as prosthetics and respirators
• Caregiver and nursing expenses 
• Renovations to a home to make it more handicapped accessible by installing wider doorways and wheelchair ramps 
• A handicapped accessible van 
• Lost wages and future anticipated lost earnings expenses if the injured party is permanently unable to return to work
• Emotional distress 
• Pain and suffering 
• Mental anguish
• Decreased enjoyment and quality of life 

A compassionate Victorville attorney could meet with an injured party and their family members to learn the toll the catastrophic injury has taken on the injured person and their family. By taking the time to fully understand the devastating effects of the injury, a seasoned legal team would be better able to build a robust claim demanding fair compensation for all of their losses. 

A Victorville Catastrophic Injury Attorney Could Fight for Compensation

A severe injury can happen at almost any time. Whenever this harm is another party’s fault, you have the right to demand compensation. This is especially crucial when that injury will have a permanent effect on your life.

A Victorville catastrophic injury lawyer understands the immense impact these injuries have on you and your family. They work to demand full compensation from an at-fault party to get you the payments you need to have a secure future. Reach out today to see how our team is ready to advocate for you.